Down ladies Championship finals match reports
August 19, 2013Loughinisland were slow to start and will have rued the wides they shot in the early part of the game. A pointed free by Karen Clements got Loughinisland off the mark much to the delight of the travelling support Loughinisland, and they started to look a lot more comfortable on the ball. However a further pointed free from Sarah Venney for Bright saw the Bright girls keep their 4 point cushion.
Loughinisland stepped up their game and following some good combination play, a goal chance looked on the cards and indeed it did hit the back of the net, only to have been disallowed as a square ball. Loughinisland took it on the chin without complaint and got down to the job in hand, which was to put a dent in Bright's 4 point lead. However they shot wide after wide, and although they looked confident on the ball it was their finishing that let them down.
Loughinisland keeper Helen Rice twice in the first half made two terrific saves on the line. Only for her quick reactions Loughinisland may have went into the break with a much larger deficit than they did. As it was the first half was dominated by Bright with Jenny Fitzsimons and Francis O'Connor doing a lot of work for Bright in the first half. While for Loughinisland Helen Rice and Brenda O'Hare really worked hard in the first half. However it was Loughinislands finishing that punished them. If they had put over even 50% of the wides the shot in the first half they may have even went into the break in front. HT Bright 0-8 Loughinisland 0-3
Loughinisland came out in the second half all guns blazing. Whatever Kieran Gordon and Dessie Mason said during the break, the message got home. Loughinisland opened the scoring and looked more confident in the opening stages of the half. Loughinisland took a further 2 scores from play and it was game on, end to end football in the second half. With both teams entertaining the large crowd at Clonduff to some lovely football and when Bright's Michelle Lavery came through on a blistering solo run a goal chance looked on but for the quick thinking of the Loughinisland backs Ellie McConville and Nadine Mason who intervened and Lavery subsequently hit it wide.
Bright were now making a lot of the play and Kiera Turley who had been busy all day saw her chance and took a terrific high powered long range shot and buried it in the back of the net. A top drawer score by Turley which Loughinisland were never able to recover from. A further free put over by Karen Clements and the full time whistle was blown. An ecstatic Bright team worthy winners of the Down Ladies Junior Championship 2013 FT. Bright 1-10 Loughinisland 0-08
Loughinisland Team: Helen Rice, Maureen Brennan, Cathy Rea, Derbiled Boyle, Vanessa Boyd, Laura Mason, Derbla Arkins, Karen Clements, Aurla McDowell, Siobhan McCann, Gemma Gibney, Alex McEvoy, Ellie McConville, Brenda O'Hare, Bria Cunningham, Shannon Lynch, Michaela Flynn, Courtney Cassidy, Rebecca McKelvey, Nadie Mason, Emma O'Flynn, Edel Traonor, Lisa Murray, Michelle Morgan, Grainne McCann. Mentors: Kieran Gorgon, Dessie Mason.
Bright Team: Therese McCartan, Rachel Ranaghan, Ciara Sharvin, Claire Morgan, Elaine Quinn, Angela O'Connor, Gemma Toner, Leah Milligan, Sarah Venney, Jenny Fitzsimmons, Michelle Lavery, Aimee Tumelty, Francis O'Connor, Kiera Turley, Amy Murray, Natasha Lavery, Keara Patterson, Alisha Treacy, Mary Grady, Elaine Laird, Emma McAleese, Francyne McClinton, Andrea Arnold, Katie Tumelty, Katie Farrand, Amy Smyth, Joanna Murray, Caren McCartan, Sharon Sharvin, Amy Hannah, Aoife McCann, Gabrielle Clendenning, Roisin Torney Sammy-Joe Murphy. Mentors: Chris Tumelty, Gabriel Clendenning, Dee Sharvin.
Down ladies Senior Championship Final 2013 Castlewellan v Bryansford
Defending Champions Bryansford were going into this game looking to be crowned back to back Champions, but there was the small hurdle of getting past Castlewellan first. Both teams have a number of current County players on the squads and looked well matched on paper.
