FOR THE FOURTH year in a row, the Ulster Ladies Cup final will be contested by Lagan Harps and Greencastle FC.
The old adversaries do battle again on Saturday in the 2015 version, which takes place at The Lakeside, home of Aileach FC (kick-off 5pm).
Lagan took the spoils in 2012, but they’ve been pipped by Greencastle in each of the last two Ulster finals.
Last year, it took a dramatic late winner from Nicole Gordon to seal the deal for Greencastle, just after Lagan hit back from being 2-0 down.
Marie Kelly and Gemma McGuinness had put Greencastle two up, but Lauren Harper and Caroline Gallagher saw Lagan pull level, only for Gordon to edge the Inishowen girls back ahead with the killer third.
“There’s nothing between these teams and I think one goal could win this game,” says Brid McGinty, the Lagan Harps manager.
Lagan have already won the Glencar Cup thanks to an 8-4 win over Glenree United and they’ve also retained the Donegal Women’s League. Their final game in the League won’t be played, but McGinty’s girls have the title secure.
Pictured above: Lagan Harps pictured before the Glencar Cup final against Glenree United.
Now, they’ve designs on toppling Greencastle off their perch.
“As well as those Ulster Cups, we’ve met a lot in the Foyle Cup too: They beat us this year, we drew last year and we beat them in 2013,” McGinty says.
“This is a huge competition to be in. With the Inishowen teams entering it gives it a lot of meaning. It’s brilliant to play teams from different Leagues and to come up against different players.”
Lagan have beaten Fanad and Illies to reach the decider, but the season hasn’t all been plain sailing for the Orchard Park girls.
Attacker Harper and utility player Nadine Crawford both sustained broken ankles at the start of the season and will have watching briefs for the final even if they have resumed light training.
Amy Boyd is out too as she continues her rehabilitation from a broken leg.
Caroline Gallagher has returned to play a pivotal role having broken a toe and the Buncrana woman – a key cog in the Lagan engine room – fired an inspirational hat-trick against Glenree in the Glencar Cup final.
Aoife Page and Orla Friel have also had spells on the treatment table, but are back in tow again while Gallagher, who is at college in Preston, will be available for a titanic tussle on Saturday.
Zoe Green, Caoimhe Walsh, Ciana Brogan, Amber Barrett, Emma Duffy and Nakita Burke, the team captain for this competition, have all played at international level.
McGinty, who is aided by Gabriel Crawford and Gerard McGarrigle, is optimistic for the continued rolling of the Lagan conveyor.
She says: “All the young girls are all well capable of stepping up here. We have these girls, well most of them, since they were nine or 10. I think Aoife Page and Chantelle Kelly could also play international football if they were looked at properly.”
Lagan were WFAI Junior Cup winners in 2014 thanks to an 8-1 win over Tipperary Town, but the midweek scheduling of an Intermediate Cup game in Ballina didn’t help their bid for national success this year.
A last-minute winner saw Ballina win 4-3 on a night when Barrett, Burke, Brogan, Green, Walshe and Kaneshia McKinney were absent.
McGinty says: “Pure fatigue beat us that night, but we have all those players back now.
“Ourselves and Greencastle play the same type of game. We both like to get the ball down and play.
“Greencastle are a very good side, but on our day we can get the title off them.”
Greencastle will definitely be without Republic of Ireland Under-19 ace Roma McLaughlin, who had knee surgery recently.
Eimear Lafferty didn’t train on Thursday night and her ankle injury will be assessed again before a decision is made on her participation.
“We have a very good squad of players here so we’re well lined up,” says Greencastle manager Paddy Hannon.
“We have been the teams to beat, ourselves and Lagan, in ladies football in the last couple of years. There’s only ever a kick of a ball between us. As luck would have it we’ve had the upper hand the last couple of times we’ve played, but we’ll need to bring our ‘A’ game again on Saturday.
“Against a team like Lagan there’s no room for error.”
Greencastle have already won the Insihowen League and have the Inishowen League Cup final – against Illies – to come.
In the Foyle Cup, goals by Sarah Jane McDonald and Nicole Gordon – two of their many international representatives – sealed a 2-0 win over Lagan, but Hannon insists that will count for little this weekend.
He says: “We know Lagan are well capable of beating us so we have to be on our guard. They won the WFAI Junior Cup last year, so they’re a top side and we know that.”
Hannon is assisted by Mary McDermott and notes that Greencastle’s golden age hasn’t arrived by chance.
He says: “If you think about it this way: The Colmcille National School has won four national blitz competitions in that same period, so that’s where it all starts.
“The club has put in massive work and it doesn’t stop. Paddy Keys looks after the underage teams here and they’ve won the Inishowen League and Cup double and they’re in the Ulster final next weekend.
“We put in the work, but the players are there and they want to play for the club.
“We have superb talent here. I remember when we played a game against Aileach just over a year ago, we had eight players who had represented Ireland at different levels.”
Greencastle were taken to penalties by Bonagee United in the semi-finals and another tight struggle awaits them at the Lakeside.
Lagan Harps panel: Emma Duffy, Saorla McGarrigle, Chantelle Kelly, Michelle Kelly, Zoe Green, Aoife Page, Maggie Farrelly, Aine Deasley, Erin Coll, Ciana Brogan, Caroline Gallagher, Caoimhe Walsh, Orla Friel, Amanda Callaghan, Nakita Burke, Amber Barrett, Kaneshia McKinney, Amy Boyd.
Greencastle FC panel: Sarah Faulkener, Danielle Barr, Karen Henry, Charmaine McDermott, Cathy McLaughlin, Marie Kelly, Shona Kelly, Eimear Lafferty, Orla Furlong, Nicole Gordon, Shannon McDonald, Sarah Jane McDonald, Melissa McDermott, Niamh Hegarty, Nicole McDermott, Niamh McLaughlin, Chloe McLaughlin, Roma McLaughlin.
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