Gaynor trophy final success for Waterford in Limerick
The Waterford and Roscommon captains with officials before their Trophy Final.
Waterford began their campaign in a group with the NERL, Limerick District and Mayo which proved to be a difficult assignment for the squad and following the group stages they entered the Trophy competition based on their final group placing.
Waterford Waterford got off to a nightmare start in their opening group match when with just three minutes on the clock Chloe Callaghan put the NERL ahead. Waterford battled hard to find an equaliser but found a resolute defence thwarting their attacks. With eleven minutes left NERL doubled their lead when Hailey Twomey scored direct from a corner and there was no way back for Waterford following that.
Having easily defeated their opponents in the Inter League two months previously Waterford would have fancied their chances of getting back on track with a win. After conceding early in the opening game it was Waterford who struck first after Ruby Norris converted from the penalty spot on twelve minutes. It was a lead that should have been added to and these missed opportunities they would live to rue after a second-half turnaround from Limerick District.
In the thirty-eight-minute Limerick equalised when a free-kick from the left was floated into the box by Grace Geary and it evaded everyone to go into the net to stun Waterford. There was just seven minutes left when Limerick took the lead though Ellen Goggin when Laura Berseford's header to her keeper Sophie Carroll Lawler was intercepted by Goggin and she clipped the ball over Carroll Lawlor. Limerick wrapped up the points in injury time when Leah Hannon latched on to Geary's pass and she cut inside to fire home.
Waterford registered their first point of the group when they drew with Mayo who had won their opening two matches. Waterford got off to the best possible start when Villa's Megan O’Regan scored with only two minutes on the clock. Waterford were good value for their lead but on twenty six minutes Maya Benson put Mayo level. Despite controlling much of the remainder of the match no further goals arrived with the result putting Waterford into the Trophy.
Having received a bye into the semi-final Waterford overcame a disciplined Kerry side to reach the final. Piltown's Ruby Norris gave Waterford the lead with her second goal of the competition and when Bohs Lily Codd made it 2-0 six minutes later it looked like Waterford were well on their way to a comfortable win. Kerry however weathered the storm to prevent themselves from falling further behind and slowly began to gain a foothold in the tie. On forty two minutes Leona Meany halved the deficit to leave a nervy ending but Waterford held on to progress to the final.
Ruby Norris was the hero for Waterford as her wonder strike from thirty five yards with four minutes left won the Trophy for her side. Waterford were in control for much of the game and it as only the performance of the Roscommon keeper Grace Barron that prevented there being more goals.
It was a dream start to the final for Waterford when with just four minutes played Maia Stokes went on a mazy run that saw her beat a number of players before seeing her shot saved by Barron but Leah Fennell was quick to react and she followed in to slot the ball home. Waterford kept up the pressure with Stokes and Kayleigh O’Neill causing all sorts of problems for the Roscommon defence. On nineteen minutes Roscommon equalised against the run of the play through Lilia Murray. O’Neill came close on a number of occasions to restoring the lead for Waterford but Barron was equal to her every time. It was left to Norris to score her third goal of the tournament to win the Trophy and also bag her the player of the match award.
Sarah Doyle, Abbie Norris, Ruby Norris, Lily Walsh, Maia Stokes (Piltown), Sophie Whittle, Lily Codd, Clara Cullinane, Martha de Paor, Erin Butler (Bohemians), Imogen Power (Carrick United), Sadie Walsh, Ruby Starmer, Aoife O'Gorman (Tramore), Sophie Carroll-Lawlor, Leah Fennell, Laura Beresford (Dungarvan United), Megan O'Regan, Aanya Nair (Villa), Kayleigh O'Neill (Ballyduff), Violet Dineen (Cappoquin Railway).
