20-05-2025
Loreto Wexford lose to St. Leo's in Leinster final
They lost this Leinster Division 1 league final to St. Leo's of Carlow, but to be in such an illustrious title decider just a few short years ago would have been unthinkable for the Loreto girls.
They did themselves and the school proud on this journey, and they set a benchmark for others coming behind to meet and then surpass. The desire is there, the will is there, the talent is arriving.
On the day, Ajax Athletic provided an ideal backdrop for a battle of two schools that are probably better known for their GAA exploits. It's a game that could have gone either way, as both teams had their spells in the ascendancy and both had to defend at times, but it turned into a cracking contest.
The first-half was an end-to-end battle, with Loreto Wexford arguably having the better chances but they couldn't break the deadlock.
The Carlow girls took the lead after 17 minutes after a pass turned Loreto's defence, creating a one-on-one opportunity that was superbly fired home by the champions.
A short time later, the Loreto efforts in pushing for an equaliser paid dividends as an expertly-placed cross from Keisha Doyle was headed home by Polly Redmond, levelling the game coming into the half-time change of ends.
With the game finely balanced, the third goal was always likely to tell a lot of the tale. Had Loreto found it, the result and destination of the cup may have been different. They did manage to create a gilt-edged chance to do just that.
In what proved to be the turning point in the game, within the opening five minutes of the second-half, Keeva Maloney broke forward from midfield and won a penalty for Loreto Wexford as her attempted across from inside the box was ultimately handled by a St. Leo's defender.
Mia Denton stepped up to penalty spot but was denied by a fantastic diving save by the St. Leo's goalkeeper. This turned out to be a crucial moment as the Carlow girls began to grow into the game, boosted by the dramatic swing in momentum.
St. Leo's scored two goals in quick succession, each created by expertly-placed passes that cut through Loreto's defence.
Chances were few and far between for Loreto from this point on as their opponents controlled possession and closed out the game as they were crowned Leinster League Division 1 champions.
Loreto Wexford: Caoimh Whelan, Keisha Doyle, Alena Clancy, Nicole Murphy, Aoife McEldowney, Ciara Murphy, Layla Stafford, Keeva Maloney, Emma McEldowney, Mia Denton, Polly Redmond. Subs. - Nicole Lageu, Ciara Whelan, Méabh Hegarty, Isabel Kearney, Heidi O'Shea, Amy Halligan, Ell Martin.
