Bohemian Football Club Crest

@bfcdublin Bohs Womens’ team qualified for the final of the Leinster Intermediate cup after a hard-fought 2-1 victory over a strong Bealnamulla side from Athlone.

The match was played on the superb surface at Frank Cooke Park, home of Tolka Rovers.

 Disaster struck in the second minute; the away side scored directly from a corner-kick. The well-struck cross went high past every Bohs player and nestled in the far corner.

Bohs didn’t rest on their laurels and struck level within two minutes. From a kick-out by Carol Hanna, Stacey Nesbitt headed the ball out wide to Kerrie Deegan, who passed the ball down the line for the on-running Nesbitt.  She held off a Bealnamulla player before striking the ball across the keeper into the right-hand corner.

From another corner the away side nearly had a chance from a good delivery which Hanna palmed away. Five minutes later, Bohs got in front.

Nesbitt got onto a loose ball in midfield and played the ball forward to Sinead O’Kelly who flicked the ball over the defender and volleyed over the keeper into the net.

Bohs grew in confidence after the goal and could have had a third after great work down the right by Deegan, beating two players before crossing for Creighton to shoot, but the visiting keeper did well to save.

Sorcha Turnbull came close just before half-time with a first-time shot which nearly caught out the visiting keeper.

In the second half there were no more goals but Bohs came closest to scoring. The girls defended very well, limiting Bealnamulla to several long-distance shots that Hanna comfortably dealt with. The defensive pairing of Molly Carpenter and Pam Cryan stood up well. With Cryan winning every header that came her way, Bealnamulla just couldn’t find a clear way to goal.

Captain Rachel McLoughin made some room in the penalty area and got her shot away but it went wide of the far post.

The best chance of the second-half went to substitute, Carol Doyle. She got on the end of a through ball in the penalty area and after taking a touch shot into the side-netting.

Bohs Team: Hanna, O’Brien, Carpenter, Cryan, Cooney, Turnbull, Creighton, McLoughlin, Nesbitt, O’Kelly.
Subs: Doyle for O’Kelly, Hurley for Deegan. E.Doyle, Fitzpatrick, McAvoy

Referee: Darren Carey
Assistant Referees: Wayne McDonnell, Rob Clarke.