Gibson and Shine fire Cork City U17s to league title against Shamrock Rovers
Olivia Gibson, Cork City, celebrates with team-mates including Meghan Carr, after scoring her goal from the penalty spot. Picture: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile
Cork City WFC 2 Shamrock Rovers 0
CORK CITY WFC U17 Women’s National League title on Wednesday afternoon as they defeated Shamrock Rovers 2-0 in the final at the Athlone Town Stadium.
An Olivia Gibson penalty and a clever finish from Laura Shine in each half ensured City ended a turbulent campaign with silverware.
Rovers were looking to finish their debut season in style and they created the first opportunity but after good build-up play involving Wiktoria Gorczyca and Jessie Stapleton, Ava Cullen fired a long-range attempt straight at goalkeeper Leah Hayes-Coen.
Sarah Healy’s side soon settled into the match and the talented Olivia Gibson twice tried her luck from distance but on both occasions, she failed to truly test keeper Alannah Prizeman.
The Hoops almost grabbed a sensational opener just past the quarter of an hour mark but Kerrie Smith was unfortunate to see her powerful strike from 30 yards crash against the crossbar.
City were given the perfect opportunity to break the deadlock midway through the first half when they were awarded a penalty.
Abby Tuthill knocked Gibson out of her stride inside the box and after the referee pointed to the spot, the forward coolly slotted the ball into the bottom right corner.
The Leesiders ought to have doubled their lead moments later but Laura Shine, who featured for the senior side in their FAI Cup final recently, saw her shot turned wide of the far post by Prizeman.
Rovers soon felt they should have been awarded a penalty but Gorczyca was instead shown a yellow card for simulation as City held on to their lead at the interval.
The Dublin side somehow failed to grab an equaliser after the restart as Hayes-Coen brilliantly tipped an Anna Casey effort against her bar before Tuthill blasted a close-range volley against the woodwork.
City would punish their rivals for squandering those openings as they made it 2-0 on the hour as Shine capitalised on a poor back pass, calmly rounded the onrushing keeper before rolling the ball into the back of the net.
As Rovers piled players forward, City almost added a third late on but Shine was denied when through on goal while Gibson crashed an effort against the post.
Leah Hayes-Coen, Meghan Carr, Orlaith Deasy, Ava Lotty, Jess Redfern, Kelly Leahy, Heidi O’Sullivan, Eva Mangan, Laura Shine, Olivia Gibson, Robin Carey.
Alessia Mazzola for Jess Redfern (67), Mia O’Connell for Heidi O’Sullivan (89), Emer McCarthy for Ava Lotty (94), Hazel Walsh for Olivia Gibson (94), Rachel O’Sullivan (94).
Alannah Prizeman, Abby Tuthill, Rebecca McMahon, Orla O’Mahony, Liadan Clynch, Jessie Stapleton, Jamie Thompson, Kerrie Smith, Ava Cullen, Anna Casey, Wiktoria Gorczyca.
Elena Quinn for Kerrie Smith (ht), Toni Ceno for Ava Cullen (72), Emma Walker for Jamie Thompson (81), Emma Gunning for Wiktoria Gorczyca (94), Maize Norton for Anna Casey (94).'
Paul Malone.
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