Fallon and McCaul find the net in extra special Coosan girls’ victory
By Gerry Buckley
A strong performance in extra-time enabled Coosan NS to eventually shake off a very strong challenge from Holy Family Primary School, Mullingar in the third game of last Thursday’s programme in TEG Cusack Park.
The outstanding Aisling Fallon stamped her undoubted class on proceedings right from the off with a great point to open the scoring. Bláthnaid Macken added a scrambled goal soon afterwards.
Pippa Lambden replied with a point for the Mullingar school, but Fallon quickly goaled at the other end. The girls in maroon and white kept very much in touch with an unanswered 1-2 – points from Zara Heavey (a free) and Pippa Lambden, either side of a goal from Jane Lambden. The respective number 11s, Fallon and Lily Archbold, traded points before the interval, leaving Coosan NS ahead by 2-2 to 1-4 at the break.
A goal from a free by Mia Bednarek opened the second half scoring before Fallon tagged on another point for the winners. However, 1-2 without reply from Holy Family levelled the contest – the goal from Caoimhe Whitney preceding two converted frees by Heavey. A point exchange between Holly McCaul and Pippa Lambden brought the game to extra-time, with the scoreboard reading: Coosan NS 3-4 Holy Family PS 2-7.
Fallon scored a great goal for the black and red-clad outfit within a minute of the restart.
Eva Smith pointed for the losers, but their opponents added 1-1 to their tally by the end of the first five-minute period – a soccer-style goal by McCaul and a point from April Kearney. The South Westmeath side led by 5-5 to 2-8 at half-time in extra-time.
Two further and unanswered points from Fallon wrapped up a deserved win in the second period.
After the match, Derek Butler, the chairperson of Cumann na mBunscol Iarmhí, presented the trophy to the winning captains, Aisling Fallon and Mia Bednarek.
Scorers – Coosan NS: A Fallon 2-5, H McCaul 1-1, B Macken, M Bednarek (free) 1-0 each, A Kearney 0-1.
Holy Family PS: J Lambden, C Whitney 1-0 each, P Lambden, Z Heavey (3f) 0-3 each, E Smith, L Archbold 0-1 each.
Coosan NS panel: Alanna Quinn, Sophia McCallon, Maeve Recks, Síomha Kelly, Bláthnaid Macken, Mia Bednarek, Robyn Mulvihill, Tara McLoughlin, Amy Naughton, Isla McEnroe, Aisling Fallon, Ellie O’Brien, Holly McCaul, Aoibhéann Byrne, Lucy Leahy, Sadhbh O’Connell, Elena Rizza, Parthenia Bertlla, Sofia McLoughlin, Alanna Moroney, Sophia Sabatini O’Rourke, Ally Boyle, Laura Braiden, Lily Galvin, Amy Gill, Lottie Maye Hannon, April Kearney, Aaisha Mirza, Sibéal Concannon, Salma Elhadidy, Evelyn Kelly, Erin Mannion, Anna O’Beirne, Éala Tiernan, Eimear Turner, Michelle Turner, Fiadh O’Connell, Sadhbh Moran.
Holy Family PS, Mullingar panel: Aleisha Nolan, Alanna Morley, Chloe McHugh, Lauren Fagan, Ava Meehan, Emily Casey, Abigail Nohilly, Eva Smith, Zara Heavey, Pippa Lambden, Lily Archbold, Sophie Temple, Jane Lambden, Alison MacEoin, Caoimhe Whitney, Emily Smith, Ella Corroon, Bella Fortuna, Laura Jones, Isla Thompson, Zoey Bird, Megan Matthews, Paití Kenny, Zoe Fenton, Mia Reynolds-O’Dowd, Ana Savage.
Ref: Michael Gordon (Shandonagh).