Under 15 Girls Football, Saturday 21st May 2016; Round Tower 5-11 Ballyboughal 4-7. Match report by Fiona Morley.
Torrential rain, sideline disruption and an ambulance – lots of drama in the Division 4 final league match for our U15 girls! This team, which is sponsored by Caddens Pharmacy, was formed in 2014 and is coached by Annette Harrington (Sligo) and Gwynne Fahy with great support from Carol Condon and Alice Dodrill. The girls were runners-up in 2014 and 2015 and walked out onto the Moyle Park pitch knowing that the league title was at stake once more.
In the opening few minutes Julia O’Flannery was unlucky not to score a goal. Ballyboughal got the first point of the game before Emma O’Malley scored a lovely point after great passes between the Towers forwards. Wet conditions and multiple frees hampered the flow of the game and it took a while for the Towers girls to settle down with missed scoring chances and an easy goal for Ballboughal. Further points from Julia O’Flannery and Emma O’Malley and a goal from Aisling Seery resulted from good defence work and accurate passing but, at half time, Towers were 4 points down.
The girls started the second half with renewed energy and, even though the game was disrupted by very heavy showers and indiscipline from the opposition, they managed to keep their focus. Corner back, Katie Doyle, played very well throughout. Chloe Fallon, Ava Dowd and Hannah Clarke worked very hard at keeping the ball away from goalkeeper and captain, Erin Griffiths, and Eibhlín Roebuck was a safe pair of hands when it mattered. Emma O’Malley, Aisling Seery, Kaithlyn Lynch and Julia O’Flannery worked tirelessly in trying to move the ball forward. The Towers’ sideline erupted with applause when Kirsten Gaffney drove in a goal, followed in quick succession by two more from Hannah Clarke and Chloe Morris! Towers were 6 points up when Kaithlyn Lynch collided with a Ballyboughal player and an ambulance was called. The decision was made to play the last four minutes of the game and Julia got one more point before the final whistle blew and Towers celebrated!
Congratulations to the girls, their coaches and all who support them each year. Three years ago there was only one juvenile girls’ team and credit is due to Marie Crotty, Sligo, Alice Dodrill and all the juvenile coaches who have given their time and energy and put multiple teams together for Round Towers. Their hard work and commitment is greatly appreciated by the girls and their parents! We wish Kaithlyn a speedy recovery and look forward to Rebecca Condon returning after her injury also. The girls will now be hoping to make it two titles in the one year when their championship games are played in autumn – watch this space!!
