 2009-2010
Review:
Bunratty United annexed their second consecutive
SuperValu West Cork Schoolgirls U16 League title
in 2010 without losing a single game to cement
their status as the Queens of schoolgirls soccer
in West Cork writes Ger McCarthy.
The Schull based club recorded an historic second
league title in as many years and finished off
the season in style by adding the SuperValu U16
Schoolgirls Cup to complete the double. United
remain the team to beat at the U16 Schoolgirls
age grade having won every trophy on offer since
the inception of the SuperValu Schoolgirls competitions
in 2008/09. Katherine Duffy, Karen McSweeney and
Shauna McSweeney each featured prominently this
term while Amy Dineen also enjoyed another fruitful
campaign. Nikki Goggin produced heroics at the
back with Mari O’Callaghan and Lucy Hunt
improving as the season progressed.
Every
title winning side possesses a star player who
can produce a piece of magic out of nothing and
Bunratty’s top performer was Clodagh O’Callaghan.
The diminutive winger regularly turned defences
inside out with her Lionel Messi-like terrific
close control but also demonstrated an admirable
work ethic in getting back to help out her back
four whenever necessary. O’Callaghan was
one part of a superb Bunratty squad that lifted
the title but also the individual who created
the majority of her side’s goals and tormented
defences throughout a tremendous individual campaign.
CHASING PACK
Bunratty played eight league fixtures in 2010
winning seven, drawing one and losing none. It
is a phenomenal record when you consider the overall
improvement of the other clubs in the Division
this term. Riverside Athletic, Lyre Rovers and
Clonakilty Town finished ten points behind the
Champions but within a mere two points of each
other in the chasing pack. All three clubs raised
their standards this year and more importantly
proved formidable opponents for the eventual champions
during some titanic bouts yet despite definite
improvements Clon, Lyre and Riverside couldn’t
prevent United from claiming the title. Even an
unexpected five week break in fixtures during
December because of horrific weather conditions
failed to derail Bunratty’s title aspirations.
Riverside Athletic were the team who prevented
Bunratty from recording a perfect 100% in the
2009/10 season when the Balineen club held the
champions to a 1-1 draw on the 27th of February.
Gemma Kingston netted the home side’s goal
that afternoon and Athletic went on to grab the
runners-up spot by recording three wins, three
draws and just two losses. A narrow 1-0 loss away
to Lyre on the 6th of February was followed by
an undefeated four game streak which cemented
Riverside’s second spot. Áine O’Leary,
Danielle Jackson, Gemma Kingston were the pick
of Riverside’s top performers during the
season with Jackson netting the all important
goal in a 1-0 victory over Clon Town to solidify
the runners-up berth in the final league fixture
of the season.
A season which promised much eventually petered
out in disappointment for a Clonakilty Town side
packed with burgeoning talent. Sorcha Crowley
was Town’s best player of the season enjoying
consistent performances in the heart of a solid
back four. Annie Meaney, Anna O’Hea, Laura
Ryan, Ellen Hall and Holly Hayes were the pick
of Town’s other top players during a campaign
which saw Clon struggle to field their strongest
eleven due to injury and GAA commitments.
Lyre
Rovers proved to be the most improved team in
the U16 Schoolgirls age-grade during the season
recovering from a terrible start of three straight
losses to finish the season strongly and also
appear in the U16 Schoolgirls Cup final. Áine
Crowley enjoyed a productive campaign as Lyre’s
ace goal-scorer and she was ably assisted by the
likes of Elaine Collins, Laura Cooke, Elaine Beechinor,
Claire Cormican and Lisa Collins. If Lyre can
build on their solid performances during 2009/10
they will become serious title contenders next
time around.
Drinagh
Rangers struggled to field a regular side throughout
the campaign and as a consequence their results
suffered. The Canon Crowley Park outfit endured
a frustrating year but managed to record a single
victory at the expense of a talented Lyre Rovers
side on the opening day of the season. A brace
from Carol Bateman and an O.G. earned Drinagh
a terrific 3-2 victory but failure to build on
that shock victory resulted in an ultimately disappointing
campaign. Hopefully Drinagh will find some additional
players in the off-season to increase their squad
numbers and return in time for the 2011 season.
LEAGUE CROWN
Following a long and interrupted (due to adverse
weather) campaign Bunratty United had to wait
until the penultimate fixture of the season before
clinching their league crown. A 2-0 victory away
to Clonakilty Town in Shannonvale on Saturday
March 13th earned United the Championship. The
bumpy pitch made playing conditions difficult
for both sides. The majority of the opening half
was played out in Clon Town's half with the home
side defending en masse to keep Bunratty at bay
until Amy Dineen made no mistake from the penalty
spot for a deserved 1-0 lead. United secured their
victory and the league title when Karen McSweeney
made the most of some hesitant Clon Town defending
and fired home from close range late on.
The
2009/10 SuperValu U16 Schoolgirls campaign was
a memorable one and will be remembered for Bunratty
United’s second consecutive league title
and swashbuckling performances. The emergence
of Riverside Athletic, Lyre Rovers and Clon Town
as serious title contenders’ points to a
closer title race in 2011 as Schoolgirls soccer
continues to improve in the west Cork region.
Bunratty
United U16 Schoolgirls squad 2010: Nikki Goggin,
Lisa O'Driscoll, Katie Scully, Anita Barry, Katie
Moynihan, Mari O Callaghan, Fiona Hunt, Katherine
Duffy, Karen McSweeney, Clodagh O'Callaghan, Amy
Dineen, Shauna McSweeney, Rebecca O'Brien, Denise
Minihane, Lucy Hunt, Laura Goggin and Sinead O'Sullivan.
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