REPORT: CLUB ORANGE WOMEN’S FAI CUP
FIRST ROUND: Drogheda United 1-3 Kerry FC
Kerry FC’s Women’s Development League side marked a memorable milestone in club history with a superb 3-1 victory over Drogheda United in the First Round of the Club Orange Women’s FAI Cup at Sullivan & Lambe Park, Drogheda. It was the first time the Development side competed in the competition, and Joan Croke’s side delivered an impressive performance to book their place in the second round.
In 2026, the League of Ireland Academy introduced the Women’s Development League to support players leaving the Under-17 grade to make their way towards senior football with an Under-23 league. With that came a golden ticket into the Women’s FAI Cup, marking Kerry’s first appearance in the competition in the club’s short history.
FIRST HALF
The hosts settled quickly in Drogheda, and Kerry had an early sight of goal when Melanie Higgins tested Ellen Meade in the fifth minute, with the effort being turned behind for a corner which ultimately came to nothing.
Drogheda responded positively and came close to opening the scoring in the tenth minute when Caitlin O’Donohoe struck the crossbar. Jessica Pirtac then went close in the eighteenth minute, firing an effort wide of the left-hand post as the home side looked to build momentum.
The breakthrough arrived in the twentieth minute when Drogheda were awarded a penalty following a foul on Abby Molloy. Caitlin O’Donohoe stepped up and converted from the spot to put the hosts ahead.
Kerry continued to threaten, and Laura Falvey delivered an excellent cross in the twenty-fifth minute that Drogheda managed to clear. The visitors found their equaliser four minutes later when Melanie Higgins won a penalty before calmly converting herself to bring Kerry level.
The Kingdom continued to push forward, and Maggie Quirke produced an excellent save in the thirty-seventh minute to deny Alannah Brown and preserve parity. Kerry then struck just before the break with a moment of real quality. In the forty-second minute, Laura Falvey unleashed a superb effort from distance to put Joan Croke’s side ahead and give Kerry a 2-1 advantage at half-time. A definite goal of the season contender!
SECOND HALF
Kerry began the second period strongly and nearly extended their lead in the forty-eighth minute when Melanie Higgins struck the post. Higgins remained a constant threat and saw another effort saved in the sixty-fifth minute after Kerry had introduced Caoimhe McCarthy and Emma Murnane from the bench.
The visitors eventually added a third goal in the seventy-first minute when Higgins grabbed her second of the afternoon to give Kerry breathing space.
Further changes saw Amelia Carroll Kelly, Aisling Hardiman and Fiona McCarthy introduced as Kerry controlled the closing stages. Laura Falvey came close to adding another goal, while Drogheda efforts from Suvi O’Connor and Jessica Pirtac failed to trouble the scoreline as the hosts threw the kitchen sink at the Kingdom in the closing stages.
It was a memorable afternoon for Kerry FC as their first-ever Club Orange Women’s FAI Cup outing ended in victory and progression to the 2nd Round, where they will face SSE Airtricity Women’s Premier Division side Bohemians in what is sure to be a very difficult assignment for the young Kerry outfit.
Drogheda United Team: Ellen Meade; Layla Woods, Isabelle McKeever, Kayla Abdul-Kareem, Ava Canty, Laura Frawley, Jessica Pirtac, Sophie O Boyle, Caitlin O’Donohoe (GOAL PEN ‘22), Hannah McLoughlin, Abby Molloy
Subs Used: Noelle Coyle, Isabel Hetherton, Alannah Brown
Kerry FC Team: Maggie Quirke; Saorlaith Murphy, Aideen Riedy, Suvi O’Connor, Mollie Duggan, Melanie Higgins (GOAL PEN ‘29, ‘71), Rebecca Flanagan, Laura Falvey (GOAL ‘42), Julia Sobczak, Airida Mateviciute, Aisling Kelly
Subs Used: Caoimhe McCarthy, Emma Murnane, Amelia Carroll Kelly, Aisling Hardiman, Fiona McCarthy