Locals play their part in Gaynor Shield success

Nine players from two South Roscommon clubs were part of the Roscommon and District (RDYSL) Under-14 girls squad who recently won the Gaynor Shield as part of the SFAI Gaynor Cup competition.

The representative selection's shield success saw the squad achieve history, becoming the first girls' team from the Roscommon and District League to win a major trophy at this major competition in Ireland's underage soccer calendar.

St John's Athletic were represented in the squad by Leah O’Beirne, Emily Farrell, Grace Keaveney, Bronagh Naughton, Mia Kelly, Anna Sturgeon, while Skyvalley Rovers trio Robyn Brooks, Ava Hogan, Caitlin Clarke were also selected to represent the Roscommon & District girls' at the week long tournament.

The girls' path of glory started with a 3-0 win over fellow shield finalists Derry on the opening day of the tournament with goals from Ava Hogan, Sienna Mulleady and Eloise McDonnell. In their second group outing, Skyvalley's Hogan scored a brace during the 5-3 loss to a Donegal selection with St John's player O'Beirne adding the third for the Roscommon & District League team. A subsequent defeat to the Dublin and District League saw the girls finish third in the group.

Midweek saw the start of the knockout phase of the competition with the Kilkenny League providing the opposition on Wednesday. Once again Hogan was to the scoring fore, netting her fifth goal in four games and Mya Stephens added a second on 56 minutes to ensure progression in a tightly contested encounter.

A quarter-final with the Kerry League now awaited, the girls' fifth game in 48 hours, with the game failing to provide a goal in normal time. The fixture progressed to a penalty shootout with all five Roscommon players, Emily Farrell, Robyn Brookes, Ava Hogan, Leah O’Beirne and Sienna Mulleady converting their penalties, to secure a place in the semi-final of the competition.

The North Tipperary League provided the semi-final opposition. With a lot of energy used by the players to reach this stage of the competition, that the winning goal was scored by Skyvalley Rover’s Robyn Brooks, a striker who has yet to celebrate her 13th birthday.

Amid scenes of much jubilation, a shield final place had been secured with focus now firmly on achieving silverware at the prestigious tournament.

A contest against the league's opening group opponents, the Derry League, lay in prospect and despite dominating proceedings, it was a solitary strike from Charlie Stephens in the first half that ensured a historic victory for the girls.

Team captain O’Beirne lifted the trophy and the long wait for silverware was over. Grace Halvey was named RDYSL 'Player of the Tournament'. Grace was a stalwart at the heart of the defence and it was generally agreed her defensive displays had kept the team in the competition.

In a competition which saw the team play seven games in five days, special thanks goes to the management team of Stephen Graham, Olimpia Mihalcea and Tom Keaveney. Thanks is also extended to parents, Louise O’Shaughnessy and Sheena Mulleady, who watched over the girls during the competition's duration, chef Stewart Malseed and Ethan Graham for his assistance during the tournament.

The RDYSL expressed its gratitude to the players who, it said, have been a joy to work with and who deserve all of their success, also thanking the girls' parents who have supported the team over a three year period leading to the competition success.

RDYSL squad: Leah O’Beirne, Emily Farrell, Grace Keaveney, Bronagh Naughton, Mia Kelly, Anna Sturgeon (St John’s Athletic); Robyn Brooks, Ava Hogan, Caitlin Clarke (Skyvalley Rovers); Charlie Stephens, Mya Stephens, Grace Halvey, (Kilkerrin United); Emily Horan, Sadhbh Dillon, Sienna Mulleady, Eloise McDonnell (Ballaghaderreen); Katie O’Shaughnessy, Evie Watson (Lough Harps). Management team: Stephen Graham and Olimpia Mihalcea (joint managers) and Tom Keaveney (coach).