Claire Shines as Douglas Hall complete the double with victory over Leeside in the Challenge Cup final

CWSSL Challenge Cup Final 

Douglas Hall 3 

Leeside 2

Douglas Hall claimed the CWSSL Challenge Cup by defeating Leeside 3-2 in a thrilling Challenge Cup final which was played in brilliant evening sunshine at St Colman's Park on Saturday night.

This superb win seeds them adding the Challenge Cup to the Premier League title which they were presented with only three days previous to complete the double and the treble remains on the cards with another final appearance to come.

Leeside had the first chance on goal within the first two minutes with Ava Lotty’s effort from just inside the area going wide of the far post but within a minute Douglas Hall took the lead when Rebekah Grant came in from the far side and fired the ball into the far corner despite the Leeside keeper getting a slight touch.

Leeside pressed forward looking for an equaliser with Douglas Hall keeper Hollie Bruton doing well to gather the ball ahead of Leeside’s Ellen Boyle in the sixth minute, while Douglas Hall’s Rebekah Grant had another chance on goal moments later which was well covered by Amy Gettings in the Leeside goal.

Douglas Hall’s Kara Lacey found herself in the Leeside area only to have her effort half blocked by keeper Amy Gettings and cleared away by a defender as Douglas Hall were looking for a second goal.

Douglas Hall were pressing forward with chances falling to Clare Shine and Kara Lacey, both of which were covered by the Leeside keeper, while in the 35th minute Clare Shine’s effort was kicked away by the Leeside keeper Amy Gettings, who also covered the ball back in from Kara Lacey moments later.

Leeside had a chance a few minutes later when a corner was swung in from the near side followed by a few anxious seconds as the ball bounced around inside the Douglas Hall six yard area before being cleared away.

Douglas Hall came close to a second goal in the 42nd minute when Kara Lacey’s cross on the far side found Rebekah Grant inside the six yard box but her effort was well blocked by Amy Gettings in the Leeside goal while just two minutes later Douglas Hall’s Rebekah Grant’s cross from the near side clipped the top of the crossbar.

However, it was Douglas Hall who held a narrow 1-0 lead at the break.

Leeside equalised in the 49th minute when Ellen Boyle’s cross from the near side found Ava Lotty whose effort from 20 yards sailed into the far top corner of the net.

Douglas Hall came close to regaining the lead when Kara Lacey’s cross found Rebekah Grant who sent the ball over the crossbar yet a few minutes later regained the lead in the 56th minute when Lily O’Keeffe’s pass on the far side found Kara Lacey who fired the ball into the far corner from the side of the area giving Amy Gettings no chance.

Barely a minute later Douglas Hall almost made it three only for a close range effort crashing off the crossbar and Lily O’Keeffe’s effort blocked just 10 yards out from goal as Douglas Hall were buoyed by their second goal.

Leeside equalised for the second time in the 68th minute when Ellen Boyle’s cross on the near side found Beth Coomey in the centre who made no mistake from eight yards to bring the sides level once more at two all.

Douglas Hall took the lead for the third time in the 73rd minute when Rebekah Grant’s pass found an unmarked Clare Shine, who slotted the ball into the Leeside net from 12 yards.

Shine was superb all game, leading from the front, linking play and still looks a player well capable of playing above this level if she wanted to.

Leeside came close to equalising yet again a minute later only for Ava Lotty’s 20 yard effort go just over the Douglas Hall crossbar as play went from end to end.

However, in the end it was Douglas Hall who managed to hold on and claim the trophy which was presented to team captain Emma McCarthy by Sarah Scanlon of the CWSSL.

Douglas Hall: Hollie Bruton, Nathalie O’Brien, Emma McCarthy, Tiffany Taylor, Rebecca Walsh, Mary Sullivan, Maeve O’Leary, Kara Lacey, Sarah O’Keeffe, Sarah Dawe, Rebekah Grant, Clare Shine, Aoibhe Noonan, Amber Kenny, Maggie Duncliffe, Emma Davis, Lily O’Keeffe, Lorna O’ Duibhir, Hazel Caulfield.

Leeside: Amy Gettings, Lidia Pasiecznik, Caitlin Mulcahy, Enya Quill, Beth Coomey, Carissa Sheehan, Rosealeen Callaghan, Pamela Mackey, Ava Lotty, Heidi O’Sullivan, Ellen Boyle, Emma O’Neill, Jessica Geasley, Leah Casey, Andrea Fernandez, Muireann Aherne.

Referee: Daniel Daunt.