Salthill girls are school soccer champs

AT the 5th time of asking Salerno captured their first Connacht A division schoolgirls soccer title in a rainy Eamon Deacy Park on

Wednesday as the excellent Sadhbh Doyle struck two minutes from time to break Westport hearts.

Salerno took the lead halfway through the first half in what was a very tight encounter between two evenly-matches sides when the Sacred Heart goalkeeper spilled a shot in the box and the on rushing Ciara Wall struck her shot into the roof of the net.

Wall went close to doubling the lead two minutes later when Doyle played her through on goal, but she fired just over the crossbar.

Sacred Heart Westport started much the brighter in the second half and grabbed a deserved equaliser 10 minutes after the restart when a long speculative cross went over the head of the Salerno goalkeeper Maria Burke and crossed the line despite the best efforts of defender Sarah Dunleavy.

The game ebbed and flowed over the next 20 minutes until two minutes from time when Salerno striker Alison Blaney picked up the ball on the right wing, beat two defenders and played a beautiful pass between the centre backs for Doyle to run onto and she coolly slotted the ball pass the goalkeeper to secure the title for Salerno.

This title is now added to the Connacht U15 B title that the school won last year, and Salerno now advance to meet the Munster champions in the All-Ireland semi-final on Thursday next, April 10.

The Munster final will be contested between Villiers Secondary School of Limerick and Abbey Community College of Waterford in Kilkenny on Monday next.

The venue for the All-Ireland final won’t be confirmed until after that game, but if Villiers win, the game against Salerno is likely to be in Athlone; while a win for Abbey Community College will in all likelihood see them face Salerno in UL.