All-Ireland Ladies Club JFC: St Paul's through to decider on penalties
November 30, 2024
Mungret St Paul's players Áine Ryan, left, and Claire Coughlan, centre, celebrate team-mate Yvette Culhane and her daughter Cara after their side's victory in the AIB LGFA All-Ireland Junior Club Championship semi-final. Photo by Shauna Clinton/Sportsfile
Mungret St. Pauls (Limerick) 0-8
Coolera/Strandhill (Sligo) 1-5
(Mungret St. Paul’s win 3-1 on frees after extra-time)
Mungret St. Paul’s qualified for their first ever AIB All-Ireland junior football final after claiming a dramatic 3-1 victory on frees after a thrilling draw over 80-plus minutes.
Played at Kilcoyne Park, in Tubbercurry, the Sligo and Connacht champions kicked a last gasp score to tie the game after extra-time. The heroics before that belonged to Clare Coughlan of Mungret St. Paul’s, who scored seven minutes into stoppage time to force another twenty.
This game was a pulsating contest which Coolera Strandhill thought they had won when they struck the only goal of the game on 57 minutes from the impressive Orna Murphy.
For John Horgan and Mungret St. Paul’s, it marks further progression for the vastly expansive club, who promote all four codes. This is their time to shine after shocking Midleton to win the Munster junior crown earlier in November.
The Sligo ladies had won the quarter-final in the Netherlands last week, breezing past Paris Bordeaux Gaels. However, this was always going to be a much tougher test.
The Shannonsiders had scoring contributions from Monaghan native, Grainne McKenna and eventually Coughlan. The experienced Coughlan was sprung from the bench and showed all her class to curl over a wonderful levelling score – a first for her side from play.
At half-time, scores were at a premium with the exciting Anna McDaniel and Leah Kerrigan both on target. McKenna’s free, against a strong breeze all that came in reply.
The second half saw only one Strandhill score – with Murphy dispatching a wonderful goal late in the contest. However, Mungret had the answer of two McKenna frees and then a score from Coughlan.
They would lead for the first time in extra-time, thanks to Jenni O’Malley, but the final action was supplied by sub Mairead McIntyre, who used the outside of her boot to force the free-kicks.
From 30 metres, McKenna, goalkeeper Carol Bateman and Fiona Morrissey all scored. In reply, though, came just a Heather Cotter effort. The Limerick side prevail to head to a final in two weeks’ time, against Na Dúnaibh of Donegal or Kilcock of Kildare.
Scorers for Mungret St. Pauls: G McKenna 0-6 (frees); C Coughlan, M O’Malley 0-1 each.
Scorers for Coolera/Strandhill: A McDaniel 0-3 (frees); O Murphy 1-0; L Kerrigan, M McIntyre 0-1 each.
Free scores:
Mungret St. Paul’s: G McKenna, C Bateman, F Morrissey.
Coolera/Strandhill: H Cotter.
Coolera/Strandhill: B Harte; L Kilfeather, H Gilligan, E O’Malley (capt.); S Gilligan, E Cawley, N O’Callaghan; R Goodwin, S Dalton; S McDaniel, H Cotter, E McIntyre; L Kerrigan, O Murphy, A McDaniel. Subs: M McIntyre for Gilligan (half-time), C O’Sullivan for O’Callaghan (half-time); L Cawley for Kerrigan (45); L Laffey for Murphy (60); O Murphy for Laffey (61 – et); S Gilligan for O’Malley (70); Laffey for Goodwin (76).
Mungret St. Pauls: C Bateman; C O’Neill, L Dunne, M Clancy; S Burke, C Moloney, J Buckley; C O’Meara, Á Ryan (capt.); E O’Rourke, G McKenna, N Crowley; A Morrissey, J Casey, N O’Keeffe. Subs: F Morrissey for O’Keeffe, Y Culhane for Crowley (both 39); C Coughlan for Casey (50); M O’Malley for O’Rourke (55); S Horgan for Buckley (60); J O’Malley for Moloney (69); K O’Mahony for O’Neill (70).
Referee: Ciaran Groome (Offaly).
