WFAI Intermediate Cup Final - St Catherine’s 0-6 Shelbourne U18

On Wednesday evening, Shelbourne U18 cruised to FAI Intermediate Women’s Cup success after they defeated St Catherine’s by six goals to nil at Frank Cooke Park. Five goals from Lisa Murphy added to Shainne Swares goal ensured Shels ambition of a cup double remains firmly alive.

In a cagey opening to the game, both sides had early opportunities to strike early on, first Nadine Ryan was forced to race off her line to clear from Jessica Dillon, before up the other end, Murphy saw her header collide of the Catherine’s crossbar.

Soon after the Murphy’s chance, Shels opened the scoring after a cross from Emma Chamberlain was slotted into an empty net by Swares after the keeper failed to gather possession.

Moments later, the Catherines’ keeper was again called into action when she was forced to deny Murphy from close range. Despite Shels coming close to a second goal, shot-stopper Ryan was soon forced to tip over a dipping long range effort from Melissa Haughton.

A goalkeeping error would again haunt Catherine’s soon after when Murphy was allowed to tap home from close range into an empty net. Despite doubling their advantage, Shels were lucky not to have conceded a penalty when Aisling Dunbar appeared to haul the attacker down inside the box, however referee Deirdre Nolan waved play on.

Before the interval, Catherine's had a great opportunity to pull a goal back when a free-kick by Ealish Murray was deflected and headed towards goal by Dillon, but lucky for Shels the ball cannoned off the post.

When the side emerged from the dressing rooms at half-time, it was Shels who were quickest to settle and with less than ten minutes played in the half, they extended their lead after a goalmouth scramble saw Murphy fire past Sara Kechkar for her second of the game.

Jessica Corr was the next player to test Kechkar, but her effort was well saved by the keeper before Murphy fired wide as she went in search of back to back hat-tricks. Soon after, Murphy completed her hat-trick when she raced onto a ball before firing low past the Catherines’ keeper from the edge of the box.

With the result already secure for Shelbourne, Murphy continued to pile on the misery for St Catherine’s when she powered home a shot from two yards out after Swares delivery was not gathered by the goalkeeper under pressure from Chamberlain.

Despite bagging three second-half goals to add to her first-half, Murphy was determined to add to her goal tally and the forward saw her low shot from 25 yards creep through the goalkeeper's hands and into the net to give her a personal tally of five goals.

With Catherine’s being limited to half chances in the second-half, Ireland’s record goal scorer Olivia O’Toole will be wondering how she did not score late on after her strike from the edge of the box appeared to be heading into the top corner, but Shels keeper Ryan pulled off a fine stop to deny the forward a cup final goal at the age of 44.

St Catherine’s LFC

Sara Kechkar, Amanda Duffy, Amy Keating, Megan Brazil, Amy McLoughlin, Michelle Walsh, Alexandra Molloy (Dionne Lyons 59), Melissa Haughton (Charlie Doolin 67), Olivia O’Toole, Jessica Dillon (Lisa Nolan 72), Ealish Murray

Subs Not Used

Charlene Murphy, Grace McAuley Ryan

Booked: Lyons (72)

Shelbourne U18

Nadine Ryan, Jessica Corr, Aisling Dunbar, Joan Daly (Leann Payne 59), Caolan Carroll (Sarah O’Donoghue 20), Cliona Owens, Emma Boyle, Emma Chamberlain, Shianne Swares, Lisa Murphy (Karen O’Connell 75)

Subs Not Used

Cliona Moore, Shauna O’Neill, Karly Leavy, Louise Dollon

Booked: Daly (35)

Match Referee: Deirdre Nolan

Attendance: 170 estimate

Extratime Player of the Match: Lisa Murphy (Shelbourne U18)