Lisa Morgan opened the scoring for Castlewellan with a well taken point from play and her Down Ladies cohort Tash Ferris duly replied with a well taken point of her own in the opening minutes. This was soon followed by another point form play by Ferris after some nice combination play from her Bryansford and County club mates Clara Fitzpatrick and Grainne McClean. Ferris was soon on the score sheet again with a goal after she turned her marker and put the ball in the back of the net for a superb goal.
Bryansford dominated the early part of the first half and although Lisa Morgan pointed again from play for the Town, Bryansford were running them ragged at this stage. Ciara Ward made a great solo run at the Castlewellan goal, laid the ball off to Mairead Kavanagh who duly put it in the back of net. Bryansford 2-03 Castlewellan 0-03.
It was late into the first half before Castlewellan found their rhythm. Kyla Trainor was working hard and took a fine long range point but it was Anna Rogan who led the charge at this stage for the Town. Rogan went on a great solo run, going past 3 Bryansford backs, selling the last a dummy and putting the ball squarely in the back of the net. Outstanding play from Rogan and just what Castlewellan needed to lift them at a crucial point in the game. But only a few minutes later Castlewellan were awarded a penalty and club and county veteran Lisa Morgan stepped up to take the pressure shot and put it in the back of the net. Castlewellan edge in front by 1.
Then came the rain! But the Town girls were undeterred and went on to put another two scores over the bar to go in at the break 3 up having pulled back an amazing 9 points without reply from Bryansford.
Bryansford's Ciara Ward, Shannon Kelly and Tash Ferris all had good first halves as did Castlewellan's Lisa Morgan, Orla Boyle, Sarah McArdle and Anna Rogan. But outstanding for the Town was Karen McMullan who's route one strategy was causing Bryansford all sorts of problems in the first half.
Lisa Morgan again opened the scoring in the second half with a point from play and again this was quickly followed by another goal from the industrious Anna Morgan putting Castlewellan 7 points clear. Still Bryansford haven't scored since the first half and when Kyla Trainor takes a fine ball on the run there's never any doubt where she's heading and with Orla Murphy trying to close the gap, Trainor slots the ball in the back of the net and Castlewellan are looking to be coasting at this stage.
However Bryansford aren't finished yet and quickly reply with a goal of their own from Adele McGrattan and the Bryansford support raises the tempo urging the girls on. Castlewellan's Karen McMullan again takes route one and this time finishes herself with a fine point from play and it's end to end football in the Senior Championship final. Castlewellan lead by 9 but that's quickly cut to 6 when a Bryansford free drops short and slots in behind Aishling Burns making it Castlewellan 4-09 Bryansford 4-03.
Bryansford take a further two points without reply and it's all Bryansford at this stage with Castlewellan leading now by just 4 points with with 7 minutes to go. Then up steps Kyla Trainor again on a solo run straight for goal with Bryansford and Down's Amy Nicholson on her shoulder. Trainor show's her guile and quickly turns twice puts Nicholson off and slots it low under Murphy, and most definitely puts Bryansford's Championship hopes to bed for another year.
Castlewellan took another point from play just before the whistle was blown and Castlewellan come from 9 points behind to win with an 8 point lead. Castlewellan 5-10 Bryansford 4-05
Castlewellan Team: Aishling Burns, Clare Cleland, Orla Boyle, Catherine Keown, Ciara Gibson, Karen McMullan, Aine keown, Noleen O'Higgins, Kyla Trainor, Aoife Keown, Mairead Hardy, Kelly O'Higgins, Cara Cunningham, Lisa Morgan, Sarah McArdle, Anna Rogan, Paula Cleland, Nina Cairns, Christine Owens, Aisling Connolly. Mentors: Jim Burns, Niall McArdle, Geraldine McKibben
Bryansford: Orla Murphy, Clare Fitxpatrick, Cora McKibben, Amy Nicholson, Ciara Ward, Ciara O'Higgins, Caitlin McCartan, Clara Fitzpatrick, Sinead McCloskey, Shannon Kelly, Grainne McClean, Aimee O'Higgins, Mairead Kavanagh, Natasha Ferris, Adele Grattan, Shona Poland, Kathryn Boden, Orla Quinn, Claren Owens, Kirsty Fitzpatrick, Luara Murray, Natalie McKibbin, Mairead McKibbin, Cushla Savage, Shaneen Owens, Catroina Sloan, Aisleen Boden, Kyra Anne McClelland, Keavy Burns, Katie Ward. Mentors: Miceal McCartan, Cormav Venney, Mark Kearney, Marc Reid.
