ANDREA TRILL NETTED a goal in each half to sink Moville Community College’s All-Ireland dreams.
Moville Community College 0 Claregalway College 2
Trill’s brace gave Claregalway College the honours in this afternoon’s Bank of Ireland FAI Schools Minor Girls National Cup final at The Showgrounds.
The goals came at almost identical moments of the two halves: Trill netting on 19 minutes and following it up with the killer second 18 minutes into the second half.
Talented dual star Trill was the match-winner for Claregalway and was the big difference between the sides in an entertaining final.
Moville had stayed in the game until Trill struck the fatal blow 12 minutes from time.
A ball over the top was touched down by Trill, who broke clear. Moville goalkeeper Clodagh Skelly stayed on her goal-line and, while she saved the initial attempt from Trill, she was powerless to keep out the rebound.
The opener had arrived in the 19th minute when the busy Trill was picked out by Rhiann Heery.
Trill held off Caire Brown’s challenge, turned and fired past Skelly, who got a hand to the shot, but was unable to prevent the Galway side from edging ahead.
It was no less than Claregalway had deserved following a bright opening and the goal was a case of third time lucky for Trill.
After just two minutes, Trill took a pass from Sinead Donovan, the captain, but she was denied by Skelly. From the corner, Trill looped a header narrowly over the Moville crossbar.
When Abbie Fox-Carr wormed her way into a dangerous position inside the Moville box, the treat was very real, but just as she pointed the pistol, referee John Barry awarded a free out, with Fox-Carr having impeded Danielle McLaughlin.
Moville defeated Inishowen neighbours Carndonagh Community School 4-2 in the Ulster final before goals by Kate McClenaghan and Erin Coyle gave them a 2-0 win over Athlone Community College in the All-Ireland semi-final at Clones.
With Benbulbin painted on a sleek blue background, The Showgrounds was picture perfect as Moville went in search of All-Ireland glory and seeking to write the latest chapter in what has been an illustrious book at this grade.
Moville had won this competition three years on the trot from 2009 to 2011 in a golden age for the school that included the likes of Roma McLaughlin, Sarah Jane McDonald, Eimear Reddin and Nicole McDermott.
The new band of hopefuls in green did shake the heads clear and came into the game, without really troubling Hannah Walsh, the Claregalway goalkeeper, before half-time.
Fox-Carr had a header saved by Skelly during a period of Claregalway dominance, a spell that yielded a series of corners for the Connacht champions.
Moville began the second half with a spring in their step and from an Emer Gillen corner, Moville’s first of the game, Megan Havlin stole a march to get a header away, but her attempt fell short.
Claregalway had been pushed all the way by the Dominican College in the Connacht final, but after a 3-2 win in extra time the Fabienne Cooney-managed Claregalway eked out a 1-0 semi-final triumph over Ballincollig.
Moville stayed in touch and McClenagh curled a free kick just over as they sought a way back into the game.
Claregalway remained a real, live threat on the break and they went close to doubling their advantage 12 minutes into the second half as Trill – who had been their match-winner against Ballincollig – raced away from McLaughlin before her drive was palmed away by Skelly.
Just when it seemed as if Moville might carve out a path back into the contest, Trill got through for her second and it was game, set and match.
Moville, managed by Kim Mullan and Seamus Gallagher, battled to the bitter end with Coyle going close in injury time – her shot well saved by Walsh after she’d been played in by Emer Gillen – but it was the clinical Trill that denied them their big moment.
Moville Community College: Clodagh Skelly; Claire Brown, Danielle McLaughlin, Emma Doherty, Breena Diver; Emer Gillen, Amelie Daly (Tegan McCallion 55), Aoibh Faulkner, Kate McClenaghan; Megan Havlin, Erin Coyle.
Claregalway College: Hannah Walsh; Alannah Murphy, Sinead Murray, Amy Walsh Caitlin Quinn; Rhiann Heery (Niamh Heffernan 43), Sinead Donovan, Chellene Trill, Abbie Fox Carr; Katie Roche, Andrea Trill.
Referee: John Barry (Sligo).
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