Loreto St Michael’s made it three wins from three in the Junior Girls League with a strong and composed performance against Scoil Mhuire today.
The game began at an intense pace, with Loreto having to defend resolutely early on and battle hard for second balls. Their efforts were rewarded after just five minutes when Charley Coogan opened the scoring, finishing confidently after a well-timed assist from Jane Smyth.
Loreto struck again almost immediately. A fantastic defence-splitting pass from Fionnuala Conlon set Coogan through once more, and she made no mistake, scoring her second goal in quick succession to put Loreto firmly in control.
At the back, Loreto were solid throughout. Kayla Chambers and Andrea O’Reilly were calm and composed in possession, making vital interceptions at key moments to halt Scoil Mhuire attacks. Eileen Quinlan held the ball up superbly in the first half, linking play well and allowing Loreto to build sustained attacks. Both Coogan and Smyth went close again before the break, but Loreto went in 2–0 up at half-time.
In the second half, Ellie Ratty worked tirelessly up and down the right wing, constantly winning the ball back, driving attacks forward, and delivering dangerous crosses into the box. Loreto’s pressure eventually told when Coogan completed her hat-trick, finishing calmly after a perfectly weighted through ball from Smyth — a deserved reward for her incredible work rate throughout the game.
Scoil Mhuire pulled a goal back with ten minutes remaining, but Loreto remained composed and managed the game well to see out the win. Smyth went close on a couple of occasions in the second half, while Lucy Doyle made a strong impact off the bench and was unlucky not to get on the scoresheet.
Defensively, Sadhbh Walsh put in a solid display across both right-back and left-back positions. In goal, Bellarose Callaghan was assured throughout and showcased excellent long-range distribution to launch attacks from midfield. Taylor Shiels and Christine Lynch also made positive contributions off the bench in the second half.
A controlled and disciplined performance from Loreto St Michael’s ensures a perfect start to the league campaign.
Final Score: Loreto St Michael’s 3–1 Scoil Mhuire
Junior Girls League: 3 wins from 3
A big thank you to our coaches Mr Farrell and Mr Gallagher for their continued work and support with the team. 
