Over 35 Ladies: Colemanstown 0 – 1 Kiltullagh: An own goal, a goalkeeper in remarkable form, and a reminder that football isn’t always fair. On a golden summers evening in Colemanstown, everything but the scoreline went the home side’s way.
Colemanstown’s Over-35 Ladies dominated possession, dictated tempo, and created a host of chances in their penultimate regular league game against local rivals Kiltullagh. But football can be cruel — and this was one of those nights. An early own goal and an inspired performance from the Kiltullagh goalkeeper ensured the visitors walked away with all three points, despite being second best in almost every phase of play.
There’s been a consistency about this Colemanstown team throughout the campaign. They move the ball quickly, press high, and their chemistry is evident in their one-touch interplay. That cohesion was on full display from the opening whistle, with Catherine Burke and Shauna Ward immediately probing a stretched Kiltullagh backline. Both were denied early on by a goalkeeper whose form became the defining storyline of the match.
With Emer O’Brien and Shelly Finnerty controlling midfield, Kiltullagh found it difficult to build anything meaningful. But just past the quarter-hour mark, a speculative long ball over the top caught Colemanstown out. The resulting corner led to an unfortunate own goal — a harsh reward for Kiltullagh, and an even harsher punishment for a Colemanstown defence that had barely put a foot wrong.
From that moment on, it was one-way traffic. Catherine Curtin and Shauna Ward continued to combine well, drawing saves and creating space around the box. Alicia Flannery added a new dimension after the water break, coming close with a header and later sending in several dangerous deliveries. Still, Colemanstown couldn’t find a way through.
Managerial adjustments at half-time introduced Kara Mullins and Deirdre O’Grady, both of whom made immediate impacts. Kara forced another fine save, while Deirdre — direct, physical, and clever with her delivery — repeatedly got in behind. One cross flashed inches wide of the post; another narrowly evaded onrushing attackers in the six-yard box.
The stats show that Colemanstown had the better of the game — more shots, more possession, more entries into the final third — but the game’s narrative was dictated by a single, dominant figure: the Kiltullagh goalkeeper. Save after save, from all angles and distances, kept the home side at bay. Some fans wondered half-jokingly whether she had been flown in from the ongoing Euros in Switzerland. In truth, it felt like the kind of performance that deserved a tournament of its own.
Even after a long injury stoppage, Colemanstown maintained their momentum. Aoife Cummins brought fresh legs into midfield after Emer O’Brien — one of the game’s standout performers — took a powerful shot to the face. Still, the goal wouldn’t come.
This result leaves Colemanstown a point behind Kinvara heading into next week’s decisive final fixture. A win there could still secure a coveted home semi-final, if other results go their way, in the inaugural Over-35s competition. But while the table remains tight, the feeling in the dressing room was surely one of missed opportunity.
Because sometimes, no matter how well you play, the ball just doesn’t go in. Match report: Neil Ryan. Hats off to our wizard reporter Neil on his super report. If there were match points for match reports, we’d have beaten Kiltullagh! .