Team Manager Zoe Kennedy reports on the U12’s league match against Salthill Devon in Drom yesterday. Although all 3 points went to the city side, it was a cracker of a game. The girls also displayed their 20×20 banner which they got specially made for this important milestone year in Women’s Sports as the girls bid to play their part to increase girls/ ladies participation in sport by 20%; getting 20% more media coverage of female sports & 20% more attendance at womens games by the end of 2020.
Colemanstown’s U12 girls made the trip to Drom yesterday morning for the first time, to play a very determined Salthill Devon side. The Salthill girls had the upper hand to begin with but when our girls found their feet we saw both sides competing for every ball and it made for a very exciting first half! A rock solid defence made up of Ally Nutley, Aisling Ruane, Della Griffin and Libby Kennedy certainly made it very hard for the Salthill strikers who found it difficult to break through these girls. Salthill bombarded them with shots every time an opportunity arose for them, but each time the ball was impressively turned and cleared away from danger, and sent back down the wing.
15mins in, Colemanstown began to take hold of the game with Grace Mitchell, Anna Barrett and Shona Barrett creating many chances but with the Salthill keeper making a number of great saves and their defence in top form, the game continued all square. Salthill always looked dangerous and would probably have got in on goal only for some great interceptions from midfielders Grace Mitchell, Aoife Hynes, Annalise Doran and Eva Molloy! There were outstanding displays from both Ally Nutley and Libby Kennedy who both chased numerous balls and after bringing them out the wing, delivered them to our midfield. Well done both of you. Galant efforts
Our magnificent goalie Lucy Roberts, certainly wasn’t going to have an easy day of it. She seemed to be constantly diving; blocking and saving every ball those impressive Salthill strikers powered at her! She was always ready. Unfortunately one did get through, but if I’m going to be honest….there isn’t a goal keeper in Ireland who would have saved that one!
When the whistle blew for half time Colemanstown were trailing 1-0
The sides switched halves and the Colemanstown girls kept up the pressure continually pinning Salthill back in their own half. Outstanding performances from both Della Griffin and Eva Molloy in midfield saw some fantastic skill on display. They were both superb and exactly what Colemanstown needed at that time in the second half. The young Colemanstown guns were unlucky to concede a further two goals in the second half but this only seemed to make our girls more determined than ever and some superb play ensued. Colemanstown continued to create chances and Anna Barrett, Shona Barrett and Eva Molloy were very unlucky not to score.
A fantastic run onto a loose ball by Rachel Kennedy saw her drive the ball right up the wing to the edge of the box, this pint-sized player certainly outran her pursuers. I have to congratulate the fearless efforts of Ally Nutley who tackled the ball off anyone who came anywhere near her at lightning speed.
We would get the goal our performance had deserved and it would come from our ever-steadfast Grace Mitchell. Even before the match had started Grace declared that she was determined to score, vowing ” to have as many go’s on goal as possible today as one of them would surely go in!”. She wasn’t wrong there and a corker of a goal it was too!! Well done Grace!
Shona and Rachel again came very close in the final quarter of the match to even up the score but the game finished 3-1 to Salthill.
Credit to caretakers in Drom who had the pitch in top shape given that most games at the weekend fell victim to the deluge of rain over the last few days. Pictured below are the U12 girls displaying their 20×20 banner specially made to promote women’s participation in sport by the end of this year 2020.
Report: by Zoe Kennedy
