Jordan Norris reports:
Waterford Women’s League Cup Final
Dungarvan United Ladies 5
Carrick United Ladies 1
Dungarvan United Ladies have made history after clinching an unprecedented league and cup double, seeing off Carrick United thanks to a strong second half showing to clinch the cup.
17-year-old striker Lily MacGill was the star of the show at Ozier Park, pitching in with a stunning 7-minute hat-trick when the game finely hung in the balance.
Michael Clarkson’s Carrick team came into the match looking to spring a surprise and they showed plenty of ability throughout the night’s encounter - constantly looking dangerous when playing the ball in behind.
Dungarvan’s Eimear Fennell was the first to test either goalkeeper when stinging the palms of the Carrick shot stopper early on, before Carrick had a good chance of their own, but their forward couldn’t lift the ball up and down over the onrushing Katie Wright from a tight angle.
Carrick would almost certainly have been one ahead were it not for some brilliant cover defending by Ciara Hurley as Bríonna Fennell bore down on goal.
With Kaeisha Tobin controlling the tempo of the game from midfield, Dungarvan caused plenty of problems through their wingers, Eimear Fennell and Karen Delahunty.
Kaeisha Tobin on the ball in midfield. Photo: Eddie Dee
Delahunty went close on two separate occasions, first firing wide from an acute angle, before seeing a near post shot stopped by the legs of the Carrick ‘keeper when she would have been perhaps better placed to square the ball to an unmarked Lauren Guiry for a tap-in.
Carrick did look dangerous every time they did get forward, particularly on the left wing. They took the lead on the half hour mark when a breaking ball was capitalised upon by Bríonna Fennell who slipped past her marker before calmly stroking the ball into the bottom right corner from the edge of the area. A lovely goal, which woke Dungarvan up well and truly.
From the restart, Tobin played a brilliant pass to give Eimear Fennell a half-chance which just landed on the roof of the net after she connected off balance.
The impressive Eimear was instrumental to everything positive Dungarvan conjured and she kickstarted the comeback with an excellent individual goal. The winger cut in from the right and left her marker seeing stars before opening out her shoulder and whipping the ball into the far corner. 1-1. Game on.
Eimear Fennell beats two Carrick defenders.
Carrick’s Fennell was then denied with ease by Wright, as in truth it was a mystery how the sides remained level at the interval.
Eimear Fennell played in Lauren Guiry 1 on 1 and her effort was heading to the net only for superb last ditch defensive intervention. From the resultant corner, Shannon Dunford looked to have headed home only for her effort to be also scrambled clear.
The Carrick strike force both went close at the beginning of the second half but neither could find the net. The Blues attempted to turn the screw and Kaeisha Tobin’s corner came crashing back off the upright. Ciara Hurley, who didn’t put a foot wrong all evening, then played a lovely floated ball to Delahunty but she couldn’t apply the finishing touch.
Ciara Hurley threads the ball through.
With the game at loggerheads, the Dungarvan managerial duo of Lucinda Shrubb and Tommy Butler rolled the dice with a double sub that came up trumps.
Anne Marie Tutty and Karen Delahunty made way for Molly Shrubb & Lily MacGill - the latter of which lit up ladies’ night at Ozier.
MacGill’s pace stretched the game and after being found in acres by Fennell, the 17-year-old saw her first effort saved but made no mistake with the rebound to fire home in the 67th minute.
As Carrick huffed and puffed, the Blues knew they couldn’t be complacent and they almost had their much-desired insurance goal but Lauren Guiry was just inches away from getting a touch on yet another pinpoint pass from Fennell.
As the Carrick defence showed signs of tiring, Fennell and MacGill were like tigers smelling blood. Fennell rinsed her marker out the left before cutting it back to MacGill who slotted home with ease to make it 3-1.
Lily MacGill scores.
Having already had the crowd off their feet, MacGill made sure she was bringing home the match ball when she rounded the ‘keeper before prodding in from 16 yards. 7 minutes work well done.
Carrick showed character regardless and almost had a lifeline when a free kick from the edge of the box cannoned the crossbar - but sadly for them it sailed to safety.
As Carrick had to go for it, more space opened up and as Tobin and Guiry went close, when presented another clear cut chance, Eimear Fennell made no mistake.
5-1 Dungarvan, no one could have any complaints.
Captain Aisling Farrell lifted the trophy high - the Blues on cloud nine on a historic night for the club.
