Moville retain All-Ireland crown as Christ The King go down fighting

Holders Moville CC retained the FAI Schools Junior Girls All-Ireland crown despite Christ The King Girls’ efforts at the Oscar Traynor Centre in Coolock yesterday.

The Donegal school grabbed the lead inside the first minute through striker Sarah-Jane McDonald and would have been further ahead but for the goalkeeping of Christ the King’s Chelsea Noonan.

Megan Connolly equalised for the Cork school eight minutes into the second half but two strikes in the space of five minutes from Gemma McGuinness and McDonald made it 3-1 for the northerners. Connolly’s second for Christ The King four minutes later sparked life into the finale and Laura O’Brien was close to equalising with a shot which angled just wide. Moville, too, had their chances to extend their lead in the closing stages but, once again, Noonan was there to thwart an effort from McGuinness. The schools meet again in the senior final on Wednesday at Tallaght Stadium.

MOVILLE CC, DONEGAL: A Canning; R Henry, A Breslin, C McDermott, K McLaughlin; E Lafferty, S McDonald, R McLoughlin, G McGuinness; S-Jane McDonald, A McLaughlin.

Sub: M McDermott for S. McDonald (50)

CHRIST THE KING GIRLS’ SS, CORK: C Noonan; B De Luis, M Murphy, A Fox, O Murphy, N McGreevy; M Dennehy, L O’Brien, S Geaney; M Connolly, K Lenaghan.

Subs: A Russell for Lenaghan (48), O Magner for Donnelly (56), K Dennehy for De Luis (65 mins).

Referee: Mark Connor.