Springfield Ramblers A  3 

Youghal  4

YOUGHAL came from three goals down to snatch a late winner in the 90th minute to claim all three points against Springfield Ramblers A in the GE Healthcare CWSSL Senior Ladies Division 1 season opener at Jim Murphy Memorial Park in Cobh last Wednesday evening.

The home side pressed from the start having two early attempts which were either covered by Sarah Healy in the Youghal goal or went wide of the posts before the visitors had their first shot on goal with a 30 yard effort from Sarah Goggin which was well held by Saoirse McDonagh in the Springfield goal.

Springfield pressed forward, but it was Youghal who had the best chances on goal with keeper McDonagh doing well covering from Siobhan Leahy’s testing 30 yard effort followed by Donna Clossy’s chance in the area which was well intercepted as she was about to shoot for goal.

Play was now going from end to end with both keepers gathering from Youghal’s Clossy and Springfield’s Lauren Breen, but the deadlock was broken midway through the second half with two quick goals from the home side.

The first came in the 23rd minute when Breen found herself in the far side of the area and neatly slotted the ball into the fat corner for the opening score and followed with a second goal on the opposite side of the area shooting the ball through the Youghal keepers arms from a sharp angle for Springfield’s second.

Youghal continued to press with chances falling to Sarah Goggin and Molly Tobin, but found themselves 3-0 down in the 35th minute when Springfield’s Emily O’Brien Fealy’s cross was volleyed into the back of the Youghal net by Breen from 13 yards for her third of the game.

Youghal managed to pull one back in the 40th minute when a period of pressure from the visitors found Leahy just inside the area who fired home into the far corner to at least bring them back within distance going into the second half.

Youghal kept Springfield in their own half for most of the second half, creating numerous chances for themselves but the Springfield defence were holding firm and were still holding onto their two goal advantage well into the game.

However, Youghal managed to cut the deficit down to just one in the 68th minute when Clossy met the ball from a throw in and duly found the back of the net, and just six minutes later the teams were level when Clossy turned in the area and passed to an unmarked Jess Lawkin who chipped the keeper from 15 yards.

The final few minutes were played at a frantic pace with both sides looking for the late winner, and it came Youghal’s way in the 90th minute when Sarah Goggin’s pass from the found side found Lawkin who made no mistake from 15 yards as Youghal recorded their first win of this years campaign.

Springfield Ramblers: Saoirse McDonagh, Mary McDonell, Bethany Meabh, Amy Meade, Rebecca Meade, Maggie Sillet, Chloe McKiernan, Emily O’Brien Fealy, Melanie Fortier, Tara McKeown, Lauren Breen, Emily Wilson, Seanna Mullane, Katelyn Quinlan 

Youghal: Sarah Healy, Paula Kelly Fahey. Vanessa Curley, Vivian Amouse, Jess Kelly, Jess Lawkin, Sarah Goggin, Siobhan Leahy, Whitney Omodion, Meave Kelly, Molly Tobin, Nora Walsh, Mia Massaratte, Donna Clossy, Sara Whelan, Ava Montgomery, Kelly Montgomery, Blaithinn O’Flynn 

Referee: Timmy Kelleher.