Nemo Rangers capture the Cork City Council Eilís MacCurtain Junior Ladies Football Cup with victory over Douglas

Nemo Rangers 5-8

Douglas 1-5

Nemo Rangers claimed the inaugural Cork City Council Eilís MacCurtain Junior Ladies Football Cup as they defeated Southside neighbours Douglas in a one-sided decider, which produced six goals at Ballinlough.

This year is also the first time that the Seandún Board has organised competitions in Ladies Football and Camogie, honouring the wives of the former Lord Mayors of Cork, Thomas MacCurtain, and Terrence MacSwiney.

Nemo Rangers got the game’s first two scores, before Douglas held the upper hand to lead at the break by two points. In the second half, with wind advantage, the Trabeg side took a grip on proceedings as they got two goals in a minute, which ended the game as a contest, and they restricted Douglas to two late points.

Robin Fraher opened the scoring with a point from play for Nemo Rangers. 

The Trabeg side continued to have Douglas pinned back and Fraher drilled home a goal from the corner of the Douglas square, to give her side a lead of 1-1 to no score.

Douglas opened their account with a point from play by Aideen O’Shea. Douglas moved within touching distance with two points in a minute by Aisling Kelleher and O’Shea, as wayward kick-outs were proving to be costly for Nemo Rangers.

Three minutes before the interval Kate Hourigan put Douglas in the driving seat with a goal from the Trabeg side’s 20-metre line. 

This gave Douglas a half-time lead of 1-3 to 1-1.

With the wind at their backs for the second half, Nemo Rangers upped the ante, as they had Douglas exposed at the back. 

Goals for the Trabeg side by Aoife Collins and Cliona McTaggart within two minutes of the restart put Nemo Rangers back in the lead.

The Trabeg side continued to have Douglas on the back foot as Aoife McTaggart and Natasha Bowdren tagged on a point each from play. Bowdren also got Nemo Rangers’ fourth goal from the corner of the Douglas square, and this was followed by her second point from play.

Nemo Rangers were awarded a penalty in the 46th minute, from which Cliona McTaggart was credited with a point as her shot was deflected over the bar.

Cassandra Fitzgerald scored the Trabeg side’s fifth goal, before Nemo Rangers outscored Douglas by three points to two in the closing stages.

Scorers for Nemo Rangers: C McTaggart 1-2 (0-1 pen); N Bowdren 1-2; R Fraher 1-1; A Collins, C Fitzgerald 1-0 each; A McTaggart, L Whelan, K O’Connell 0-1 each.

Douglas: K Hourihan 1-0; A O’Shea 0-2; S Nagle 0-1f; A Crowley, A Kelleher 0-1 each.

Nemo Rangers: M McCarthy; K Horgan, A O’Neill, A O’Connell; G Kearney, A O’Neill, L Smyth; A McTaggart, A Collins; L Whelan, N Bowdren, C McTaggart; R Fraher, C Fitzgerald, O O’Donovan.

Subs: G Maher for Fitzgerald, A O’Dwyer for O’Donovan (both 47), D Martin for O’Neill (52), A Barry for McCarthy (53) K O’Connell for Whelan (59).

Douglas: A Cronin; S Brennan, A Phelan, L Russell; A Clarke, C Cadogan, E Cunningham; A O’Sullivan, A Sheehan; S Nagle, K Hourihan, R Foley; A O’Shea, A Kelleher, A Crowley.

Subs: A Murphy for Clarke (28), A Russell for L Russell (h/t), E Cantillon for Cunningham (41),R Gillis for O’Sullivan (50), F McCarthy for Kelleher , E Currane for O’Shea (both 60).

Referee: Mark Maher (St Finbarr’s).