Brilliant Waterford secure final spot with Limerick after dominant display in Tralee
Waterford Schoolgirls League U16 Squad who defeated Kerry in the Munster Cup Semi Final in Tralee.
Holders Waterford marched into the Munster Final after a composed performance in challenging conditions saw them leave Tralee with a clean sheet and a three-goal winning margin that could have been greater given the chances they created.
Waterford will now face the Limerick Desmond League on Sunday, January 18, in Cork in the final after they defeated Clare 4-0 in their semi-final.
The sides had met five weeks earlier at the same venue in the National competition, with Waterford also winning on that occasion, and they were eager from the start to make it a double over the Kingdom.
After a patchy opening on the quarter-hour mark, Waterford carved out the first chance of the match when Maia Stokes volleyed from 20 yards, which fizzled just wide of the post. At the other end, Kerry had two opportunities in quick succession.
First, Meabh Kennedy intercepted a clearance, but her effort hit the side netting, closely followed by Saoirse Brosnan bringing out a great save from Molly Dunphy O Brien, who was at full stretch to deny her.
With Waterford getting in behind the Kerry lines, the pressure finally told after 25 minutes. A Kerry attempt to clear their defence saw Stokes head the ball into the path of Saoirse Daly, and she used her strength and pace to hold off her marker and slide the ball underneath the advancing Shannon O Sullivan in the Kerry goal to open the scoring. Daly broke free of the Kerry defence after 30 minutes, but this time her shot was off target, clearing the crossbar.
Aanya Nair was next to try her luck when Ruby Hallinan's cross-field ball put her through on goal, but off balance, her effort was sliced wide into the side netting. Right on the stroke of half-time, Maia Stokes' mazy run took her past four players as she danced through the Kerry defence, but her shot shaved the post to the relief of the hosts.
The second period saw the visitors take control of proceedings, and within a minute of the restart, Hallinan slipped in Lily Codd, but she couldn't direct her effort on target. Nair was next to come close as she cut inside, and her effort went across O Sullivan and wide of the goal.
Waterford doubled their lead on 51 minutes after excellent work down the left wing by Hallinan. Hallinan's incisive pass to Nair saw her shot produce a save from O Sullivan, but Codd was quick to react, and from an acute angle she scored with the rebound.
It got even better for Waterford within 90 seconds as they scored again. Hallinan was again instrumental as she beat two players down the left wing before cutting the ball back from the end line into the path of Daly, who rifled home for her second goal of the day.
The visitors were in complete control for the remainder of the tie and had opportunities to add to their tally. Daly had a chance to complete her hat trick, but on this occasion her shot went wide.
Nair was unlucky not to get on the scoresheet when O Sullivan saved her effort. Violet Dineen showed pace to beat her marker down the right, and she sent over a dangerous cross that both Clodagh Power and Sophie Phelan came close to getting on the end of as the Kerry goal led a charmed life.
Imogen Power brought the best out of O Sullivan when her curling free kick saw O Sullivan dive to her left to save.
Shannon O Sullivan, Ava Feily, Casey Shanahan, Sadhbh Dowling, Soph Rybanska, Taylor Kate Leiner, Leona Meany, Abbie Fleming, Saoirse Brosnan, Meabh Kennedy, Malwina Jankowska, Fleur O Neill, Ellis Reen Cronin.
Molly Dunphy O Brien, Martha de Paor, Clara Cullinane, Sophie Whittle, Ruby Starmer, Imogen Power, Aanya Nair, Maia Stokes, Lily Codd, Saoirse Daly, Ruby Hallinan, Laura Beresford, Violet Dineen, Sadie Walsh, Sophie Phelan, Sophie Shanahan, Kate Cullinane, Clodagh Power.
League leaders Ballinroad made it six wins on the bounce as they proved too strong for Villa at St. Laurence's Hall.
It was no surprise when the prolific Ellie Mae Doherty opened the scoring for the Rams when her shot found the bottom corner to beat Isabella Doris in the Villa goal. The home side increased their lead before the break, and again Doherty was involved. Doherty sent over a cross which was deflected into her own net by an unfortunate Villa defender.
The second half saw Ballinroad continue to press forward, and it was Doherty once more who was on target as she netted her second of the game to put her side 3-0 up. Leah Kiely rounded off the scoring when she scored Ballinroad's fourth goal, with the result leaving the Rams six points clear of second-placed Southend United, although the tangerines do have a game in hand.
