Midleton 4 Springfield Ramblers 1

MIDLETON kept pace with the leading group in the CWSSL U12 Premier League with a 4-1 win over Springfield Ramblers with three of Midleton’s goals coming in a 10-minute burst in the second half.

The home side had the early chances as they kept Springfield in their own half for some time as they looked for an early goal. Midleton’s Ciara Finn, Nessa Cronin and Ellody Devery were attempting to break through the Springfield defence and won a number of corners but were thwarted by a solid back line who were holding firm.

However, it was only a matter of time before the home side found the back of the net and it came in the 9th minute when Nessa Cronin’s corner kick fell to Sara Cahill who shot through a packed penalty area and scored.

Play went from end to end with both teams dominating play for some time, with chances falling to Midleton’s Ellody Devery and Sofia Rice and Springfield’s Sarah Drumgoole, Chloe Farrell and Lucy Walsh, but in the 22nd minute Springfield managed to equalise when Chloe Farrell drove forward and fired the ball into the net from 15 yards as the first half drew to a close.

It was all Midleton in the second half as they dominated play and took the lead in the 39th minute when a corner kick came out to Ellody Devery who managed to find the far corner of the Springfield net from just inside the penalty area.

Four minutes later Midleton increased their lead when a shot from outside the area was deflected into the path of Nessa Cronin by the Springfield keeper Nessa Leahy who could not miss from close range as Midleton were beginning to dominate the game.

Moments later Midleton keeper Leah O’Donovan had to be sharp to cover from Springfields Ciara Nash and again a couple of minutes later from Orla Kelleher as the visitors looked to get back into the game.

However, any chance they had of clawing back Midleton’s lead were dashed in the 47th minute when Midleton added a fourth courtesy of Devery’s corner kick which was aided by the stiff breeze and went straight into the Springfield goal for her second of the day.

Full credit to Springfield who never gave up and pressed forward in the final few minutes in an effort to make the score more respectable with Ciara Nash forcing her way into the Midleton area only to see her effort go wide followed by Jessica Welham whose shot was knocked wide by O’Donovan in the Midleton goal.

In the end it was a good win and three points for the home side who are within touching distance of the leaders in the Premier league with only a few games remaining in the season.

Best from Midleton on the day were Ellody Devery, Sara Cahill, Sofia Rice, Nessa Cronin and Ciara Finn while Clara Walsh, Jessica Welham, Chloe Farrell and Sara Drumgoole impressed for the visitors.

MIDLETON: Leah O’Donovan, Penny Murphy, Kate Byrne, Lauren Griffin, Sophie Shanahan, Ciara Finn, Nessa Cronin, Sofia Rice, Ellody Devery, Sara Cahill, Eabha Kirby, Clodagh Whyte 

SPRINGFIELD: Nessa Leahy, Darcie Lawlor O’Connor, Ella Mullen, Orla Kelleher, Blaithin O’Rourke, Clara Nash, Lucy Walsh, Jessica Welham, Sarah Drumgoole, Chloe Farrell, Amy O’Shea, Lily O’Connor 

Referee: Lorenzo Zanca