Killarney 3 – 0 East Gosford
Our League Champions end their season as undefeated WPL Premiers as Killarney put together an experienced performance on the grandest stage to defeat the East Gosford Rams in the final meeting of 2025, claiming a historic treble-winning season for the club.
It didn’t take long for Killarney to get their opening chance of the game. A well-worked play down the right saw the ball played to captain Lucy Metcalfe who fired an early warning shot at goal but was unable to steer the ball on target.
East Gosford retaliated up the other end with the Rams captain Jess Dominello also firing a shot over the goals as the Grand Final started in a frantic end-to-end battle.
Kelly Hogan also had a chance for the Rams inside the opening 15 minutes as the attacker cut in from the left and fired on her right foot, but the shot was comfortably saved by Killarney’s Chloe Smith.
Both teams continued to battle as the opening period played out, with neither side being able to get in behind the opposition’s defence therefore both teams were forced to try their luck from distance.
The deadlock was eventually broken in the 40th minute when a fantastic play started from the Terriers’ backline as defender Brooke Edwards was able to find Kaitlin Murphy higher up the pitch.
Murphy beat her marker, forcing the backline of East Gosford to rush out as she played Tori Robertson in on goal. Still with work to do, Robertson beat an oncoming defender to set herself up one-on-one with the keeper as she expertly guided the ball into the corner for the opening goal in the Grand Final.
Killarney doubled their advantage five minutes later after a deep corner was whipped in and the opposition defence could only clear the ball as far as Abbey Van Gemert on the top of the box who took one touch before firing a looping shot into the side netting.
As the two teams took to the field for the second half, Killarney introduced Candice Phelan, who was a game-changer in their previous meeting, as the veteran striker looked to help her team see out the victory.
The second half was a very cagey affair with the opening shot on goal not coming until 15 minutes in where Brooke Edwards tried her luck from distance but was comfortably saved by Jessica Dobis.
The addition of Rams all-rounder Kim Meyer saw her also try her luck from a free-kick as the set-piece specialist went close to pulling one back for the Rams from just outside the 18-yard box.
Killarney had a flurry of chances midway through the second half with Sarah Marston, Candice Phelan, and Oriana Evans all coming close to extending Killarney’s lead further, but Dobis was tough to beat between the sticks.
With the next goal in the contest so important, a spectacular long-range strike for Kim Meyer was met by an even more spectacular save from Chloe Smith as the Rams couldn’t find a way to break their deadlock.
Killarney eventually found their third, putting the game to bed as a low delivered ball into the front stick was flicked home by Candice Phelan, putting the game out of reach for the Rams and solidifying Killarney as the 2025 WPL Premiers.
Match Official – Brad Sargent