2021 FAI Women's Cup final

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2021 FAI Women's Cup Final
2021 FAI Women's Cup Final programme.png
Match programme cover
Event 2021 FAI Women's Cup
Date21 November 2021
Venue Tallaght Stadium, Dublin
Player of the Match Ellen Molloy (Wexford Youths) [1]
Referee Paula Brady (Dublin)
Attendance3,053
2020
2022

The 2021 FAI Women's Cup Final (known as The EVOKE.ie FAI Women's Cup Final for sponsorship reasons) was the final match of the 2021 FAI Women's Cup, the national association football Cup of the Republic of Ireland. The match took place on 21 November 2021 at Tallaght Stadium in Dublin. Wexford Youths and Shelbourne contested the match.

Contents

The match was shown live on RTÉ2 and RTÉ2 HD in Ireland, and via the RTÉ Player worldwide with commentary from Ger Canning and Lisa Fallon. It was refereed by Paula Brady, assisted by David Berry and Conor Fitzgibbon with Claire Purcell as Fourth Official. The 3,053 attendance was a record for a stand-alone women's final in Ireland. [2]

Wexford Youths won 3–1 to secure the trophy for the fourth time in seven seasons and avenge their 5–0 defeat by Shelbourne in the 2016 final. Shelbourne, crowned League champions the previous week, missed the opportunity to claim a "double".

Match

Summary

On 31 minutes Shelbourne captain Pearl Slattery was cautioned for a foul by the centre circle, and when Shelbourne failed to clear the resultant free kick, Lynn-Marie Grant hoisted the ball high over goalkeeper Amanda Budden from the edge of the penalty area to give Wexford the lead. Shelbourne equalised on 39 minutes when Jessica Ziu's firm shot came back off the base of the post and fell to Ciara Grant who looped the ball in off the other post. [3]

Five minutes into the second half, Wexford retook the lead. Player of the Match Ellen Molloy cut inside from the right and crossed to Kylie Murphy, who finished low past Budden from 12 yards (11m). Saoirse Noonan broke clear on 60 minutes, but Wexford full-back Orlaith Conlon made a last ditch tackle in which she injured her knee and had to be substituted. On 74 minutes Molloy was involved in Wexford's third goal, when after having a shot blocked she headed the ball to Edel Kennedy on the edge of the Shelbourne penalty area. Kennedy hit a powerful half volley past Budden to score the best goal of the game. [4]

After their unexpected League title win the previous week, Shelbourne's players had partied until 7am at Tolka Park. [5] Fatigue contributed their lacklustre performance in the Cup final. [6] Although Wexford substitute Teegan Lynch had apparently not been listed in the matchday squad, Shelbourne declined to raise any complaint and instead congratulated their opponents: "the better team on the night". [7]

