Its great to see all sporting sections in the community working well with each other. A very special thank you to Tina Murphy and Mary Walsh from Passage West soccer club who called off all of the girls' soccer matches ahead of the final so no one would get hurt. Celine Hyde did the same in the Star of the Sea school match. Thanks again all from the club.

As the game started Passage played into the sun and against the wind in the first half. Passage knew they had to play the game of the season if they wanted to beat a very strong Bride Rovers. Bride Rovers star player Grace was being marked very tightly by Danielle Burke. The Passage backs were under savage pressure but with Kate Dorgan, Laoise Heffernan, and Danielle Burke kept them quite on the scoring front. Passage West went ahead with a great point from Erin McEveney who collected a great ball from Alana Braham. The forwards were winning a lot of ball but were not getting the scores. Eimear Dorgan playing corner forward, who is only 10 years old, showed she was not there to keep her marker company as she fought for every ball as did all of the Passage West players. Passage grew in confidence when full back Rachel Sheehan, also 10 years old, blocked a ball certain for goal and then cleared the ball out from the danger zone. Sinead O'Neill carried the ball up the field and won a free. From the free, Sinead scored a cracker of a goal from 25 yards to the top corner of the net. If Nani can do it for Manchester United, Passage have players who can do it too, just better. Bride Rovers got a point back and then they got a goal just before half time. The sides were level at half time 1-1 to 1-1. This was a good start for Passage, who now had the wind behind them in the second half, but they would need a team effort if they were going to win.

The twins Alana and Niamh Braham who have been playing only 6 months with the club were outstanding and soon they had scored a goal each. Passage were in front but Bride Rovers still threw the kitchen sink and everything else at Passage. Zoe Kennefick was having a great game in goal but was unlucky with Bride Rovers second goal. Rosin O'Callaghan was holding her player quite as Katie Atkinson worked hard in the half back line. Danielle Burke, Kate Dorgan and Laoise Heffernan took control of the back line for Passage West. Passage West moved Emma Byrne, another 10 year old, to the half back line and as usual Emma did not let the club down. Chloe Corkery ran for every ball and held it up until support came her way.

As the game was getting closer, Clare Hyde went in for a ball bravely and received a cut to her lip resulting in her coming off for some medical treatment and on came Ella McCarthy. Ella played well and worked hard at holding the ball up The score at this stage was 3-2 to 2-3 in Passage’s favour. You could hear the huge crowd from Passage screaming from the stand in the Mayfield venue. The coaches on the side line glancing at their watches to see what was left in it. But still the game went on, back on came Clare after she was cleaned up. Erin McEveney moved to half forward and Clare went to full forward. Erin won a great clearance from Kate Dorgan, and she turned her player inside out as she broke on a solo run up the field, shot for goal and was unlucky to have it saved by the Bride Rovers goalkeeper. This was getting too much for the supporters. Bride Rovers came back again but the workhorses of the  backs, Danielle Burke and Kate Dorgan, cleared the danger again and again. This was not just a 15 member team, it was 33 players giving support to each other. Passage forward, Eimear Dorgan, got on to a long ball from Alana Braham and held it up well in the corner. Eimear laid the ball off to Erin and Erin took on the players again on a goal ward run only to have her shot deflected for a 45. Up came Danielle and took it, but another 45 resulted from the kick. Passage were happy to take 45’s all day as time was up and the girls in White were 2 points up.

Bride rovers kicked the ball out and worked it up to the Passage goal mouth. All of Passage were saying not a last minute goal from Bride rovers to break our hearts. But Laoise Heffernan, Rachel Sheehan and Rosin O'Callaghan between them cleared it out to Emma Byrne. As the ball moved up the field everyone was shouting, “time ref, time ref”, but play continued on. One min later the ball was in the air and finally the full time whistle blew. The screams and roars of joy could be heard in New Zealand. From what we were told, we were led to believe the Passage West supporters were louder than the Irish supporters after their also fantastic win over the Aussies. All the girls were hugging each other and saying well done, subs were great and giving their full support. As the fans made their way on to the field you could see the tears of happiness on their faces. Well done to all in involved and special thanks to Bride Rovers.