Colga FC u-16 girls will relish the opportunity to play their Irish Cup final at Terryland Park on Saturday (3pm ) when they face famed soccer club St Francis of Dublin.
Throughout the campaign, the Colga girls have travelled some 3,000km, drawn away in each round until now.
This is the second year in succession that Colgoa have reached an Irish Cup final, having been finalists last year at u-14 level. The nucleus of Saturday’s u-16 team has come through from last year’s u-14s, and although young, they have gained considerable experience of cup campaigns.
Colga have shown a capacity for scoring throughout this year’s cup. After a bye in the first round, they travelled to Shivan Rovers in Roscommon, winning 3-0. In Belmullet where they played Kilmore Celtic, they came away with a 6-4 victory.
Donegal’s Illis Celtic provided the opposition in the quarter-finals from which the Galway girls advanced with a 3-2, before prevailing in a tough semi-final away to Longford Town. On that occasion it needed penalties to separate the sides, with the Galway girls advancing by 5 - 3.
Once again Colga will be looking to the excellent defensive prowess of Mary Heavey, Linda Corcoran, Jenny Kinnane and Keara Cormican, supported by Saorse Burke in goal, to keep St Francis at bay. Jenny Kinnane and Leah Philips are expected to man midfield, assisted by Anna Lane and Sinead Heavey, while Rachel Bannon is likely to link up with Alana Moran up front.
Saturday represents a huge occasion for this ambitious young club.