Down Ladies Intermediate Final. Mayobridge v Bosco.
Bosco were last year's Junior Championship winners and to reach the final of the Intermediate Championship the following year shows the quality of this team. Mayobridge however were never going to be an easy opponent in the Intermediate final having secured their place with some very high scoring games against Teconnaught and Rostrevor in the qualifiers.
It was Mayobridge who set their stall out early with an opening goal within minutes and a point from play from Charlene Lively. Bosco however didn't panic, and they came back at Mayobridge with a shot on goal saved on the line by keeper Martina Rooney. Bosco took a further point from play and a free by Michaela Downey and they looked to be unfazed with the early goal from the Bridge.
Bosco's Kirsty McKevitt got on the score sheet with point form play which was quickly followed by one at the other end by Sinead McNamee with a pointed free.
Bosco's Hannah McKevitt stood out in the first half and at one stage made a blistering solo run straight at goal, with Rooney off her line a goal looked to be certain. However cruelly for Bosco the ball clipped the crossbar and rebounded back out and was duly put over the bar this time by McKevitt. Some consolation and the Mayobridge lead was reduced to just one point at this stage.
Both teams traded scores point for point until the Bridge saw an opening and got a goal, making it Mayobridge 2-4 Bosco 0-06 at half-time. Mayobridge's Charlene Lively and Laura McNamee both had a very good first half but it was Sinead McNamee's tireless work rate which helped keep Bosco on the back foot in the first half. Michaela Downey and Hannah McKevitt were leading the charge for Bosco in the first half and Mary Abegbamyie made a lot of play for Bosco and certainly proved a handful for Mayobridge.
The second half got under way and mayobridge opened with a pointed free from Michelle McCoy followed by a point from play by Bosco's Laura Doran. Sinead McNamee took a further 2 points from play and stretched the Bridge's lead. Mayobridge were dominant in the second half and Laura McNamee got on the score board with a fine point from play and the Bridge lead by 6.
A Bosco resurgence in the 2nd Half was late at coming. Bosco were able to get a couple of points over but they are soon cancelled out by Mayobridge and again Sinead McNamee is at the forefront of the Mayobridge attacks in the 2nd half with Martina McConville and Casey Linden combining well to create a lot of play. In the end Mayobridge won comfortably and were crowned the Down Ladies Intermediate Champions 2013. Score Mayobridge 2-09 Bosco 0-11
Bosco: Danielle McCourt, Terri Quinn, Elaine Rooney, Momhuirne Lennon, Hannah McKevitt, Mary Adegbamyie, Aoibhean Downey, Nicola Gorman, Orlagh McLogan, Olivia McAvoy, Michaela Downey, Laura Doran, Marie Burke, Emma Walsh, Kirsty McKevitt, Lauren Carnegie, Niamh Monaghan, Shannon Carroll, Aisling Turley, Ashling Fox, Siobhan Carnegie, Sinead O'Hare, Carly Gibney. Mentors Maurice Rooney, Pat Fox, Maria Fox.
Mayobridge: Martina Rooney, Jennifer Smyth, Martina McConville, Roisin O'Hare, Leanne taylor, Orlagh Caldwell, Casey Linden, Jordan Magee, Sinead McNamee, Marian Coulter, Kate Kane, Michelle McCoy, Lisa O'Hare, Chalene Lively, Laura McNamee, Cliodhna McNamee, Chloe McPolin, Sheryl McNamee, Niamh McGuinness, Eimear Killen, Andrea O'Hare, Kerrie O'Hare, Katie McManus. Mentors: Eamonn Coulter, Gary O'Hare. Tweet
