IT Sligo has won this season’s National Premier League, for the the 5th time in the Institute’s history.
The team was consistent throughout the campaign, winning 9 of their 10 matches and finishing the season with 27 points. Their only loss was to University of Limerick early in the season. However victory over UL in the reverse fixture in Limerick in Round 8 proved to be the key result. This, coupled with a victory over Athlone IT in Round 9, guaranteed the title.
Runners-up UL faded after their loss to IT Sligo and ended the season with 20 points.
IT Sligo enjoyed home and away victories against UCD, DCU, Athlone IT and UCC. The score-lines in the 10 rounds of matches were.
Round 1: IT Sligo 6 UCD 0 Round 2: DCU 1 IT Sligo 2 Round 3: IT Sligo 1 UL 4
Round 4: AIT 0 IT Sligo 4 Round 5: IT Sligo 3 UCC 1 Round 6: UCD 0 IT Sligo 1
Round 7: IT Sligo 2 DCU 0 Round 8: UL 1 IT Sligo 3 Round 9: IT Sligo 4 AIT 0
Round 10: UCC 1 IT Sligo 3
The team was captained by Donegal native Roisin McCafferty. Irish colleges International Deirdre Doherty was the Premier League’s Leading Scorer contributing eight of IT Sligo’s goals throughout the campaign.
Irish U19 International Aileen Gilroy scored 6 of the Colleges goals. Indeed her total would have been higher had medical advice not ruled her out of IT Sligo’s last three fixtures. Irish Colleges International Annie Lynskey contributed five of the team’s goals.The team also featured two other Irish College Internationals Sarah Finnerty and Maria Harrington who contributed hugely throughout the campaign.
A feature of the team was the emergence of some extremely talented first year players. Apart from the aforementioned Aileen Gilroy other first Years to excel included: Caoimhe Barrett, Colleen Kearney, Amy Roddy and Sligo native Colleen Kavanagh.
The only other Sligo native in the team was Sarah McMoreland who formed a solid central defence partnership with the outstanding Kim Flood.
Other players who made significant contributions to the team’s success were: Anna Grant, Kathryn Sullivan, Grainne Boyle , Emma Cullen, Avril Burke, Fiona Fox, Siobhan Scott and Tara McHugh
The majority of the players study Recreation and Leisure and Health Science & Physiology. The Management team were Emma Mullin, Cillian O’ Murchu and Francis O’ Regan
The final Positions in this season’s Premier League were:
1. IT Sligo 27 points
2. UL 20 points
3. UCC 17 points
4. UCD 14 points
5. Athlone IT 6 points
6. DCU 6 points
Image caption above: IT Sligo Women’s Soccer Team
Image caption below: Captain Roisin McCafferty gets hold of the silverware.