Drumbar United U-16 girls into Ulster final after win over Ballyhaise

Drumbar United resumed their SFAI National Cup campaign with a home semi-final fixture against Ballyhaise F.C. from Cavan on Saturday afternoon.

Ballyhaise started strongly and were 2-0 up after ten minutes. In wet and muddy conditions the Drumbar girls eventually clicked into gear. Michaela Hannafin shot from inside the area and the ball fell to Sarah Colhoun who tucked home to make it 2-1. Ballyhaise then dallied on the ball inside their area and Sarah closed down quickly and squared the ball to the hard-working Amy Ward who made no mistake to make it 2-2. 

Solid defending from Drumbar kept it that way until the interval. Into the second half the lively Emma McNulty broke through the Ballyhaise defence to give Drumbar the lead. Emma then scored her second latching on to a through ball from Sarah Colhoun to make it 4-2 to Drumbar.

Ballyhaise weren’t finished though and scored their third to set up a tense final 10 minutes. Laura Quinn made a brilliant last-ditch tackle to deny Ballyhaise, followed by an instinctive save from super stand-in keeper Megan Gallagher to leave it 4-3 to Drumbar at the final whistle. 

Drumbar are now through to the Ulster Cup final in January where they will play Inishowen club Sea Rovers, who defeated Gweedore United 3-1 in the other semi-final.

Drumbar United panel:  Amy Ward, Ava  Mary McGrory, Cora Cassidy, Emie McNulty, Emily Slator, Emma McNulty, Florence Naughton, Isla McLeod, Laoise McBride, Laura Quinn, Leah McHugh, Lucy Browne, Megan Gallagher, Megan Murphy, Michaela Hannafin, Sarah Colhoun, Sarah McGuinness, Zoe Murray.