Our First Year Girls’ soccer team travelled to Castlelack to face Kinsale Community School in the Cork Schools League final on Monday.
Having faced a very strong Kinsale side in the group stage and secured a narrow 2-1 win, hopes were high that the girls could manage to upset the odds a second time.
Coláiste Pobail Bheanntraí were hugely impressive in their defensive work throughout the opening period with Eabha Lynch and Abbie Arundel outstanding at the heart of a back four that was kept really busy.
Despite being on the back foot, CPB headed to halftime with the score at 0-0 and might have even been ahead after Michaela O’Sullivan slipped away from a very watchful defence and sent a looping left footed shot tantalisingly over the top corner of the goals.
In such a tight game, the opening score was always likely to have a decisive impact on the outcome and, when Kinsale broke the deadlock early in the second period, they were quick to take full advantage, quickly doubling their advantage with goals that proved to be the difference in the outcome of the game.
Having conceded, CPB looked to take the game to Kinsale in their half of the pitch, pushing up to try to force their opponents back. When Kinsale struck for a third goal, after a neat counter attack, the CPB girls might have let their efforts drop.
To their huge credit, they rallied well. With substitutes Cara O’Brien and Evelyn Hartigan bringing plenty of energy and aggression and Sarah Murphy moving to a more attacking role, CPB came roaring back.
A fine finish from Michaela O’Sullivan cut the deficit and CPB were close to another goal when Aoife O’Mahony drove into the box and stung the palms of the Kinsale keeper with a low driven shot in the final few minutes.
At the final whistle, the match finished with a 3-1 win for Kinsale and while the CPB players might have been disappointed to collect their runners up medals, they have every reason to take great pride in the fantastic effort and determination that they have shown, as a team, across all of their matches this season. 