Details

Wexford Youths 3–1 Shelbourne
L. Grant Soccerball shade.svg31'
Murphy Soccerball shade.svg50'
Kennedy Soccerball shade.svg74'
Report C. Grant Soccerball shade.svg39'
Tallaght Stadium, Dublin
Attendance: 3,053
Referee: Paula Brady (Dublin)
Kit left arm.svg
Kit body.svg
Kit right arm.svg
Kit shorts.svg
Kit socks band white.png
Kit socks long.svg
Wexford
Kit left arm shelbourne21h.png
Kit left arm.svg
Kit body shelbourne21h.png
Kit body.svg
Kit right arm shelbourne21h.png
Kit right arm.svg
Kit shorts shelbourne21h.png
Kit shorts.svg
Kit socks shelbourne21h.png
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Shelbourne
GK18 Flag of Ireland.svg Ciamh Gray
DF3 Flag of Ireland.svg Orlaith Conlon Sub off.svg 60'
DF4 Flag of Ireland.svg Della Doherty
DF5 Flag of Ireland.svg Lauren Dwyer
DF16 Flag of Ireland.svg Nicola Sinnott
MF8 Flag of Ireland.svg Edel Kennedy
MF12 Flag of Ireland.svg Ciara Rossiter
MF17 Flag of Ireland.svg Aoibheann Clancy
MF19 Flag of Ireland.svg Lynn-Marie Grant Sub off.svg 72'
AM20 Flag of Ireland.svg Ellen Molloy Sub off.svg 93'
FW6 Flag of Ireland.svg Kylie Murphy (c)
Substitutions:
GK21 Flag of Ireland.svg Maeve Williams
MF7 Flag of Ireland.svg Freya De Mange
FW9 Flag of Ireland.svg Katie Law
FW10 Flag of Ireland.svg Sinead Taylor Sub on.svg 93'
DF11 Flag of Ireland.svg Lynn Craven Sub on.svg 60'
MF23 Flag of Ireland.svg Fiona Ryan
FW23 Flag of Ireland.svg Emma Walker
FW24 Flag of Ireland.svg Kira Bates-Crosbie
MF2 Flag of Ireland.svg Teegan Lynch [note 1] Sub on.svg 72'
Manager:
Flag of Ireland.svg Stephen Quinn
Wexford-Shelbourne 2021-11-21.svg
GK1 Flag of Ireland.svg Amanda Budden
DF2 Flag of Ireland.svg Jess Gargan Sub off.svg 80'
DF4 Flag of Ireland.svg Pearl Slattery (c)Yellow card.svg 31'
DF5 Flag of Ireland.svg Shauna Fox
DF14 Flag of Ireland.svg Chloe Mustaki
MF3 Flag of Ireland.svg Jessie Stapleton
MF7 Flag of Ireland.svg Jessica Ziu
MF8 Flag of Ireland.svg Rachel Graham Yellow card.svg 44'Sub off.svg 80'
MF12 Flag of Ireland.svg Ciara Grant
AM10 Flag of Ireland.svg Noelle Murray
FW25 Flag of Ireland.svg Saoirse Noonan
Substitutions:
GK16 Flag of Ireland.svg Sophie Lenehan
MF6 Flag of Ireland.svg Alex Kavanagh Sub on.svg 80'
DF9 Flag of Ireland.svg Keeva Keenan
MF13 Flag of Ireland.svg Mia Dodd
FW18 Flag of Ireland.svg Abbie Larkin Sub on.svg 80'
MF19 Flag of Ireland.svg Leah Doyle
MF20 Flag of Ireland.svg Rebecca Creagh
MF21 Flag of Ireland.svg Taylor White
Manager:
Flag of Ireland.svg Noel King

Match officials

  • Assistant referees:
    • David Berry
    • Conor Fitzgibbon
  • Fourth official: Claire Purcell

Match rules

  • 90 minutes.
  • 20 minutes of extra time if necessary.
  • Penalty shoot-out if scores level.
  • Eight substitutes named.
  • Maximum of five substitutions.

Notes

  1. RTÉ coverage of the match noted that Wexford Youths' second substitute Teegan Lynch was not named in the matchday squad.

References

  1. Duffy, Emma (21 November 2021). "'What's there to say? The kid is just unbelievable'". The42.ie. TheJournal.ie . Retrieved 21 November 2021.
  2. Fitzmaurice, Aidan (21 November 2021). "Shelbourne's double dream dies as second half surges sees Wexford Youths claim FAI Cup". Irish Independent . Retrieved 21 November 2021.
  3. Pyne, Anthony (21 November 2021). "Youths turn on style to shatter Shels' double dreams". RTÉ Sport . Retrieved 21 November 2021.
  4. Cummiskey, Gavin (21 November 2021). "Edel Kennedy's stunner seals FAI Cup for Wexford and denies Shels a double". The Irish Times . Retrieved 21 November 2021.
  5. Donnelly, Dave (16 November 2021). "Shelbourne captain Pearl Slattery: 'I'll never experience a day like that in football again'". Dublin Live. Reach plc. Retrieved 12 November 2022.
  6. Fallon, John (6 November 2022). "No hangover this year as Shels complete the double". Irish Examiner . Retrieved 12 November 2022.
  7. Fallon, John (22 November 2021). "Shelbourne won't appeal FAI Women's Cup final outcome over Wexford sub eligibility". Irish Examiner . Retrieved 13 November 2022.