Rearcross U-13 Girls come from behind to earn 3-3 draw in Cloughjordan

Rearcross U13 Girls travelled to Cloughjordan to play their Cloughjordan counterparts in a 10am kick off in the NTSFL league. This game ebbed and flowed throughout with excellent passages of play where both sides had periods of dominance. The physically stronger and older Cloughjordan side applied the early pressure but could not break down the Rearcross rearguard of Ewa Kwiecinska in goals and our back 3 of Lauren Hartnett, Aoibheann Devitt and Ruth Johnson. Zofia Kwiecinska and Kate Kennedy both ran hard against the Cloughjordan midfield, ably assisted by the hard-working Anna Butler and Zara Maher, with Isabel Keogh running hard and holding the ball up front as a launchpad for several attacks. Rearcross conceded just before half time where the ball just evaded Aoibheann Devitt on the Rearcross line after a great effort from the Cloughjordan attacker from a tight angle. Rearcross flew out of the traps in the second half where Lauren Hartnett and Aoibheann Devitt played balls over the Cloughjordan rearguard, and it was from one of these, that Kate Kennedy ran on and finished brilliantly to the Cloughjordan net, levelling the tie. Rearcross were now on top and after some great work in midfield by Zara Maher and Anna Butler, Kate Kennedy again ran onto a through ball and finished to the net. Rearcross continued to apply the pressure but could not break down the Cloughjordan rearguard. The game now swung in Cloughjordan’s favour, where Rearcross attempting to play out from the back, were closed down and the resulting rebound ended up in the back of the Rearcross net. Rearcross had no sooner conceded this goal, when another ball came loose in the Rearcross box and the Cloughjordan attacker finished from close range, putting Cloughjordan 3 to 2 ahead. Credit to Rearcross though, they did not give up and continued to defend and counter attack, where Anna Kennedy, Emma Nolan, Ellie O Gorman, Eve Richardson and Mary Hanley, despite all having 2 to 3 years to play at this age group, dug in and put huge pressure on the Cloughjordan rearguard, which resulted in a ball coming loose in the Cloughjordan box and Zofia Kwiecinska gave an excellent strikers finish to level the tie at 3 all. A very entertaining game, that ebbed and flowed, with both teams enjoying periods of dominance, great heart and fight shown by a young Rearcross team, that remain in the hunt for the league.

Cloughjordan FC: A Last, K Guni, L Brennan, E Foley, A O’Sullivan, O Gaynor, E Quinlisk, P King, A Casey, N Hogan, H Foley, R Conroy, E Last, G Pearse, A Landy

Rearcross U-13 Girls: Ewa Kwiecinska, Lauren Hartnett, Aoibheann Devitt, Ruth Johnson, Zara Maher, Zofia Kwiecinska, Kate Kennedy, Ellie O Gorman, Anna Butler, Isabel Keogh, Anna Kennedy, Emma Nolan, Eve Richardson, Mary Hanley

Report by Myles Devitt