It was a brave and battling performance from our Under-14 Girls in the National Cup at Ballyadam Park, with the girls staying well in the game right into the latter stages of the second half and giving everything from the first whistle to the last.

Carrigaline took the lead in the first half with a breakaway goal before being awarded a penalty after Hannah produced a world-class save, with the rebound unfortunately striking a Carrig defender’s hand. Carrigaline converted from the spot to make it 2–0. After the break, Carrigaline applied plenty of pressure, but Carrig remained strong defensively and refused to give up. Hannah was outstanding in goal, producing some breathtaking saves to keep Carrig in the game and give the girls hope. Carrigaline eventually made it 3–0 late in the second half with a cracking finish into the top corner. Carrig continued to push forward in search of a goal, but with the girls committed to attack, Carrigaline broke away and scored with virtually the last kick of the game.

The scoreline perhaps doesn’t reflect just how hard the girls worked. Every one of the 16 girls gave 110% and should be incredibly proud of their performance. They battled, defended, supported each other and never stopped trying right until the final whistle. A special mention goes to Hannah, who was deservedly named Player of the Match after an outstanding display between the posts.

A tough result, but a performance full of courage, determination and character. 💙💛