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Gary Ferry, 22 Jul
Ladies' final
Derry City 0
Sion Swifts 1
Sion Swifts Ladies edged out Derry City at the Vale Centre to claim an
impressive sixth Foyle Cup on the trot.
With ten minutes to go and a penalty shoot-out looming, an assured
strike from 15-year-old Cache Crumlish clinched it for a Sion side that
struggled to shake off a dogged Derry team.
The Tyrone club has dominated this competition for the past decade, but
this wasn't a vintage performance compared to previous finals and they
had to work hard for the win.
The two had already played each other just 24 hours before in the group
stage, where the Brandywell women prevailed with a 2-1 victory that saw
them top the group. But a number of Sion players were rested in that
match and it was a stronger eleven that lined out for the final in
Eglinton.
The Derry City players weren't fazed, however. From the first whistle
to the last, they played with a confidence and determination that makes
the fact they are currently sitting rock bottom of the NIFL Women's
Premiership hard to fathom.
They kept their discipline and shape throughout and won their fair
share of possession in the middle of the pitch (Kayleigh Carlin the
stand-out player there), but ultimately they were let down by the lack
of clear-cut chances they managed to create up front.
The first half, though goalless, was a lively affair, with the two
sides engaged in a high-intensity battle for control. Quality defending
at both ends kept clear chances to a minimum: the best for Derry a
curling strike from Ellie Redden that was turned round the post by Sion
keeper Chelsea Sheerin, while, at the other end, a cut-back from
Crumlish was well met by Naomi McLaughlin but flew just over the bar.
Sion brought on playmaker Brooke Milligan for the second half, and with
her came more cohesion to the Sion attack. She took hold of the
midfield and linked up well with Caoirse Doherty, who made some
fantastic runs on the right wing throughout the game that would have
been fruitful only for the constant vigilance of the impressive Kaci
Deery at left-back.
With less than five minutes of the second half played, Sion were
awarded a penalty when Milligan took a push in the back just inside the
box. McLaughlin took the spot kick but Derry keeper Niamh Barr went the
right way and saved it well.
Annoyance at the penalty miss stirred Sion into action and they stepped
up their efforts, but with Crumlish through and only Barr to beat, the
Derry keeper pulled off a phenomenal save to keep the sides level.
With only ten minutes to go, anxiety levels in the Sion camp were
clearly rising: if they didn't score soon, Derry were well capable of
nicking a late goal or taking matters to the lottery that is the
penalty shoot-out.
But as is so often the case, the champions did what all good champions
do and pulled a moment of magic out of the hat: Doherty broke out on
the right and cut back to Crumlish, whose powerful strike to the
left-hand corner finally had the outstanding Barr beaten.
Derry pushed hard for the equaliser and nearly got it when Redden bore
down on a sloppy back pass to Sheerin, but the Sion keeper just about
got her feet out from under herself in time to hastily boot the ball
away.
Doherty and McLaughlin both had chances for Sion in the dying minutes
that forced more heroics from Barr in the Derry goal, but the one-goal
cushion proved to be enough and they held on for a victory that, though
not as emphatic as they may have expected, brings their impressive haul
of Foyle Cup titles to an impressive eight.
Teams
DERRY CITY: Niamh Barr, Kaci Deery, Cate Toland, Shannon Dunne, Erin
Coyle, Abbey Alexander, Ellie Redden, Clara Quigg, Ellie Duffy, Zoe
Green, Kayleigh Carlin. Subs: Sub: Bria McGilloway.
SION SWIFTS: Chelsea Sheerin, Madison McMenamin-Kirk, Tara Doherty, Amy
McFarland, Kelly Compton, Naomi McLaughlin, Cache Crumlish, Lauren
Haynes, Tara O'Connor, Aoibhe O'Neill, Caoirse Doherty. Sub: Brooke
Milligan.
OFFICIALS: BrÃdÃn McDermott, Maria Creaney and Andrew Beattie.