On Wednesday the 28th of March the DCU Women’s soccer team travelled to Athlone Town stadium for the O’Regan Cup Final. After a bumpy ride on their year-long campaign, the triumph over Maynooth Ladies B propelled them through to the final against TUS Midwest the following week.
Majority of the opening half remained relatively equal throughout with no notable happenings. It wasn’t until the 41st minute when the Player of the Match and DLR Waves’ centre back Oleta Griffin, broke the scoreline with a long range free kick setting DCU ontop with her stunning screamer of a goal.
Griffin’s goal set a fire in the DCU women’s bellies as they came out all guns blazing for the second half. It wasn’t long after the referees whistle resuming the game, that Kira Bates Crosbie, another young Women’s National League player added a second count to the scoreboard.
The 51st minute showed a calm and collected finish from Crosbie as she slotted it in the near corner with her left foot following a brilliantly fed long ball over the top from number six Kate O’Dowd.
Not long after Crosbie and O’Dowd’s seamless link up play the two continued to display their on pitch chemistry. Crosbie played a very clever through ball into O’Dowd on the run. Recent Shelbourne signing Kate O’Dowd added a third to the tally as she took the solid ball from Kira Bates Crosbie and redirected the spinning pace of the ball into the back of Midwest’s net with ease.
Once the ball was rolling and the scores were converting there was no stopping the DCU women. The 61st minute saw Lucie Larkin swinging a dangerous corner into the middle of the box from the left hand side. The TUS Midwest women did well to clear the ball from their danger area however unfortunately for the Midwest girls it was only cleared as far as a lurking Oleta Griffin just outside the box to the left of the D. Griffen hit the ball effortlessly into the sky and sent it dipping into the far right corner making it impossible for the TUS keeper to come close to.
As the minutes ticked by TUS Midwest well and truly ran out of steam.
Maria Rielly a gaelic football star sealed the deal with the fifth and final goal of the game.
It was a hard fought match however the DCU women’s fitness levels seemed to carry them over the finish line. As the DCU girls accumulated their scores their hearts got higher and Midwestern heads fell lower.
All in all a fantastic display from the DCU women’s soccer team who did DCU proud in bringing yet another cup home.
Image Credit: Pat Murphy
Caoimhe Woods