Heartbreak for Midlands as Carlow prevail on penalties
Midlands 0 Carlow 0 (AET, Carlow win 6-5 on pens)
By Eoin Horkan
It wasn’t to be for a defiant Midlands side as penalties eventually proved the difference, with Carlow winning a tight and tense Gaynor Cup final in the University of Limerick last Friday.
Carlow had the better of the opening exchanges with Jasmine Doyle and her midfield partner Anna Cullen battling hard to control the middle of the park against Midlands duo Leah Stack and Emma Mooney.
The best of the early half-chances fell to Carlow with an Eimear Bolger free kick flying wide inside ten minutes. The first major chance of the half fell on the cusp of the first water break when Carlow’s top scorer Ciara Milton broke away, but her effort was well kept out by the brilliant Aoibheann Slattery in goal. The follow-up was expertly blocked by Chloe Glynn.
The game became end to end battle as both sides started to gain in confidence. A Siobhan Sinnott corner nearly made its way directly into the net for the south east side only for it to hit the crossbar. Sinnott also had the next chance for Alan Smith’s side but couldn’t break the deadlock as the opposition defence stood strong. Midlands created the last chance of the half but Carla Byrne kept out a long range free.
After the resumption it looked like one goal would win this final. Carlow broke away once again through Milton but Slattery in the opposition goal cleared it to safety. The Midlands couldn’t create any chance of note early in the second half as Cara English and her defence stood strong.
When play resumed after the second water break, Milton nearly converted a free but yet again the bar stood in the way. Sinnott’s rebound effort was kept out once again.
The last chance of normal time fell to Milton after a fantastic run, but her strike just missed the far post, sending the final to extra-time.
After a tough week for both sides, no one could muster the energy to make any inroads towards either goal in extra-time, meaning this final would be decided by penalties.
First up in the shootout was the Midlands’ Sophie Byrne who finished well. Indeed, the first five penalties were emphatically put away by each side, with all the girls showing maturity beyond their years. Chloe Glynn, Leah Stack, Alison Judge and Emma Mooney all scored penalties for Midlands.
After Carla Byrne saved the Midlands’ sixth penalty, up stepped Cara English to put away the final penalty giving her side the victory.
Player of the match: Aoibheann Slattery (Midlands). The official award went to the impressive Sophie Byrne, but this observer opts for the Midlands goalkeeper Slattery.
Carlow: Carla Byrne, Lucie O’Reilly, Cara English, Hannah Kerfah, Aoife Bergin, Jasmine Doyle, Anna Cullen, Siobhan Sinnott, Eimear Bolger, Ashlee Smith, Ciara Milton. Rest of panel: Nicole Osborne, Emma Malone, Keelie Doyle, Anna Gurhy, Grainne Grennan, Laura Malone, Natalia Deka, Ellie Maher, Abby Kepple.
Midlands: Aoibheann Slattery (Birr Town), Chloe Glynn (St Joseph’s), Alison Judge (Killeigh), Roisin Bradley (Abbeyleix, captain), Erin McHugh (Temple Villa), Leah Stack (Killeigh), Emma Mooney (Killeigh), Neasa Trainor (Ballinahown), Sophie Byrne (Willow Park), Leah Concannon (Ballinahown), Sarah Burke (Mountmellick United). Rest of panel: Christina Waldron (Bealnamulla), Niamh Coughlan (Killeigh), Caoilfhinn Brett (Hodson Bay Celtic), Kacey-Lee Finnmor (Tullamore Town), Sophie Padden (Temple Villa), Ellen Gorman (Killeigh), Ciara Conroy (Mountmellick United), Lilly-Mae Conroy (Mountmellick United). Management team: Glen Byrne (manager), Padraig Glynn, Verona Smyth, Aisling Concannon, Derek Collins.
Referee: Dean Turner.
Road to the final
Match 1: Midlands 2 Kilkenny 0. The Midlands side opened up the tournament with victory over Kilkenny, thanks to goals from Neasa Trainor and Caoilfhinn Brett.
Match 2: Cavan/Monaghan 0 Midlands 4. The Midlands controlled this tie from start to finish. Emma Mooney, Leah Concannon, Neasa Trainor and Caoilfhinn Brett were the goalscorers. Chloe Glynn marshalled her backline well, sniffing out any threat from the opposition.
Match 3: Midlands 1 Donegal 0. This was a tight battle from the outset. With the final play of the game, Emma Mooney burst forward and fed the ball to Sophie Byrne, who rattled the back of the net giving her side a last gasp victory. This meant Midlands finished the group unbeaten.
Match 4 (semi-final): Sligo/Leitrim 0 Midlands 1. Sophie Byrne broke the deadlock eight minutes into the second half, and the Midlands defended expertly to guarantee their place in the final. Indeed, the Midlands were the only team in the competition who didn’t concede a goal in normal time.