Scoil Mhuire Buncrana defeat Deele College Raphoe to win FAIS Ulster Senior Girls final

Scoil Mhuire Buncrana were crowned FAIS Ulster Senior Girls champions with a resounding win over Deele College Raphoe at Letterkenny’s Community Centre.

Scoil Mhuire Buncrana 7-0 Deele College Raphoe

Emma Doherty with two, Louise Gallinagh, Bria McGilloway, Aoife Gallinagh, Jodie Loughney and Niamh Harkin all got their names on the scoresheet over the course of the 80 minutes.

Deele gave it their all, but found the going tough against a side with internationals and much more besides.

Doherty planted the opening goal after five minutes, when she swept home a cross from Louise Gallinagh on the left. The second arrived on 14 minutes when Doherty returned the favour and Louise Gallinagh lobbed the advancing Tianna Hannigan.

Deele did force a few worrying moments for the Buncrana team’s rearguard but conceded a third when McGilloway’s lob found the net five minutes before the break.

In the second half, the pressure and chances kept coming. The fourth goal, which was the pick of the bunch, came from Aoife Gallinagh, who came in from the left and curled a superb shot into the top corner on 43 minutes.

Jodie Loughney, who captained the Republic of Ireland Women’s Under-16s in Portugal last week made it 5-0 with a shot from the edge of the area on 46 minutes and Doherty, who was given onside by referee Tony McNamee sped away to score a sixth on 61.

Doherty was denied her hat-trick by Hannigan in the Deele goal with a close-range stop on 59 minutes, only for Harkin to tuck home the rebound.

Paddy Carr’s Scoil Mhuire team will now pit their wits against the other provincial winners in the semi-finals of the competition.

Scoil Mhuire Buncrana: Molly Boyd (Hollie Ferguson, half-time); Katelyn Doherty, Aoibheann Doherty, Jodie Loughrey (Leah McCarron 61), Ciara McGee; Aoife Gallinagh (Jemma Davis 71), Louise Gallinagh, Keri Loughney (Rhianna McEleney 61), Niamh Harkin; Emma Doherty (Ciara McGonagle 75), Bria McGilloway.

Deele College Raphoe: Tianna Hannigan; Enya McBride, Shania McMonagle, Lucy Canning (Jamme Davis 74), Kelsey Coll (Molly McGroarty 50); Cora McBride (Rosie O’Donnell 37), Rocha McCullagh, Amy Quigley, Roisin Lynch (Olive McGee 50); Aisling Mugan (Aoife Tinney 74), Ella McHugh.

Referee: Tony McNamee