Ladies take centre stage as two city clubs contest national finals

Two Galway Ladies sides face national finals this weekend and while Salthill Devon are past masters at picking up top honours, the occasion will be a new one for Corrib Rangers as they compete at this level for the first time.

Salthill Devon meet Peamount United in the FAI Girls U-16 Final at the AUL Complex in Clonshaugh at 3pm on Sunday. The Dublin team include a large number of players that are involved with the Irish U-17 squad and while Devon have just Eleanor Stafford currently involved, the likes of Aoife Walsh, Evie Lowndes, Lousie Creaven and Sorcha Nu Bhraonain have all tasted international honours in the past.

The draw has been very unkind to Salthill Devon for this will be the fifth game in succession that they have been drawn away from home, having already seen off the challenges of Strand Celtic, Castlebar United, Cappaquin and Lough Harps on the road.

The latter victory was in the semi-final as the goals of Stafford (two) and Walsh helped them to a 3-0 win.

The club are chasing an eighth national title and will be buoyed in the knowledge that two years ago, this team won the U-14 title and no doubt the management of Richie Walsh and Ricky O’Flaherty will face the game with confidence.

Meanwhile, in the FAI Junior Women’s Cup, Corrib Rangers taste the big time when they travel to Newbridge to meet Kildare side Kilcullen in the final of the Women’s FAI Junior Cup at 2pm on Saturday.

For the Westside club this is a new adventure as they are competing at this level for the first time, and get to play in the final having survived an objection to their participation in the competition.

In the semi-final, a Regina Cunningham header gave them a 1-0 away win over Enniskerry FC and having finished second in the local league, they are a side with ability to achieve the top honour.

The side will unfortunately miss Rachel Stuart as their leading scorer broke a leg earlier in the season, but with Evelyn Coffey pulling the strings in central midfield, the likes of Sinead McCormack, Sandra Jackson, Anne Marie Flanagan and Roisin Aspell can lead the Westside club to final victory.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Sentinel.