Castleknock 3-17 Kilmacud Crokes 2-6

Castleknock’s U-18 Ladies Footballers maintained their 100% record in Div.1 of the 2020 Championship with a extremely impressive 14-point victory over Kilmacud Crokes in Somerton this Monday evening (Sept.7).

Even into the wind in the first-half Castleknock took the game to Crokes. Aisling O’Neill who finished the evening with ten points to her credit began the half with three points in the first three minutes and when Emma Diamond who, in spite of carrying a knee injury, added a well struck goal on four minutes the writing was on the wall for the visitors.

Alison Egan’s direct running unhinged the Crokes defence time and again and she fired over the next two points and following a bout of great Castleknock pressure Caitlin Coffey added another home point.

Between then and half-time Aisling O’Neill tagged on another three points and Emma Diamond sent over a high and mighty point to open-up an unassailable lead. A notable feature of the evening was the quality of Castleknock’s passing which was evident on 23 minutes when a superb Aoife Coppinger pass set-up Erika Moore for a classy goal.

At the interval Castleknock led by 11-points, 2-10 0-5 and even by then there was only going to be one winner.

Kilmacud put in a tremendous effort in the ten minutes after half-time but the Castleknock’s full and half-back lines gave absolutely nothing away during those minutes, allowing the home forwards the opportunity to continue their scoring spree.

Aisling O’Neill increased her points total to ten and after a pinpoint Caitlin Coffey pass, Aoife Coppinger placed the ball superbly inside the Crokes left upright for a terrific goal. Aoife Coppinger added a point to her goal almost immediately and with Castleknock in full flight Cara Feeney hit a delightful point and then, released from her full-back duties, Eabha Mooney completed the evening with an excellent point of her own.

In the final minutes Crokes scored two goals but those scores were merely cosmetic on an evening that was nearly all Castleknock’s.

This game was won by tenacious defending, good linking play by midfielders Emma Strappe and Caitlin Coffey and some dazzling forward interplay and of course 10 out of 10 for Aisling O’Neill.

All in all an evening to remember.

Castleknock: Emma Byrne; Kaci O’Neill; Eabha Mooney (0-1); Eva Mulholland; Sinead Feeley; Sophie King; Caoimhe Sawyer; Caitlin Coffey (0-1); Emma Strappe; Emma Diamond (1-1); Aisling O’Neill (0-10); Cara Feeney (0-1); Erika Moore (1-0); Alison Egan (0-2); Aoife Coppinger (1-1). Subs: Laura Keane; Hannah Bourke; Eva Coughlan (Mollie Turner).

Management: Danny Kelly; Stephen Rafferty; Tom Quinn.
Report: Kevin Mallon