Rearcross U-13 Girls bow out of Shield competition

Rearcross U13 Girls travelled to Ballinaclough on Tuesday last May 6th to play Nenagh Celtic in North Tipp Shield semi-final. This was a really competitive encounter, with the young Rearcross side more than holding their own against a strong Nenagh Celtic outfit. It was a game of two halves, with Rearcross having plenty of chances in the first half and on the balance of play should have gone in at half time 2 nil up, but just couldn’t score on the evening. Super battling and great defending from our back three of Ruth Johnson, Lauren Hartnett and Aoibheann Devitt, with Kate Kennedy a constant threat up front and on another day could have had a hat trick. Our midfield battled bravely all night, winning the ball and counter attacking, Anna Butler, Chloe Quinlan on either flank, up and down the pitch all thru the game, providing support in defence and attack. Zara Maher and Zofia Kwiecinska drove at Celtic all night and Zofia too was unlucky not to score. As games sometimes go when you don’t take your chances, you can be made pay, and this was the case in this game where Nenagh got 4 goals within the space of 10 minutes in the second half to effectively kill off the tie, 2 long range efforts from the Nenagh girls leaving Sarah Caplis no chance in goal. Rearcross had their chances, Kate Kennedy hitting the crossbar and also been denied with a great curling effort which produced a great save from the Nenagh net minder, Aoibheann Devitt also had a free kick saved by the Celtic keeper. Rearcross can be proud of the season they’ve had at U13 level, they went unbeaten in games played in their division, they are a very young side with Emma Nolan, Sarah Caplis, Eve Richardson, Ewa Kwiecinska, and Ellie O Gorman eligible for U13 for 2 more seasons, along with Kate Kennedy, Anna Kennedy, Anna Butler, Maria Collins and Ruth Johnson who are eligible for this grade for 1 more season. Credit to a well drilled Nenagh outfit who took their chances on the night but were made to work for it by a game Rearcross team.

Nenagh Celtic: L Casey, L Ryan, S Kelly, A Rotari, A Rooney, L Carr (Capt), S Doheny Brett, C Mitchell, Z Akinneye, L White, A O’Leary, K Byrne, M Lopes Dos Santos, R Donnellan Ryan, S Solotchii, O Akinneye

Rearcross U-13 Girls: Sarah Caplis, Lauren Hartnett (Capt), Aoibheann Devitt, Ruth Johnson, Anna Butler, Zara Maher, Zofia Kwiecinska, Chloe Quinlan, Kate Kennedy, Ewa Kwiecinska, Anna Kennedy, Maria Collins, Eve Richardson, Emma Nolan

Referee: Robert Mandrila

Report by Myles Devitt