Junior A Championship Round 5
Navan O'Mahonys vs Ballivor
19/07/2017
Paddy O'Brien Park Navan
Half Time Score O'Mahonys 2.10 Ballivor 0.02
Full Time Score O'Mahonys 4.18 Ballivor 1.02
Back on home soil for this championship round 5 encounter the O'Mahonys team welcomed Ballivor on a damp Wednesday evening. Navan were coming in after a hard fought game away to Moylagh while Ballivor were on the road two rounds running after losing out to Clan Na nGael in a tough encounter of their own. There was an early change for O'Mahonys as goalkeeper Kathy Butler was injured in the warm up. In champ games to lose such experience and leadership from the back was not the starting point the hoops needed to keep up their winning momentum in the championship.
The contest was barely on when Aoibheann Leahy regained her first scorer crown with a peach from the right boot into the Aldi end goals. O'Mahonys needed to settle quick in games and these quick scores from Leahys boot have been great in setting the tempo for wins. Not long after this champ debutant Cliodhna Moore tracked a loose ball out into the far corner of the field and swiftly turned her marker. Making her way down the end line she had a cross come shot more akin to soccer perhaps which took a bounce between Sally Joyce and her marker. The ball spun off the astro goal mouth and into the roof of the net. Unsure who got the final touch O'Mahonys were happy to take it. Lizzie Collins popped up with a point finishing off some nice interchanges of play. The mid field duo of Sarah Powderly (3) and Aoibheann (5) Leahy took the game by the neck. They scored 8 points between this score and half time which is a great return from mid field. Kate McKenna was back on the goal scene too as she finished off some great work following a turn over and run by Jacinta Mahar to place low into the net. Ballivor to their credit did play some nice passages of football. But with some hard hits and silly fouling found themselves on the back foot having to contend with waves of attacks. The times in which the good side of Ballivor was on show they brought out some hard work in the O'Mahonys back line including some great high ball collecting and distribution from stand in keeper Mikaela Roe. Two wonderful blocks by Sofia Fitzhurbert denied the visitors certain scores. Two points did come from the Ballivor full forward Niamh Thompson in the half. Half time came coming close to 36 minutes played and Navan were ahead 2.10 to 2 points.
Ailbhe Leahy made her returning appearance from the bench and straight away was a handful for Ballivor. Chipping in with two fine points after trade mark solo runs. O'Mahonys did take their time to find scoring form in the second half with frees holding up much of the play. Kate McKenna found the net once more from the tight angle. The Ballivor defender was unlucky not to keep it out. With 10 minutes to go Ballivors second sin bin was handed out. After this the game was merely played out with O'Mahonys in control. Perhaps this was the cause of Navans goalkeeper losing concentration for the first and only time in an other wise great performance. On this occasion the bounce was misjudged and looped over her head and into an empty net. Sofia Fitzherbert was now a free player and found herself loose on the edge of the square. Kate McKenna rounded her maker close to the end line and picked Sofia out who smartly punched the ball into the net. This was to be the final score with the ref calling time on the contest. This win gives O'Mahonys a great chance for a semi-final with 3 wins from 4 with two rounds left to play. It was however far from their best performance but in truth the Navan girls were not pushed too hard and rarely got into top gear on a damp sluggish night.
On a night with many good moments from players and a great team effort from everyone perhaps it's worth a mention that Tara Fay put in her best performance of year so far at centre forward. The young player showed great leadership in organising those around her with much of her work done tracking back.
Both teams get the chance to have a break now until the 9th of August. The business end of both league and championship starts then with O'Mahonys in good position to progress in both. Best of luck to Ballivor for the rest of their campaign.
Navan Team: Mikaela Roe, Deirdre Forde, Hannah Heskin, Sofia Fitzhurbert (1-00), Aoife Devlin, Kate Falahee, Laoise McDermott (0-01) Aoibheann Leahy (0-08), Sarah Powderly (c 0-05), Lizzie Collins (0-01), Tara Fay, Jacinta Maher (0-01), Cliodhna Moore (1-00), Kate McKenna (2-00), Sally Joyce.
Subs: Ailbhe Leahy (0-02) (Sally Joyce HT), Aileen Falahee (Aoife Devlin 45min)
Referee: Tom Lorton
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