Double delight for all-conquering Athboy Celtic
Newly-formed women's team march to league title as well as shield success
There's winning, then there's winning with style.
Athboy Celtic's women's team are NEFL Div 1 league champions after a remarkable 17 wins out of 17 in their season so far.
It marks an amazing rise for the side, who were only formed by the club in 2023, with the league title now added to the Div 1 Shield the team claimed last month.
The trophy was presented to captain Aoife Gath following the team's 2-0 win at home against Duleek on Sunday afternoon, with the league having been officially clinched days earlier after a 5-0 victory away at second place Parkvilla.
A large crowd turned out to celebrate the champions on Sunday, with the team gaining a big following from the local community in recent months.
The match was a cagey affair, with Athboy dominating much of the ball, but struggling to break down a resolute Duleek defence, and the teams went in at the break scoreless.
However, half-time substitute Susie Dolan finally broke the deadlock for Athboy on the 50 minute mark, with a lovely strike from the left of the box into the far bottom corner.
Duleek kept pushing for the equaliser, but resolute defending from Athboy kept them at bay.
League top-scorer Karen Larkin ensured all three points in the 90th minute to keep up her incredible goal-scoring run.
Co-manager and goalkeeper, Davina O'Garry said the season has gone better than the team could have ever imagined.
"It just shows what a great panel we have to be able to consistently do that, with injuries during the year and with people going away on holidays and to constantly win our games, and win most of them well, it shows the strength in the squad and it's exciting for next year, because we'll build on that next year hopefully," O'Garry said.
"It's only in the last week or so it's kicked-in that we've actually done such an amazing thing this year."
Club chairman, Bernard O'Byrne said the team are great role models for the many young girls teams coming through at the club.
"The achievement of our ladies team in winning two trophies in such emphatic style is not only a great sporting moment for the club but also a fantastic example to our growing number of young girls who now have role models of the highest calibre to look to and emulate," he said.
Athboy Celtic squad and mentors - Senan Edwards, Helina McElroy, Lauren Casey, Megan Dolan, Gemma O'Sullivan, Nea-Stina Liljedahl-Martinez, Hollieanne Farrow, Claire Regan, Erin O'Neill, Annie Ryan, Karen Larkin, Susan Dolan, Arlene McAnarney, Sophie Kennedy, Aoife McCormack, Ella O'Toole, Jessica Mullen, Leigha Greer, Davina O'Garry, Aoife Gath, Meghan Ennis, Hannah Ivory, Ruth Fitzgerald