AGB Minor ladies took on Enniskerry in the Junior Cup competition in Ballymoney on Sunday May 6th 2012. The game got off to a sluggish start with both teams evenly contesting every ball and defending stoutly. Lauren Hayden had little to do between the posts for AGB in the opening quarter as Lisa Mellon, Lorraine Bracken, Sandra Byrne, Fiona McLean, Marsha McKay and Mary Furlong cleaned up every ball that was sent in by Enniskerry. However in the second quarter she had to leave her line to contest oncoming ball and each run was timed to perfection and no scores were conceded. In the centre of the field Michelle Scanlon and Claire Murray had a tough battle with their Enniskerry counterparts and struggled to get adequate ball into the forward line. For their part, the Enniskerry ladies were out in front of their markers and cleared much of this early ball to put the AGB backs under pressure once again. A well timed pass from Mairead Hurley saw Sinead Arthur finally score the opening point in the 13th minute of play but a further 13 minutes had elapsed before Sarah Kendrick scored again for AGB, with a goal in the 26th minute. Substitute Clionadh Byrne won a crucial ball in the half back line and gave a wonderful pass up the line to Ciara Forde in the no. 12 jersey. Forde found Sinead Arthur and she skipped around her player, drew Sarah Kendrick's marker on to her and released the ball to Kendrick in front of goal. The Enniskerry keeper had no chance. The AGB forwards including Aisling Appleby and Molly Byrne, continued to pile of the pressure on the Enniskerry backline. Sinead Arthur added a goal and two more points in the closing minutes of the half and AGB led by 2-3 to no score at the break.

Enniskerry came out battling in the second half and registered their first point in the opening minute. AGB again took a while to settle into their passing rhythm and kicked away too much possession. Enniskerry had chances but failed to convert many of them into scores. Sarah Kendrick began to run at the Enniskerry backline as they seemed to tire and scored three excellent points in the 8th and 9th minutes of play. Linda Dempsey took up the goal position for AGB and Lauren Hayden made her presence felt in the forward line with a well taken goal in the 13th minute. She followed up with a point, as did Sinead Arthur and Katie Larkin, who had subbed in for the hard working Claire Murray at centre field. Sarah Kendrick added Arklow's fourth goal in the 23rd minute and Michelle Scanlon finished strongly for AGB with a point in the 30th minute. The spirited Enniskerry side added 3 further points to leave the final score 4-10 to 0-4 in favour of AGB. The Arklow side had the advantage of a large panel and substitutes were used effectively to ensure a comfortable victory on the day. Katie Furlong, Āine Kelly, Clionadh Byrne, Caoimhe Crowley, Geraldine Galvin and Linda Dempsey all subbed in to influence the outcome for Arklow, while Kirsty McCabe rested a calf injury and did not enter the fray on this occasion. The girls continue to train twice a week and with many of them playing juvenile football as well, fitness levels are improving steadily and the future looks very bright for Arklow Geraldine's Ballymoney. Tweet

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