Gallant Cam Celtic ladies edged out

Galway & District League Women's Cup Final Colga 2 Cam Celtic 1 Cam Celtic just failed to become the first Co. Roscommon side to win the Galway & District League Women's Cup when they were edged out by top Galway outfit Colga in the newly named Eamon Deacy Park last Sunday. This was a match full of commitment from both sides and supporters were treated to a superb exhibition of football at the Galway venue. Cam were slow to settle and paid the price when slack defending allowed Colga to claim a 1-0 lead after just three minutes. It was the perfect start for the south Galway side as Carol Mannion found space in the box to get the better of Emily Staunton. Aisling Dooley's side responded and began to take control in the midfield area. Indeed for the remainder of the half, they were the dominant side. Cliodhna McHugh, Claire Grehan, Aine O'Brien and Aine Kelly were to the forefront for Cam as they pushed forward with speed, skill and some great movement. Claire Grehan was unlucky when her shot was stopped by impressive Colga 'keeper Marie Murray. Cliodhna McHugh missed a glorious chance when she shot wide following a cross from Aine Kelly. Colga offered a rare threat at the other end, when Susie Cunningham got on the end of a Mannion delivery, but the striker could only direct her header straight at Staunton. With Aine O'Brien terrorising the Colga defence with her brilliant runs, Cam deservedly got a reward for their efforts when they levelled matters on 25 minutes. Fiona Gavin provided the through ball for O'Brien and while the striker had a bit of work to do, she displayed a touch of class in holding off the defensive cover, before firing low past the advancing Murray to tie up matters at 1-1. A couple of minutes later, Cam could have made it 2-1 but McHugh's attempt was just wide of the far post. Cam looked in almost total control but Colga were always dangerous on the break. And the Galway side got a little respite when an Alana Moran free kick fell to Maeve Maloney outside the box, but her powerful effort was comfortably gathered by Staunton. The girls from near Athlone went close to gaining a deserved interval advantage, when Kelly and McHugh combined to release O'Brien, but the advancing Murray again came out on top in the one-on-one combat. And so half-time came with the scores level at 1-1. Playing against the strengthening wind in the second half, Cam started brightly and Siobhan Tully was unlucky after her long range shot was just wide. But Cam were soon on the back-foot as Colga began to dominate in midfield and it took some brilliant defending to keep them at bay. Overall, the second half saw a major turnaround in affairs as Colga dictated matters. Paula Kelly and Susie Cunningham had efforts scrambled away early in the second half, before the latter went down under a Staunton tackle inside the box but Colga's penalty claims were waved away by the match official. The match winner arrived on 75 minutes when a Mannion corner was picked up at the far post by Lisa Casserly and, with time and space, she volleyed home from close range to give a Colga a 2-1 lead. Mannion fluffed two great chances to give Colga a cushion and, with eight minutes left in normal time, a Casserly corner picked out Keara Cormican but her header failed to threaten Staunton. Those misses were almost the undoing of Colga in the closing minutes as Cam pressed for an equaliser. On the stroke of full-time, the south Roscommon girls had a glorious chance to level things when Aine O'Brien was through one-on-one with the 'keeper, but her shot was brilliantly saved by Murray. As a series of corners piled pressure on the Colga defence, an O'Brien shot took a deflection as it looked to be heading for the top corner. But all Cam's pressure was in vain as the final whistle brought unbridled joy for Colga FC as they completed a league and cup double. If one was to name a 'player of the match', Aine O'Brien and Aine Kelly of Cam Celtic would be to the forefront of the contenders and also Becky McPhilbin (Colga) who was a powerhouse in midfield. But for her excellent goalkeeping to keep Colga in the game in the first half, and a last minute save to deny an equaliser, Marie Murray would shade it. This was a somewhat unlucky defeat for the Cam ladies, after both teams combined to serve up a great spectacle. Cam Celtic: Emily Staunton, Cheryl Scally, Jennifer Conlan, Michelle Walsh, Lauren Naughton, Aine Kelly, Siobhan Tully, Fiona Gavin, Claire Grehan, Cliodhna McHugh, Aine O'Brien. Subs used: Aisling McHugh for A Kelly (84 mins). Other subs: Grace O'Brien, Aisling Byrne, Emma Coughlan, Michelle Kelly. Colga: M Murray, M Maloney, R Bannon, P Kelly, J Linnane, K Cormican, A Moran, R McPhilbin, S Cunningham, L Casserly, C Mannion. Subs used: L Philips for M Maloney (59 mins). Subs not used: M Martin, J Greene, Y Walsh, D Martin, L Corcoran, S Smyth. Referee: Niall Crosby (Galway).