04/06/2026
*NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK AS FERMOY HIT FIVE AGAIN*
Less than 48 hours after grinding through 110 draining minutes of cup football and a 5-4 win, Fermoy arrived at promotion rivals Leeside Park carrying tired legs and sore bodies. Recovery had been squeezed around work, school and everyday life. The fixture list offered zero sympathy.
Leeside Park won the toss and chose the advantage of a strong wind. It felt significant.
Fifteen seconds later, it didn’t.
Straight from kick-off, Fermoy sliced through the middle. One attack. One finish. One debut to remember. Amyra Lavery scored with just 15 seconds on the clock, and suddenly Leeside were chasing the game before some supporters had time to lean on the fence.
The home side responded exactly as promotion contenders should. Using the conditions intelligently, they pinned Fermoy back and within ten minutes were level when a swinging corner, helped by the wind and a degree of chaos, found its way into the net.
At half-time, Fermoy’s mood was frustration rather than relief. They felt there was more in the game.
They were right.
What followed was a devastating 17-minute spell that effectively settled the contest. Sophie McCarthy restored the lead before captain Michelle Caplice took control, collecting possession on the edge of the box and driving home a crisp finish to make it 3-1.
Then came arguably the goal of the night. From at least 30 yards, McCarthy unleashed an unstoppable strike into the top corner, the kind of effort that leaves goalkeepers rooted and teammates racing towards the scorer.
Fittingly, the final word belonged to the debutant. Amyra’s second was a superb half-volley from the edge of the box that rose into the top corner.
For Amyra and her sister Amyee, the occasion carried another layer. Their senior debuts arrived in the middle of exam week, English and Irish papers either side of a senior debut, with a cúpla focal being revised on the sidelines for good measure. Amyee’s contribution went far beyond simply making her debut. She finished the evening with two assists, showing composure and awareness that suggested she belonged at this level.
Leeside Park never stopped competing; two late goals narrowed the scoreline to 5-3, but the result rarely felt in doubt.
The bigger story may lie beyond the three points.
This senior team was created not only to win matches but to provide a pathway. Historically, talented young Fermoy girls reached 17 and faced a choice: move elsewhere or drift away from the game. Now there is another option.
This week, that vision was visible for all to see. Sophie, Clodagh, Amyra, Amyee and Brooke stepped up from U17 level to make senior debuts. Brooke O’Brien-Noctor’s evening perhaps summed up the adaptability this group is developing. Used in at least three different positions across the match, she looked comfortable in every one of them, never rushed, never overwhelmed, just quietly getting on with the job. Already this season, 34 different women have worn the Fermoy senior jersey. And speaking of jerseys, Fermoy’s new kit, kindly sponsored by FTS Logistics, enjoyed quite the debut. Already strong supporters of girls’ football within the club, they are helping create something bigger than results. Not just a team. A pathway.
After 110 exhausting minutes of drama and excitement on Monday night, Fermoy arrived tired. They left stronger.
Fermoy: April Ross; Jill O’Mahony, Grace Hickey, Chloe Flynn, Sorcha Crowley; Paula Kvosyte, Jessie Kelly-Morrish, Amyee Lavery; Sophie McCarthy, Michelle Caplice (capt.), Amyra Lavery, Holly McGahern, Brooke O’Brien-Noctor, Caitlin O’Meara, Erin Teahan.
