Knigh Ladies lift first ever silverware

SOCCER: North Tipperary Women's League Shield Final

Knigh United 1

Newport Town 0

Report: Gary Culbert in Birdhill

The energy and tenacity of youth was ultimately the difference when Newport Town and Knigh United met in the North Tipperary Women’s Football League Shield final last Wednesday, bringing the curtain down on the summer season of women’s soccer.

Newport came into the final in good form, having won the league in their last match, a 2-1 victory over Knigh in mid-August. Indeed, the experienced town side came in as heavy favourites, having won four and drawn one of their last five meetings with Knigh United.

However, with Knigh churning out female League of Ireland players at an unprecedented rate, the tide was eventually going to turn in favour of the thirteen-year-old club.

Indeed, it was a player just two years older than the club itself, Tara Hanrahan, who lit up the final, scoring the only goal of the game on the way to a well-deserved player of the match award.

In a tense first half of few chances, Newport looked the better team and enjoyed the lion’s share of possession with Caoimhe Troy a constant threat up front, and Ailin Rochford impressing with quick feet in attacking midfield while Leah Moran provided the pace on the flank.

Kyarra Ford and the rest of the Knigh backs defended tenaciously to repel the threat and were never afraid to mix if physically. Even with the extremely limited service she got in the first half, Tara Hanrahan was Knigh’s danger woman, consistently cutting in from the left before letting fly on Leah Bailey’s goal.

Knigh were a different animal in the second half, driven forward by Hanrahan’s positive probing play down the left flank.

Mere minutes had elapsed after the restart when Hanrahan hit the end-line before fizzing a cross through to the back post where Kyarra Ford was high up the pitch from right back to retrieve the loose ball. Possession was worked back across the edge of the box where the impressive Jane Kennedy kept the attack alive with a ball into the feet of Hanrahan, who finished with conviction beyond the helpless keeper.

Knigh’s tails were up and they began to press high up the pitch with their youthful energy and enthusiasm proving hard for Newport to keep up with.

In midfield, powerful running from Melena Halbina through the centre helped Knigh to maintain their control meaning Newport did not venture into the opposition half until late on.

In pushing players forward to try and rescue the game, gaps began to emerge in Newport’s rearguard. A perfect Tara Hanrahan pass into the path of Mia McKenna gave an opportunity for Knigh to kill the game but Ailin Rochford got back in the nick of time to snuff out the danger.

Very late on, Newport did lay siege to the Knigh goal with Leah Kennedy required to clear off the line to deny Sarah Finn. Having expelled so much energy in attack, Tara Hanrahan somehow found the energy to be available in a defensive capacity late on, capping off a player of the match display by clearing a goal-bound shot.

And so, the Autumnal sun-set in Birdhill signalled the end of another successful summer season of women's soccer in North Tipperary. These players will now look forward to the winter 7-aside astro league.

Based on the foundations of having six players on the 2024 Gaynor Cup team - four of whom now play for this team, with the other two playing League of Ireland – Knigh United are only just beginning, and in truth, have the potential to go on to dominate women’s soccer in Tipperary for many years to come.

For now, though, they will enjoy the celebrations of winning the club’s first trophy in women’s senior football while the North Tipperary Women’s Football League committee are left with the headache of which division to put Knigh in next year.

Player of the Match: Tara Hanrahan (Knigh United)

Knigh United: Niamh Kelly; Hannah Quirke, Lara Kennedy, Kyarra Ford, Jane Kennedy; Toni Cleary, Mia McKenna, Melena Halbina, Tara Hanrahan; Roisin Connolly, Abby O’Brien.

Subs (roll-on, roll-off): Eden Ford, Isabel Kingston, Sadhbh Fogarty, Emily Shesgreen (Capt), Jade Connors, Eli Loughnane, Broke Shoer.

Newport Town: Lauren Bailey; Kerrie Lenihan, Sarah Kelly, Robyn Moloney, Aoife Connolly; Leah Moran, Ava Shinners (Capt), Sarah Finn, Mia Mclouglin; Heather O’Neill, Ailin Rochford.

Subs: Caoimhe Troy, Emma Moloney, Rebecca Kenneddy, Emma Wright, Aisling Kennedy.

Referee: Colin O’Gorman.