Release Date: 11/03/2010

NEWRY Girls booked their place in the semi-finals of the Under 14 Tesco Cup with the help of a hat-trick by ‘Tesco Cup Player of the Match’ Aimee Mackin.

Newry started the game well and within four minutes Moya Feehan tested the Linfield goalkeeper Leah Montgomery, who was equal to the shot.

Aimee Mackin fired Newry ahead five minutes later when she latched onto a ball in the box following confusion in the Linfield backline. Linfield replied immediately with a fantastic strike from Nicole Caldwell on the edge of the 25 yard box.  Newry continued to push forward and five minutes before the whistle Mackin added a second, this time from the penalty spot.  

The impressive Mackin scored her hat-trick minutes into the second half with a well taken goal, when she lunged at a cross that was going wide, to scoop the ball into the net. This goal seemed to jolt Linfield into action and they started to press forward, but the Newry defence stood strong creating several more chances on the counter attack only to be thwarted by some excellent goalkeeping by Montgomery.

Linfield finally got the breakthrough 20 minutes into the second half after some good work down the right side by Sarah Macdonald drew a foul. Caldwell drove the free kick into the net to make the score 3–2. Linfield continued to press for an equaliser which came near full time. This time Caldwell turned provider when her pass made its way through to Sarah Haddock who blasted the ball into the net, forcing the game into extra time.

Newry proved to be the stronger team in extra time and a dramatic winner by Eireann McLoughlin secured Newry’s place in the semi-finals. McLoughlin ran unchallenged down the right wing and blasted the ball into the net from the edge of the penalty box past the helpless Montgomery.

Commenting after the game, manager Anne Ruddy said: “We are ecstatic about this victory. The girls played their hearts out today and we are so happy for them.  It was an extremely tight game and Linfield really made it difficult for us. Thankfully our perseverance paid off in the end and we are delighted to go through to the semi-finals.”

Newry player Aimee Mackin was declared ‘Tesco Cup Player of the Match.’

Newry Girls will now play Sion Swifts over two legs in the semi-finals of the U14 Tesco Cup (dates to be confirmed).

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