Leinster title for Eureka in all-Meath decider

One goal is all it took. One precious, golden goal that made the difference between these two teams in the FAI Schools First-Year Girls Leinster final at the MDL on Tuesday afternoon of last week. Eureka wear the exact same colours as Barcelona and it was the girl with a Spanish-sounding name who netted the only strike of a contest that ebbed and flowed. Just two minutes into the second-half Shianna Swarres was in the right place at the right time to steer the ball home and give her team the crucial score. Swarres, who played in the FAI Schools' Senior Girls National final a few weeks ago, latched onto a through pass from Hannah Quinn to steer the ball home from an almost impossible angle. The ball looked to be going wide until Swarres got a touch and diverted to the net. The goal, added to an all-action display, earned her a winners' medal - and the 'player-of-the-game' accolade as well. It all made for a excellent afternoon for the Eureka girls who will surely remember this final for some time to come. Not that this was any old cup final. This was the first time two Meath teams had made it to the last round of this competition since it was introduced almost 10 years ago. And that achievement alone ensured that this contest was something of a triumph for both schools even before a ball was kicked. While Eureka won this competition twice before this was the first time that St Michael's entered a team and in that context this defeat could hardly be considered a defeat at all. Sixty-two teams lined up at the start and under manager Sean Toal's (pictured, right) St Michael's steadily worked their way through the rounds, eventually making it to the final and emerging as the tournament's surprise packets. Leonard Noone's (pictured, left) Eureka teams are seasoned campaigners at winning trophies and this is yet another to add to the long list. He, along with assistant-manager Peter Whitty, watched as Eureka produced sustained spells of attacking football. Yet even after they scored they could never relax as Loreto always suggested they had the required ammunition to at least get an equaliser. Eureka had top performers all over the pitch inlcuding Edith Lynch, Marian Farrelly, Catherine Dolan and Laura Keoghan. When they moved the ball around they were very good. They came close to grabbing another goal midway through the second-half when Swarres won the ball in midfield and released Dolan whose shot trickled millimetres wide. St Michael's had their plans disrupted early on when striker Jamie O'Mara had to go off with an injured ankle. The Navan school battled until the end never relinquishing hope with the skilful Stacey Grimes, Kelsey Nesbitt, Nicole Byrne and Terese Dunne among those to sparkle. St Michael's had their chances with Nesbitt produing a save from Amy Gaynor in the Eureka goals early on. In t he dying seconds Nesbitt had a shot that whistled inches wide of the post. Instead of having to play extra-time Eureka were left to bask in the glow of another cup triumph while St Michael's could reflect on their fine achievement of reaching the final at the end of their maiden voyage. No doubt we'll hear more from them in the future. Eureka, Kells - Amy Gaynor; Aine Brennan, Amber McManus, Shianne Swarres, Edith Lynch, Catherine Dolan, Hannah Quinn, Laura Keoghan, Niamh O'Keeffe, Marian Farrelly, Kara O'Rourke. Subs - Jessica Heery for Swarres, Lucy Tevlin, Aoifa McKeever, Aimee Smith. St Michael's, Loreto Navan - Rhiann Holohan; Zoe Enright, Nicole Byrne, Terese Dunne, Alana McCarthy, Ella Devine, Stacey Grimes, Jamie O'Mara, Kelsey Nesbitt, Lauren Eite, Melissa Matthews. Subs - Aisling O'Flynn for O'Mara, Niamh McCormack for Eite, Shade Mawoyela, Georgia Hanley, Ciara Doyle, Lorraine Foley, Siabhra Reilly, Shauna Fitzgerald, Kelly Marie-Harris. Referee - Barney O'Rourke (Meath Branch).