CK United Women stretch winning run to four
CK United Women's side that play in the FAI Development League.
It’s been a positive start to the first-ever Women’s Development League for CK United as a win against Cobh Ramblers saw them jump into joint second place in their group, where they sit just two points behind leaders Shamrock Rovers. The CK women’s team extended their unbeaten streak to four matches on Sunday as they picked up back-to-back wins for the first time this season. They now have three wins, one draw and one defeat, their opening day bout against Waterford. This was the start of their second block of games, running right up to the Leaving Cert, and their first game in four weeks.
It was the perfect birthday present for the CK Manager and Head of Women’s Academy, Leanne Delaney. With the Ireland women’s team in action in an all-important Euro Qualifier against Poland at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday, CK will have to wait two weeks for their next game but when they get going again, they will have two big games that will likely define their season as they host DLR Waves and then head to Cork City, both whom they’re tied with on ten points.
CK were dominant from the off in this game against the Cork side, and controlled the game against a side who have just four points from their six games so far this season. However, for long periods, they struggled to find the back of the net, lacked that cutting edge in front of goal, and failed to take the game by the scruff of the neck. They struggled to be ruthless whilst in control of the game, and for long periods it looked set to end 1-0, which wouldn’t have been a fair reflection of the game for a CK team who controlled it for the majority of the 90 minutes. 17-year-old Leah Harper pulled all the strings as she got three assists.
CK took control from the start and took the lead after just minutes when Harper broke into space down the right and sent a cross in to the back post where 21-year-old Rebecca O’Connor, the joint oldest player in the team, was waiting to slot the ball in to the bottom left-hand corner to give them an early advantage.
Captain Fia Murphy from Rathvilly, whose brother Regan was celebrating winning the Carlow Division One with Slaney earlier in the day, and the joint oldest player in the side, put in a free from the right, but Harper at the back post headed it wide on the right. With 20 minutes gone, a Harper corner from the left was missed at the back post by Holly Murphy, who would have had a simple tap-in. Four minutes later, an Olivia Gibson free for Cobh was driven straight at Toyah Hennessey in the CK goal. With four minutes to go until half-time, Ellen Cullen found space in the box but hit her effort across the box.
CK came out after the break and made inroads almost straight away. A Harper corner from the left found Holly Murphy, and this time she made no mistake, knocking it into the back of the net to double their lead.
Midway through the half, vice-captain Ruth McDonnell was denied by some superb goalkeeping from the Cobh keeper, who palmed her effort over the bar.
Mia McLaughlin was brought off the bench and three minutes later had found the back of the net. She was played through on goal by Harper, who split the defenders with a ball in behind, and McLaughlin jumped on it and took her time to compose herself before slotting it in to make it 3-0.
With 15 minutes to go, the CK clean sheet was gone as Cobh rescued a goal. A Gibson effort from the left was scooped over the ‘keeper and went in just under the bar. It was a kick in the gut for a CK side that had been so dominant.
Cobh kept the pressure on the hosts right until the end. In the final minute, Jane Finlay slipped in Kelsy Cooper down the right in the box, who should have tried an effort herself, but she laid the ball off to Alice Ahmeti, whose effort was deflected wide on the right.
Toyah Hennessey (GK); Fia Murphy (C); Rebecca O’Connor, Ruth McDonnell, Emma Cullen, Leah Harper, Danni Nash, Grace Murphy, Holly Murphy, Roisin Bradley, Nora Purcell.
Holly Walshe, Caoimhe Appleby, Amelia Starnes, Mia McLaughlin, Jasmine Doyle, Amelia Braszka Szot, Kayleigh O’Callaghan.
Jenny O’Neill (GK); Muireann McHale, Lexie Kelleher, Aoife McCarthy, Clodagh Dorgan, Amy Lyons, Cassie Hogan, Brooke Manley, Jane Finlay (C), Olivia Gibson, Kelsey Cooper.
Ella Nangha, Alice Ahmeti, Beth McCarthy, Maedhbh Carroll, Amy Dalton.
Nathan Bannon, assisted by Joe Byrne and Ross Cole.
Elsewhere, Kieran Dunne scored the only goal of the game for the CK boys U17s as they lost 3-1 to Wexford. The U14s lost 4-3 to Wexford. CK’s goals came from Andrii Kogutenko, Eoin Dowling and a Jamie Dunne penalty. Peter Grogan scored just his second goal of the season on Bank Holiday Monday as Athlone beat Longford 2-0 in a local derby.
