Scoil Mhuire bridge 48-year gap to claim Munster Senior Girls Cup after victory over Regina Mundi
BRAGGING RIGHTS: The victorious Scoil Mhuire side. Pic: Denis Boyle
Scoil Mhuire have bridged a 48-year gap to win their first Munster Senior Girls Schools Cup final, beating Regina Mundi who were seeking to end their own 35-year wait for glory.
An “unplayable” performance by Susie Nolan saw her notch two goals from penalty corner routines, while Amy Noonan, Isabelle Martin, and Katie O’Keeffe got the other goals to decide this all-Cork final.
“It’s a bit euphoric now,” said Dave Egner, who has been coaching at Scoil Mhuire for 13 years.
“It’s the first time I’ve won anything with the school. I’m a bit lost for words, to be honest.” Egner spoke moments after commiserating with his Regina Mundi counterpart Nikki Barry, who he coached while she was a Scoil Mhuire student. His thoughts soon strayed to other former pupils in the crowd from a half-century previous.
“It’s 48 years since we won the cup. I believe some of the ex-team members are here as well. We’ll get a photograph of the captains together. It’s phenomenal, brilliant.” A breakaway Róisín O’Mahony goal saw the teams regroup level at the end of the first quarter but with Ireland U18 squad member Ruby Walsh anchoring midfield and joint-captains Amy Nangle and Emily Nolan efficient in stealing possession, Scoil Mhuire were able to pen in the Douglas school for most of the hour.
Egner praised Susie Nolan, awarded player of the match for her efforts, but insisted everyone contributed to a dominant final performance.
“Susie Nolan was unplayable. She’s a phenomenal right midfielder. We played her up front in the last match and she was a little bit lost. Today she really stepped up to the plate. Every single person across the team was phenomenal.”
With 1,000 tickets sold and history to be made, there was a real buzz at Ashton among the two city schools. Scoil Mhuire had needed shuttles to win quarter - and semi-final epics but they dominated possession and territory from the off in the decider.
Noonan had some early success down the left flank, teeing up Saoirse Cunningham for a shot deflected behind before Walsh flashed another effort wide.
The breakthrough came in the ninth minute, O'Keeffe playing the ball across the circle and Martin getting a touch before Noonan fired home.
Regina Mundi struggled to gain a foothold but right at the end of the first quarter, an incisive counter-attack brought about their first shot and only goal. Sally Murray started the move, Éabha Curran made a brilliant run through the centre, Katie Toomey drew the keeper, and O'Mahony applied the finish.
They were level for just five minutes of the second quarter. After Nangle had a penalty-corner goal ruled out for a dangerously high shot, she teed up Susie Nolan who drilled in low from their next penalty corner.
Maeve Harney produced a save from Martin but Scoil Mhuire's third penalty corner brought a second goal for Nolan in the 24th minute, again assisted by Nangle. 3-1 at the halfway mark.
On the resumption, Harney pulled off a double save from Nolan and Nangle before Aimee McSweeney fired just wide, while Emily Nolan did well to foil Jane Egar when sent in on goal at the other end.
The fourth goal arrived with a swift move after Walsh turned defence into attack, winning possession and playing a perfectly weighted through ball for Martin. Sarah O’Sullivan scrambled back well to get in the initial tackle but Martin finished at the second attempt.
Regina Mundi’s first penalty corner saw Lucy Nixon save well from Katie Toomey and Curran, who turned the rebound home only for the whistle to have sounded moments earlier to award a second penalty corner.
Otherwise, the penalty-corner count went one way (it ended 12-2 in Scoil Mhuire’s favour), with near misses for Nangle, Martin, and O’Keeffe.
Today’s team photo 😁 pic.twitter.com/NzmAsRm95k
— Lizzie Lee (@LizzieLeevale) January 25, 2023
After the latter’s close call in the 51st minute, Nangle won back possession and played in O’Keeffe, who sent a reverse shot into the cage. 5-1 and history secured for Scoil Mhuire.
S Nolan 2, A Noonan, I Martin, K O’Keeffe.
R O’Mahony.
L Nixon, E Smith, E Nolan (j-capt), R Walsh, Z Byrne, S Nolan, A Noonan, A Nangle (j-capt), I Martin, K O’Keeffe, S Cunningham.
I Healy, S Moloney, J Olden, E McCauliffe, A McSweeney, P MacKeown, G McSweeney.
M Harney, S O'Sullivan, K Moore, A O’Neill, J Allen, S Murray, É Curran, C Maye (capt), R O’Mahony, K Toomey, J Egar.
S Peterson, A Ahearne, S Ahearne, D Butler, E Costigan, S De Courcy, M McCarthy.
L Clifford, B Attridge.
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