Ballina Town win WFAI Umbro Intemediate Cup

Ballina Town won the FAI Umbro Women’s Intermediate Cup on a score line of 3-1 today in Turner’s Cross. This was Ballina’s first time winning the intermediate cup as they defeated reigning champions Douglas Hall. Goals from Aime Roddy, Aoife Herbert and Sarah Rowe were enough for Ballina Town to cancel out Megan O’Keeffe’s goal for the Hall and steer the Westerner’s to victory.

The game was only thirteen minutes old when an Aime Roddy strike from the edge of the box found the net after being set up by Patricia Coyle who herself had a fine game.

Ballina had barely time to draw breath after taking the lead when Ciara Desmond played a through ball through the heart of the Ballina defence to set up Megan O’ Keeffe who slotted the ball past Aine McLean to level the game.

Both sides then had chances before player of the match Aoife Herbert gave Ballina the lead. Irish U-19 international Sarah Rowe dribbled down the edge of the box before crossing the ball into the middle of the box where she found Herbert who controlled the ball before shooting past Sarah McCarthy in the Douglas Hall goal.

Just before half time Ballina Town increased their lead to two goals, when a cross from Mary McHale into the box was hit by Sarah Rowe at the front post to score from six yards out.

Douglas Hall never gave up and kept pressing for goals throughout the second half but the Ballina defence stood firm and the game ended 3-1 with wild celebrations from the Ballina players and supporters.

Douglas Hall: Sarah McCarthy, Sarah Clune (Laura Cooney 55), Mary Barrett,Ciara O’ Leary, Miriam Reardon, Stacey Paul, Sarah Byrne (Claire Cooney 72) , Donna O’ Leary, Jessica Geasley (Amy McCarthy 55), Megan O’ Keeffe, Ciara Desmond

Subs: Aisling Fox, Jess Kavanagh, Lauren Burke, Janet Coughlan

Ballina Town: Aine McLean, Ailish Healy, Fiona Treacy, Orna O’ Dowd, Ailish Collins (Olivia McGlion 75), Patricia Coyle, Aime Roddy, Megan Duffy (Niamh Connolly 61), Mary McHale (Ciara Armstrong 45), Aoife Herbert, Sarah Rowe

Subs: Aoileann Collins, Karen Lawlor, Laura Daire, Noreen Rolston

Referee: Ken Gorman (Limerick)

Player of the Match: Aoife Herbert (Ballina Town)