Ballyhaise Celtic U12 girls make history with quarter-final win

Soccer

Ballyhaise Celtic Girls U12 team continued their amazing recordbreaking journey on March 27 when they came from 1-0 down to defeat a very strong Thomastown United side from Kilkenny in the quarter-final of the SFAI National cup to advance to the All-Ireland semi-final.

The game was a hard-fought battle from beginning to end with both teams showing their hunger and determination to make it to the next round. Thomastown United took the lead in the very early stages of the first half with an opportunist strike at goal from the near post that managed to find a way through to the net.

But Ballyhaise did not flinch and were unlucky not to score a penalty midway through the first half to equalise. The young Cavan girls kept control of the game to go in to the break only one goal down.

After the half-time break and some words of encouragement from their coaches and a change of system, Ballyhaise Celtic came out all guns blazing and took the game to Thomastown and they were rewarded ten minutes into the half when a well worked move and some slick passing resulted in a well-taken goal by Emma Cusack to draw the sides level.

Thomastown tried to get back in the game but the resilience and sound organisation of the Ballyhaise girls kept them at bay and with ten minutes to go, after some strong pressing and determination, Aoife Owens forced the ball into the Thomastown goal to put the Ballyhaise girls in front.

The Breffni girls dug deep and with the large and loud support behind them, they kept their belief and when the final whistle blew the cheers of jubilation rang out around Cavan Astro to signal Ballyhaise’s triumph and another amazing achievement by these young girls.

The coaches would like to give a special mention to the parents, family members, friends and the girls and boys from other Ballyhaise teams who came along to support, the noise of encouragement was immense and would rival any football stadium and also the parents for all their help and treats on the day, it was very much appreciated. Thanks also to Tony and crew at Cavan Astro for making everyone feel welcome and ensuring everything needed was in place.

After becoming the first team from the Cavan / Monaghan underage league to win an Ulster title, Ballyhaise Celtic U12 girls have now become the first CMUL team from both boys and girls to reach a national competition semi-final, an outstanding achievement for the girls, coaches and club that will live long in the memory of the Ballyhaise Celtic community.

The girls now await the outcome of the quarter final game between Peamount United and Ballymackey FC to find out who their next opponents will be.

Main photo: The Ballyhaise Celtic squad. Back (from left): Peter O'Hare (coach), Michael O'Hare (coach), Caoimhe Murtagh, Rebecca O'Hare, Sarah Crowe, Saoifra O' Rourke, Dee O' Keeffe Murray, Renee Cosgrove, Lucy Brides, Emma Galligan, Ciaran Moran (coach), Rachel O'Hanlon (coach).

Front: Emma Cusack, Maebh Ferguson, Aobha McArdle, Ali Dowdall, Grace Moran, Aoife Owens, Aimee Costello. Missing from photo: Sheila Cosgrove (assistant coach). Photo: Clodagh Brady