Ladies Intermediate Championship - Rd. 2

Killeshandra 2-09 Drumgoon 1-09

On Sunday last, in Packie Devlin Park, Killeshandra Ladies survived a late Drumgoon rally in the stifling heat to set up a showdown with Gowna for a place in the Intermediate final. Killeshandra started the strongest with Karen Martin & Joanne Hayes combining well to set up Síle Sweeney for the opening score after two minutes. The leaguers early pressure was paying off as a trip on Donna English allowed Hayes to convert her first free of the game. Deirdre Mahon responded with a well struck long range free for Drumgoon as they began to gain a foothold in the match. It took good work from Natasha Daly and Ciara Brady to prevent a goal chance as Drumgoon began to dominate. However, Drumgoon failed to capitalize on this and a succession of wides let Killeshandra off the hook as they regained their composure. It was then the Leaguers who got the next point as Annmarie Connolly reacted quickest after English cracked a shot of the crossbar. Again Mahon replied with another long range free, which bounced over the bar. A body check on Conolly provided another opportunity for Hayes to convert before a quick attack by Drumgoon placed Margret Smith through on goal, only to see her shot pull just wide of the upright. The leaguers attack then combined well to set up Laura Feeney for a point but Drumgoon quickly countered and a direct ball in was brilliantly fetched out of the sky by Tracey Cochrane who turned and shot over the bar. From the resulting kick out Margret Smith forced a turnover and struck another point for the visitors. It was however Killeshandra's Donna English who had the last say of the half, as she ran straight through the heart of the Drumgoon defence to strike over the bar, leaving the score 6 points to 4 in favour of the home side.

The Leaguers started the second half at a blistering pace and a long ball in by Melissa King fortuitously came off the post and through the keepers hands for Sweeney to stroke into the net from less than a meter out. English collected the next kick-out and again ran at the defence only to be pulled down, allowing Hayes to slot over another free. This time Annmarie Connolly won the kick out and played a quick ball to Hayes, who brilliantly finished to the back of the net from fifteen metres, leaving the leaguers nine points up with less than three minutes of the second half played. The tempo of the game decreased at this stage and the next score didn't come until the tenth minute via another strong run by English which she finished herself. Drumgoon got their first score of the half in the twelfth minute through another Mahon free kick. Again Killeshandra's attacking threat came through Strong running from English, who set up substitute Niamh Mulligan for a point, Leaving the home side ten points entering the final quarter of the game. With their backs against the wall Drumgoon began to fight back as Orla Smith scored a point which her tireless workrate deserved. Christine McCutchon followed up with another four minutes later before Teresa clerkin cut the gap to seven. With both teams struggling to cope with the intense heat, the game became stop start but Drumgoon continued to apply the pressure as Orla Smith scored her second point in the third minute of stoppage time. One minute later Margret Smith finished a speedy attack to the net to leave just three points between the teams. Drumgoon attacked at will to find an equalizer but Killeshandra held firm until Referee John Emmo put a halt to proceedings in the ninth minute of stoppage time. Drumgoon will rue their nine first half wides but credit must go to Killeshandra for a hard earned victory as they look forward to a crunch tie with Gowna. Tweet

Most Read Stories