Corrib Celtic Women’s kicked off their 2024/2025 season in Cappagh Park last Sunday with a tough away tie to 23/24 league finalists Knocknacarra FC. After a 23/24 season where the Galway FA Women’s League played just one round of fixtures, we somehow faced off against Knocknacarra four times, including 3 trips to Cappagh Park – it seemed only right to start the league in the heart of Galway City suburbia.
After navigating the first battle of the day which is finding somewhere to park the car, the game kicked off at 3:55pm with two overfamiliar teams poised and ready to once again to do battle.
Knocknacarra started brightly with Corrib Celtic goalkeeper Laoise Kavanagh called into action a number of times within the first 10 minutes, smartly anticipating through balls to clear well and take her team out of danger. Celtic’s first real attack came on 17 minutes with good work by Ciara Hegarty on the left wing, playing in Ciara Coen with the ball just running out of play as Coen was about to pounce. This was followed by more smart combination play with left full Maebh White playing a beautiful long ball for Aoife Killilea who was just pipped to the through ball by the covering Knocknacarra centre half. At the back, Celtic did well to nullify the attacking threat brought by Knocknacarra which included former Rep. of Ireland senior international Susie Cunningham, with Ciara Fahy particularly impressive in keeping attempts on our goal to a minimum.
Celtic finished the first half well, with a number of bright attacks stemming down the right flank involving Aoife Killilea, Joy Erugo and Ciara Hegarty, however we weren’t able to capitalise and the teams retreated to the sanctity of the sideline at half time with the teams deadlocked at 0-0.
The second half started in much the same fashion as the first, with Knocknacarra pressing. On 54 minutes, Laoise Kavanagh saved smartly low to her right-hand side to keep the score at 0-0. With the introduction of Isabel Killilea to do a marking job on the main Knocknacarra threat, Ciara Fahy was freed up to put her own playmaking skills into action. Ciara, Alison Fahy and Niamh Kavanagh all did their spells in the middle of the pitch, with some great link up play and smart passing almost leading to goalscoring chances on a number of occasions. The best Celtic move came on 68 minutes with crisp, intricate passing involving Maebh White, the impressive Rachel O’Neill, Ciara Coen and Ciara Hegarty. Hegarty played a wonderful through ball for the energetic Joy Erugo who was just pipped to the ball by the outrushing Knocknacarra goalkeeper.
Within a minute, Knocknacarra made the breakthrough when a ball over the top was intercepted by Rebecca Fahy only for the breaking ball to fall to the oncoming Knocknacarra striker who finished smartly to the bottom corner of the net.
Celtic remained resilient and pressed for an equaliser with Ciara Coen and Joy Erugo both having efforts saved by the home goalkeeper. 3 corners and a free kick came and went in the final 10 but unfortunately the equalising goal would not come.
Despite the loss, it was a performance to be proud of for a new era for the Corrib Celtic Women’s team. The defensive unit of Ciara Jackson, Michaela Kavanagh, Maebh White and the outstanding Rebecca Fahy were composed throughout, giving up few chances to a Knocknacarra side who had plenty of experience amongst their ranks. Four players made their senior debut in Ciara Jackson who put in a composed display at right full, Roisin Lardner who played in a number 10 role for maybe the first time and acquitted herself very well, and Alison Fahy and Isabel Killilea who both worked hard in midfield and certainly weren’t out of place in the senior ranks.
For context, the squad, who have been hugely successful since their first senior season in 2017, have lost the majority of their most senior players over the past number of years through retirement and emigration, with the average age of the squad now lying in the 19-20 region. There has been fantastic work put in by underage coaches over the past number of years at Corrib Celtic, and the fruits of their labour were evident today in Cappagh Park as 4 players made their senior debut with many more to come as the season progresses. If their performances are anything to go by, there are many bright days ahead for the future of this team.