Lucan Sarsfields U-13 Ladies Footballers reach Division 1 Championship Final

With the League title already secured, the quest for the double, reached the penultimate stage last Saturday at the 12^th Lock. Kilmacud Crokes were the opposition, and after two tough wins against them in the league before the summer, the Sarsfields girls knew they had their work cut out for them.

These group of girls know what is involved in winning, having remained unbeaten throughout the league, and also the round robin stages of the Cup. However, this would be their first real ‘do or die’ situation, and 3pm could not come quick enough for the girls.

The first 10 minutes was the cagey affair one would expect from knock out football, and it was Crokes who got on the scoreboard first. However, gradually the Sars girls started to get organised, but despite creating numerous chances the scores would just not come. Before we knew it though,  Crokes also had a goal, and if we didn’t realise it already, we now knew that we were in for a tough battle. However, slowly but surely the scores did start, and as the half time whistle blew, the girls trailed by 0-2 to 1-1. While 2 points was a disappointing return for the half hour, a lot of encouragement could be taken from the fact that the girls had created (but not converted) so many chances. 

With the second half underway, and now with the wind at their backs, the Sars girls hoped that the scores would now start to register. However, with more than 10 minutes gone, it was still Crokes out in front. Finally the scores did start, and the Lucan girls clawed it back level at 0-4 to 1-1. Mid way through the second half Lucan went in front, much to the delight of the home crowd, after another well worked point, and this really seemed to settle the girls down.  From here to the end, the Lucan girls drove on, and ran out worthy 2-8 to 1-2 winners.

This was a real team performance from 1 to 17 for Lucan. All of the girls really stuck to the task, and just kept working away, with some great teamwork and well taken goals proving the difference in the end. The Lucan girls now have a well deserved final to look forward to on Saturday the 31^st of October. Before that, at least half of the squad also have a Division 1 camogie final to look forward to, and we wish all of our dual players well in that match next weekend. It’s going to be a busy few weeks for the Lucan U-13 girls, as the other U-13 Ladies Football team also have a Division 5 Shield final to look forward to on the 31^st. The future is bright. The future is green white and black!!!!

Squad as per line out in photo: (back row left to right) Rebecca Flanagan, Ali Dunne, Faye Murphy, Aisling Kenna, Roisin Egan, Aisling Kavanagh, Charmaine Gahan, Caitlin Maguire, Bella Fay, Aiso Aikhionbare. (front row left to right) Cora O’Toole, Aoife Whelan, Aoife Coffey, Ellie Larkin, Alannah Cassells, Abby Shiels, Leah Keating.