Wexford win FAI Women's U19 Cup with 4-0 victory over Galway
Credit: None
A dominant performance from Wexford and District League saw them run out comprehensive 4-0 winners over Galway in the FAI Women’s Under 19 Inter-League Cup Final on Sunday afternoon in Jackman Park, Limerick.
Wexford were led from the front by a player-of-the-match performance from Holly Dooley and emerged comprehensive winners over a gutsy Galway side to win their third FAI Women’s Under 19 Inter-League Cup in four years.
The first chance of the game fell to the eventual winners in the ninth minute as an Abbie Gaffney effort resulted in a good save from Eabha Ní Choisdealbha in the Galway goal.
From there, Galway enjoyed a dominant spell as Ciara Connolly and Clodagh O’Neill produced good efforts on goal. O’Neill capitalised on a mistake in the Wexford defence on the quarter-hour mark, forcing a save from Ella Crotty to keep the game scoreless. From the resulting corner, Clodagh Crowley had her effort frantically blocked on the line.
Ten minutes later, Daisy O’Neill drove a powerful effort from distance, but her shot drifted harmlessly over the bar.
Wexford then took the lead in the thirty-fifth minute when Shannon McGuire latched onto a Mia Denton flick to give Wexford the advantage. Denton knocked the in-swinging free kick into the path of McGuire, who coolly slotted the ball past Ní Choisdealbha.
Moments later, Ciara Murphy came close to doubling the Wexford lead after her shot was parried by Ní Choisdealbha following a terrific solo run from Holly Dooley.
Just three minutes after the restart, another free-kick doubled the Wexford lead when Dooley got on the end of a Denton cross. Four minutes later, the game was effectively over as a contest when Connolly flicked the ball past the on-rushing Ní Choisdealbha after another piercing Dooley run.
Four minutes later, the ever-dangerous Dooley forced a diving save from Ní Choisdealbha after another driving run through the heart of the Galway defence.
In the sixty-fifth minute, Dooley got her deserved second goal, which was the highlight of the game, as she lobbed the hapless Ní Choisdealbha from outside the box to cap off a flawless display as Wexford and District League ran out worthy 4-0 victors.
Wexford and District: Ella Crotty (Holly May O’Sullivan 81), Nicole Murphy, Tegan Fortune, Caoimhe Byrne, Abbie Gaffney (Emma Keenan 71), Ciara Murphy (Ava Wallace 71), Mia Denton (Ava Stapleton 62), Ciara Connolly, Holly Dooley, Shannon McGuire (Katie Collins 77), Hannah Kehoe.
Galway FA: Eabha Ni Choisdealbha (Kara O’Connor 89), Isobel Whyte, Anna Daly (Eadaoin Brannelly 80), Niamh Donovan, Chelsea Nolan, Abby Martha Kavanaugh, Clodagh Crowley (Kaelah Tobin 65), Ciara Fahy, Leah Moran (Joy Erugo 53), Daisy O’Connell, Caoimhe O’Neil (Rhia Stone 58).
Referee: Shane O’Donoghue.
