A winning Super Saturday for Schoolgirls football
Waterford Schoolgirl League U13 Development Squad who defeated South Tipperary.
Anna Grace Flynn was the hero for the WDWSL as she saved Mary Duffy's penalty in sudden death to send her side through to the Munster Shield Final. Waterford had led by two goals midway through the second half but found themselves pegged back as South Tipp scored twice late on to force penalties.
Waterford got off to a dream start as they opened the scoring with only ten minutes on the clock. Ella Brennan played a superb ball in behind the Tipp defence, and Winnah Shanahan's pace took her clear. As Hannah Ozirlla advanced to narrow the angle, Shanahan fired an unstoppable shot past her into the roof of the net. Waterford were unlucky not to double their lead shortly afterwards when Aoibhinn Stuart saw her effort beat Ozirlla but narrowly missed the goal. The visitors had their first chance on twenty minutes when Jess Fanning saw her shot flash across the goal but was just of target. Shanahan came close to adding her second after Emily O'Regan's incisive pass sent her through on goal, but on this occasion her effort lacked direction and was wide of the mark. Waterford did increase their lead right on half-time, however, when Hollie Roche-Murphy's cross was deflected into the net off a defender.
The final quarter saw South Tipperary push forward, and they got their reward when Isabelle Keane's long-range effort beat Flynn. The sides were level with eight minutes remaining when Keane was put through, and although Flynn got a touch to the ball, Grace Fitzgerald snapped up the stray ball and rolled it into the empty net. With no extra time, it was straight to penalties, and after the opening five for each side, they were still locked at 3-3 with Pippa Downey, Ella Brennan and Sophie Morrissey all scoring. Yasmun Sobirin scored for Waterford, leaving it to Flynn to save from Duffy to send Waterford through to meet Cork in the Final.
Waterford: Eva Lee Sullivan, Aoife Lannigan, Sarah Cullinane, Ella Brennan, Emily O'Regan, Keeley Power, Siún Kelly, Hollie Roche-Murphy, Winnah Shanahan, Aoibhinn Stuart, Ellie Mae Doherty, Leah Kiely, Jessica Ferguson, Yasmun Sobirin, Rojin Cambeg, Pippa Downey, Issy Daly, Vivienne O Hara, Sophie Morrissey, Anna Grace Flynn.
South Tipperary: Hannah Ozirlla, Mary Duffy, Iris Grace, Katelyn Lacey, Poppy Lyons, Sarah Tobin, Alma O'Halloran, Aine Horgan, Isabelle Keane, Abigail Tobin, Jess Fanning, Isabelle Downey, Faye Cremins, Grace Fitzgerald, Sarah Flynn.
Referee: Noel Connolly
Waterford ran out convincing winners after a dominant performance saw them sweep aside Clare. From the opening minute, the hosts were on the attack with Elsie May Shaw trying her luck from distance. It took until three minutes before the interval for Waterford to take the lead. Hannah Hennessey split the Clare defence, and Shaw ran through on goal, and although O Callagan saved her initial effort, Shaw made no mistake with her second. Right on half-time, Waterford doubled their lead. Khalessi Ryan sent over a free kick from the right wing, and Bea Lynch applied the finish. O Callagan produced a superb fingertip save from Ryan early in the second half after her shot looked destined for the top corner. From the resulting corner, Ryan whipped in a dangerous cross, and Saoirse Ryan headed over from close range.
Midway through the second half, Waterford put the tie beyond Clare. Amy Fitzpatrick raced past her marker and fired home past O Callaghan for 3-0. Within a minute, Waterford scored again, with Shaw on this occasion getting in behind the Clare defence, and she kept her composure to round O Callagan and side foot home. Clare came close to getting a consolation goal when Ava Malone saw her effort crash against the post.
Waterford: Caoimhe O Gorman, Cliona Kirwan, Saoirse Ryan, Beibhinn Hayes, Molly Dooley, Elsie May Shaw, Khalessi Ryan, Bea Lynch, Hannah Henessey, Lauren Barry, Grainne Lacey, Aoife Kelly, Chloe O Leary, Amy Fitzpatrick, Katie Cody, Darcy Hayes, Ruby Corcoran, Chantelle Stokes.
Clare: Sienna O Callaghan, Jasmine Kent, Eva Begley, Gwen Bunbury, Amelia O Callaghan, Mia Visockaite, Lea Visockaite, Saoirse Frost, Emily Moran, Abbie Egan, Meabh Cleary, Amelie Connolly, Emma Gillan, Ava Malone
Referee: Noel Connolly
Waterford advanced to the Cup quarter finals after Anna Cullinane netted the winning spot kick in the penalty shoot-out needed to separate the sides. Waterford were left wondering how it got to that stage as they controlled much of the game.
In the 27th minute, Pascolini and Molly Dooling combined down the left wing, but Dooling's effort missed the target. A sustained period of pressure saw Alicia Radley fizzle an effort just over the crossbar before they finally broke the deadlock with a wonder strike. Aoibh Ann Kiely came into possession just inside the Wexford half, and her shot flew over McGrath and into the roof of the net to give Waterford the lead.
Waterford came within the width of the woodwork of doubling their lead on 49 minutes when Pascolini collected from Cullinane and turned her marker, sending a powerful drive that beat McGrath but struck the crossbar. Pascolini was again denied on 65 minutes when her shot was brilliantly touched onto the crossbar by McGrath. Waterford were to rue these misses as Wexford equalised on 63 minutes. Mila Doran went on a run down the right wing, and her cross was perfect for Mernagh, who made space for herself and volleyed past Fraher. With extra time failing to separate the teams, it was down to the lottery of penalties. Emily O'Regan, Dooling and Alicia Radley scored from the opening four kicks, with Fraher saving Wexford's first from Rossiter. Cullinane kept her nerve to score Waterford's fifth, leaving Abi Doyle-Kinsella needing to score to force sudden death, but she blazed her effort over the crossbar, sending Waterford through the next round.
Waterford: Emily Fraher, Anna Cullinane, Ruby Prenderville, Abbie Norris, Katie Nolan, Zemirah Sobiri, Niamh Kirwan, Aoibh Ann Kiely, Vittoria Pascolini, Molly Dooling, Alicia Radley, Penny White, Emily Murphy, Erin O Brien, Ana Feher, Grace Walsh, Anna Rochford, Clodagh Kavanagh, Natasha Kearns, Sophia Grace.
Wexford: Allisia McGrath, Ella O Brien, Orlaith Ryan, Ellie Wybrat, Abi Doyle Kinsella, Libby Rossiter, Grace Redmond, Paige Kenny, Mila Doran, Harpar Mernagh, Serena Scanlon, Layla O'Rourke, Sarah Whelan, Izabella Guz, Emily Murphy.
Referee: Damien Kelly
