Superb St Clare's storm to historic All-Ireland victory

A superb St Clare’s CS Manorhamilton stormed to their first ever All-Ireland title when they proved far too strong and much more clinical than opponents Colaiste Mhuire Askeaton in the FAI Schools Senior B Girls National Cup Final in Athlone Town Stadium on Wednesday afternoon.

A dominant St Clare’s just had too much on the day - too much physical power on an atrocious day for football, too much skill when every touch seemed to send the ball flying away, too much organisation as the Leitrim school were altogether much too difficult to break down.

Most of all, they had too much composure at the vital times - from a classic striker’s finish from Aine McLaughlin in the very first minute that got St Clare’s off to a dream start to a wonderful lobbed goal from Megan Rooney before Lauren Devaney illuminated a wonderful captain’s display with the best goal of the day to seal victory.

St Clare's celebrate first ever All-Ireland title with victory in FAI Schools Senior ‘B’ Girls National Cup Final - GALLERY

St Clare's CS Manorhamilton are the new FAI Schools Senior ‘B’ Girls National Cup champions after the north Leitrim schools defeated Limerick's Colaiste Mhuire Askeaton on Wednesday afternoon, sparking wild celebrations among the hundreds of supporters who braved a rain swept Athlone Town Stadium. Observer photographer Willie Donnellan was there to capture the celebrations and some great pics of fans enjoying the action ...... see who you can spot!

Askeaton battled mightily but they were up against a disciplined St Clare’s outfit who only allowed one real shot on goal throughout the contest, with centre-backs Sadhbh Maguire and Grace Devaney repelling everything that came their way.

With the wind and rain making playing conditions so difficult, it was the midfield battleground where this battle was decided and captain Lauren Devaney led a superb unit where you could have picked out any one from Megan Rooney, Amy Malone, Aine McLaughlin and Anna Devaney as potential match winners.

Lauren Devaney was a dynamo in the middle of the park, breaking up Askeaton’s attempts to build possession and driving her team forward where the tireless running of centre-forward Eimear Keaney ran the Limerick school ragged.

The 3-1 final scoreline in no way flattered St Clare’s as they created their own slice of history by becoming the first Leitrim school to win an All-Ireland soccer title.

Against the strong wind blowing straight down the field in driving rain, you’d have thought St Clare’s would seek to batten down the hatches but instead they put Askeaton immediately on the backfoot when great work from Megan Rooney saw her cross from the left corner, low and hard into the box where Aine McLaughlin produced a real striker’s finish, nipping in ahead of the diving keeper to toe poke the ball to the net.

It was a dream start for the Manorhamilton girls and although Askeaton saw Abi Fitzgibbon fire a low shot wide across the face of the St Clare’s goal two minutes later, it clearly rattled the Limerick side as they were unable to establish any sort of rhythm or control on the game despite the conditions being very much in their favour.

With both teams struggling for fluency, the ball seemed to spend as much time going out of bounds as in play and it wasn’t until 25 minutes in that we had our next incident of note, Lauren Devaney trying to breakthrough the Askeaton defence only for the ball to skid out for a kickout.

St Clare's CS Manorhamilton players and management celebrate with the Cup Picture: Willie Donnellan

Askeaton’s Rebecca Fitzgibbons did well to hold off the lively and hard working Eimear Keaney who also had a shot blocked out for a corner. Megan Rooney dispossessed Askeaton’s midfield general Evelyn Fitzgerald but the Limerick side cleared the danger. 

St Clare’s, after a shaky period, were beginning to dominate and Anna Devaney’s ball over the top to Amy Malone saw Askeaton just about clear the danger for a throw.

However, just a minute before the halftime break, Askeaton struck for a goal. Grace Fitzgibbon’s high dangerous free into the area was initially met with by a defender but the ball wasn’t fully cleared and Gemma Leahy managed to beat the defenders to the loose ball, prodding home for a close ranger for the equaliser.

That was how it stood at halftime, one apiece, but St Clare’s would have the wind at their backs and they started as they meant to continue, Aine McLaughlin almost intercepting Askeaton captain Aimee Sheahan on the edge of the box in the first minute.

After a first half where, apart from long passes that ran through to the keepers, the only shots on target were the two goals, we quickly saw a change as Askeaton keeper Hannah Neville was called on to make two excellent stops from Lauren Devaney from outside the box and a snap Megan Rooney effort.

The St Clare’s captain was starting to dominate the contest as her header from a McLaughlin corner flew into the side net while centre-back Grace Devaney, pushing up with her entire defence as Askeaton struggled to get out of their own half against the wind, drove a powerful shot narrowly wide of the right hand post.

The breakthrough came eventually 22 minutes into the second half - Megan Rooney was found in space on the left of the box and she brilliantly chipped the keeper for a wonderful goal and the lead for St Clare’s.

Rooney went close to adding a second two minutes later but keeper Neville came to Askeaton’s rescue once more. Eimear Keaney, who ran tirelessly all day for whatever ball came her way and ran the Askeaton defence ragged, almost got a goal of her own as she raced onto a long ball but she shot narrowly wide under pressure from the keeper.

But St Clare’s were not to be denied and with just over eight minutes left, Lauren Devaney intercepted a wayward Askeaton defence, showed incredible footwork to dodge past a defender and drove into the box before shooting low and hard into the far right corner, the goal of the game that killed off the game.

That goal sucked the life out of Askeaton and with manager Anthony McDonald running in subs Erin Rooney, Sarah Mulvaney Kelly and Nessa Fox, St Clare’s spent the last few minutes keeping the Limerick side at arm’s length before breaking into wild celebrations once the final whistle sounded.

Republic of Ireland manager: FAI deliver update on Stephen Kenny's successor

England under-21 head coach Lee Carsley and former Celtic boss Neil Lennon are the reported favourites for the Irish job

ST CLARE’S CS MANORHAMILTON: Cadhla Moffitt, Sarah McGagh (Erin Rooney 74), Eve Caprani, Sadhbh Maguire, Grace Devaney, Lauren Devaney (Capt); Megan Rooney (Sarah Mulvaney Kelly (76), Amy Malone, Eimear Keaney, Anna Devaney, Aine McLaughlin (Nessa Fox (79)

SCORERS: A McLaughlin (1); M Rooney (62); L Devaney (61)

COLAISTE MHUIRE ASKEATON: Hannah Neville, Anna Fitzgerald, Jennifer Kelly (Aine Gallery 65), Rebecca Fitzgibbon, Aimee Sheahan, Grace Fitzgibbon, Maebh Mulcahy (Leah Kelly 33), Evelyn Fitzgerald, Aib Fitzgibbon, Ruth Sheehy (Jane Kelly HT); Gemma Leahy

SCORER: G Leahy (39)

Referee: Ryan Maher