Kilrush 4-15 Rosslare 2-3

Kilrush simply had too much football for Rosslare in this Allianz Cumann na mBunscol Rackard League Roinn C girls’ football final in St. Patrick’s Park last Thursday. From the off, their crisp passing, movement in the forwards and clinical finishing made for tough viewing for Rosslare supporters. However, that did not deter the wonderful and colourful Rosslare support from loudly cheering on the Blue and Gold for the hour.

Within eight minutes, exceptional finisher Emma Tomkins had four points on the board to lay down a marker for her team. Ellie Hadden got a point to bring it to five before Emma struck once again, this time with a great finish into the back of the net, to open up a 1-5 to no score lead. Rosslare responded bravely and were unlucky to have a goal through Abi Sinnott when Kate Butler made a good save. Rosslare goalie Aoife Burke then made a save at the other end to deny Emma Tomkins her second goal.

On fifteen minutes, Rosslare’s Shanise O’Reilly used inventive soccer style skills to split the Kilrush defence with a pass and set up her teammate Abi Sinnott for a goal and their first score of the game. Any notions of a full scale comeback were quickly dampened however when Zoe Tobin-Cosgrave finished a brilliant Kilrush team move with another goal. Two further points from Emma Tomkins and a point for Rosslare from Shanise O’Reilly brought the halftime scores to 2-7 to 1-1. Scores were proving hard to come by for Rosslare with Amy Tobin-Cosgrove, Abbie Walsh and Karen Tomkins in top form in defence for Kilrush.

Rosslare emerged for the second half briefly energised by their lively support and duly got early scores on the board. Shanise O’Reilly got a fine point and this was followed by a Ciara Power point that could have easily been a goal had Kate Butler not tapped over. Áoibhinn Mernagh battled hard in defence to drive her team on.

This resurgence was to be short lived though as Kilrush went on to play some impressive football to close out the game. In their first attack of the second half, Emma Tomkins popped up once again with a goal and her hard working accomplice Sadhbh Buttle also did well by clipping over three nice points. There was a brace of scores for Zoe Tobin-Cosgrove and good points from Karen Tomkins and Amy Tobin-Cosgrove too that opened a big lead. Rosslare finished strongly and got the final score their efforts deserved when Kate Roche finished from close range but it was Kilrush’s Aine Doran who had the final say when she came on to add the finishing touch to a great day at the office for the Gorey District girls.

Kilrush: Kate Butler, Mollie Mulroe, Edana Mimnagh, Niamh O’Rourke, Amy Tobin-Cosgrove, Abbie Walsh, Karen Tomkins, Aoibhe MacSweney, Rachel Kavanagh, Emma Tomkins, Sadhbh Buttle, Zoe Tobin-Cosgrove, Ellie Hadden, Amy Corrigan, Aine Doran, Jacqueline Doran, Aoife Kinsella, Eimear Byrne, Roisin Dillion, Hermoine Murphy, Tara Kenny, Amy Kehoe, Sophie Devereux Allen, Sinead Breen, Chloe Tobin, Aine Devereux, Rebecca Kavanagh, Hannah Mulroe, Amy Power, Nicola Corrigan, Keila Smyth, Erin Kehoe

Rosslare: Aoife Burke, Córa Kenny, Kate Roche, Marykate Donohoe, Áoibhinn Mernagh, Leah Rose Roche Brennan, Emma Carr, Sophie Lynch, Ciara Rees, Shanise O’Reilly, Ciara Power, Abi Sinnott, Lauri Twomey, Beau Callery, Aoife Rees, Roisin Doyle, Abigail Clarke, Amy McDonnell, Anna Ryan, Katie Keegan, Leah Harpur, Cody Browne, Eimear O’Neill, Katelyn McDermot, Chloe Morrissey, Amelia Harpur, Zoe Murphy Murray, Lara Williams