Aghada Ladies’ Football Notes

Aghada U-14’s Girls Lose Out To Youghal in Thrilling County Semi Final
Report by Aghada PRO

Aghada 3-04 Youghal 2-08

Youghal reversed the result of the league final after a thrilling County Semi Final played in Killeagh on Friday night. This had all what is great about Ladies Football, passion, skill and pure honest football. Both teams started cagey as it was the fourth time they had met this year. Youghal were first to register a score with a point after four minutes. They followed this up with another after seven minutes. They then had a shot for goal but Olivia Dyjak pulled off a super save. This seemed to lift the Aghada girls and they were next to score with a well taken point from the boot of Aine McGrath. This was short lived as Youghal came down the field and rattled the back of the Aghada net to leave the score after the first quarter Aghada 0-1 Youghal 1-2. Youghal added the next score before Aghada responded with a goal of their own, again from the boot of Aine Mc Grath after great work out the field from Rachel Leahy, Marie Moran and Aoibhin Burke.
Aghada were dealt a blow just before half time when they lost influential midfielder Rachel Leahy to a hand injury. This was a big blow to the Aghada team but in fairness they lifted their game and never gave up on the cause. Eimear Cronin, Ceclila Mc Innes, Nicola Bennett all lifted their game and they drove the game on. The sides went in at the short whistle Aghada 1-1 Youghal 1-6.
The first score of the second half had to come the way of the Aghada girls to keep them in touch and this duly happened from the boot of Mary Leahy, quickly followed by another from the boot of Aine Mc Grath. Aghada were starting to dominate the game but were dealt a sucker punch when against the run of play Youghal got in for their second goal to take the wind out of the Aghada girls sails. This was quickly followed by another point from Youghal to push them seven points clear but the Aghada girls dug deep again and were not going to let this one go with out a fight. Mary Leahy rattled the back of the Youghal net after great inter play between Ella Lewis, Sally Mc Allister and Hazel Walley to leave four between the sides with seven minutes to play. This was followed by another point from Mary Leahy to leave a kick of the ball between them as we headed down the straight. The Aghada girls lost the resultant kick out and a free won by Youghal at the other end of the field put them four points ahead, with a few minutes to go but there was still to be more drama as the game finished in a whelter of excitement. Aghada won a free of their own but failed to convert it. The Aghada girls won the kick out and Katie Terry put Mary Leahy through to rattle the back of the Youghal net to leave the minimum between the sides with time almost up. The Aghada girls went to the well once more to see could they find the equaliser but just came up short as time ran out and Youghal ran out winners on a score line of Aghada 3-4 (!3) Youghal 2-8.(14)
I must give great praise to the Aghada girls for the wonderful battling qualities they showed in this game. When seven points down in a game a lot of teams might have dropped their heads but no, the Aghada girls fought right to the end and deserved something from the game but it was not to be in the end and Youghal marched onto the County Final.
On behalf of Aghada Ladies Football Club we would like to wish them the very best of luck in their quest for a County Title.
Aghada Panel:
O. Dyjak, C. Mc Innes, E. Cronin, E. Lewis, N. Bennett, A. Mc Grath, S. Mc Allister, R. Leahy, M. Leahy (Capt), A. Burke, H. Walley, M. Moran, M. Ryan, K. Terry, A. Gilroy, K. Downing, K. Owers and C. O’Carroll.
>