O’Callaghan hails Peamount despite FAI Cup Final defeat
By Stephen Leonard
MANAGER James O’Callaghan insists losing out 3-2 to Wexford Youths in Sunday’s FAI Cup Final will take nothing away from what his Peamount United Ladies team has achieved this season.
The Newcastle side had beaten Wexford on no less than three occasion on their way to the National League crown, but were undone by the holders in this season’s cup showpiece at the Aviva Stadium.
Peamount United players walk off the Aviva Stadium pitch after picking up their runners-up medals following their 3-2 defeat at the hands of Wexford Youths in the Só Hotels FAI Cup decider on Sunday. (Photo by Ben McShane/Sportsfile)
Indeed, in what was a repeat of last year’s final from which Wexford emerged 1-0 winners, Peamount again fell short despite having twice battled back from a goal down.
They were playing catch-up from as early as the third minute when Lauren Kelly steered the ball home for Wexford.
A splendid strike from Karen Duggan restored parity just after the half hour mark only to see Wexford retake the lead just two minutes later by way on equally sublime effort by Kelly.
Peamount again battled back on to level terms seven minutes after the break when Eleanor Ryan Doyle let fly from distance and the back-peddling goalkeeper Ciamh Dollard was unable to keep it out despite getting a hand to it.
But yet again Wexford found a way through when Kylie Murphy latched on to Rianna Jarrett’s lay-off and picked her spot in the 64th minute.
“We didn’t get the start that we wanted” recalled O’Callaghan. “Conceding so early made it very difficult for us. The intensity wasn’t there.
“I think winning the league so close to the final, it made it hard to reach that peak again and playing on the big pitch didn’t suit us because we didn’t have it in the legs late on.
“When we got it back to 2-2 I thought we had the momentum and things might go well for us, but then we conceded again and we just couldn’t get it back. After the euphoria of winning the league, we just couldn’t replicate that again.
“We’d beaten Wexford three times in the league and to beat them four times would have been great.
“But I think it just shows you how remarkable an achievement our league win was, to beat them three times.
“They’re a very good team with a lot of leadership in their squad. They won the league four of the previous five seasons.
“The girls were very disappointed. For some of them, that’s the third cup final where they’ve been on the wrong end of the result.
“But the girls are great at picking themselves up and we’ll reflect on this and keep going at it.
“It’s been a great season. We’ll go again and we’ll also have Champions League football to look forward to next season.”
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