Senior Championship
Having lost their opening two matches, Cooley Kickhams give themselves renewed hope as they got a badly needed away win over Fechins in a high scoring match by 3-12 to 2-12 on Sunday.
With Mochtas losing to holders Geraldines by 0-10 to 0-4 who are assured of finishing top in the group, a win in their final group fixture against Newton Blues may see the 2018 (Cooley) champions claim a semi-final spot.
In the other group Pats are well placed to top the group after a 0-15 to 0-10 win over Stabannon with Kate Flood accounting for 0-9 of their total.
After a poor performance last Sunday when losing to St. Bride’s, Roche got their campaign up and running with a superb win over the Kevin’s/Hunterstown combination on a 3-16 to 2-9 scoreline.
Cooley Kickhams 3-12 St Fechins 2-12
St Fechins put their 100% start to the senior championship campaign to the test at home to championship specialists Cooley Kickhams who were looking to keep their interest in the competition alive after two losses and also seeking a third appearance in the Senior Final come the end of the campaign.
The game played in cool breezy conditions (seems to be the norm for ladies’ games) saw the home team get out of the blocks early with a great goal and a point from Hazel Haughney and 4 points (2f) from the boot of Shayleen Mc Donagh. County stars Niamh Rice and Lauren Boyle then began to influence the game assisting in 2 goals and adding 6 points between them.
Unfortunately, the Fechins inaccuracy in front of goals continued in this game as they squandered at least 3 one on ones during the game and a myriad of point opportunities that would have put any team out of sight. This was the second game in a row to score 2-12 despite the misses.
Nevertheless, despite these setbacks this team digs in and with a couple of points from Catherine Mc Glew and Sara Moore they only trailed at half time – 1-7 to 2-7.
The second half mirrored the first half in being a tough, physical encounter with the younger Fechins team not taking a backward step in their endeavour to possibly reach a first final themselves later on.
However, despite the best efforts of a number of players Boyle and Rice continued to wreak havoc getting all of Cooleys 1-5 in the second half with some of the point taking better than anything seen in the men’s championship.
Like a boxer on the ropes the Fechins despite conceding a number of sloppy scores rose from the ashes and fought back brilliantly with a further point from Mc Donagh and the Fechins own cousin partnership of Mc Glew and Hayley Mc Donnell knocking in 1-4 to have Cooley waiting anxiously for the final whistle
It doesn’t get any easier for the Fechins with an away game against county champions Geraldines next Sunday but what is guaranteed is plenty of thrills and spills and no shortage of guts.
Plenty of head scratching for the management this week as they seek a formula to bring all the positives to bear and eliminate the costly errors.
Cooley star Eibhlin Rice was pleased to finally get their first win at the third attempt: “It was a great match to be involved in today, a tough encounter but we are happy with the win. We probably started slower than intended, but it is great to regain our scoring touch and get 3-12 on the board
There were some stellar performances from our younger players, but overall a great team effort. Looking forward to next Sunday’s game against Newtown Blues”
Fechins defender Orla Brennan was disappointed to see the hoops unbeaten start come to an end:
“We went out knowing we had to win this one, to be comfortable going forward in this championship. In the first half we hit 1-7 which was followed by lean spell of twenty minutes. Cooley came here on a mission, we knew they needed to win today, following on from their two previous losses.
I felt we had more to give as a team and this did show as we left it too late coming into the last quarter scoring 1-2 consecutively It was a good display of championship football and we look forward to taking on the Geraldines next week”
St. Fechins, Mia Savage, Lynn Victory, Jenny Mulrey, Anna Redmond, Erin Mc Donagh, Rachel Beirth, Orla Brennan, Rachel Kinch, Roisin Kavanagh, Sara Moore (0-1), Hayley Mc Donnell (1-2), Hazel Haughney (1-1), Shayleen Mc Donagh (0-5) (2f), Catherine Mc Glew (0-3), Louise Mc Cullough Subs: Orla Mc Evoy for Orla Brennan, Emily Murphy for Louise Mc Cullough
Cooley Scorers; Niamh Rice 1-05, Lauren Boyle 0-6, Eibhlin Rice 1-01, Ciara Quinn 1-0
Intermediate Championship
Naomh Fionnbarra had a convincing win over Glyde Rangers in Tallanstown on Sunday morning. The Barrs got the first score of the game with a well taken point from Laura Sharkey. Sarah Gilmore of Glyde made the most of a mix up in the Togher defence, burying the ball in the back of the net.
However, Glyde’s lead was short lived, as the Barrs began to build momentum after a Laura Sharkey goal. Ciara McMahon added two more goals for the Barrs, one of which came from a penalty. Glyde added another goal and point before half time, but it was Naomh Fionnbarra who led 3-8 to 2-1 at the mid point.
The second half was more closely contested with Glyde playing with the breeze. An impressive defensive display by the Finbarrs kept Glyde to only 2 points in the second half. A fine penalty save from Ellen Campbell denied the Barrs another goal. Naomh Fionnbarra converted 1-3 in the second half, to come out on top with a 14 point victory.
Finbarrs captain Amy Grant was happy with her teams performance today; “It was an all round good team performance from 1 to 25. It was a good game of football straight from the start. Great link play, great scores were taken and as a team we’re very happy with the performance. We’re looking forward to the next round.”
Naomh Fionnbarra: Annmarie Breen, Leah Cassidy, Niamh Devlin, Katie McArdle, Roisin Osborne (0-1), Marie Claire Rogers, Maria Butterly, Amy Grant, Heather Rogers, Aideen Dunne (0-2), Marie Doyle, Sophie Turley (0-1), Marianne Hullen (0-3), Ciara McMahon (2-1), Laura Sharkey(2-3). Subs used: Leanne Sharkey, Stephanie Shevlin, Becky Woods, Ava Carroll, Brianna Murphy.
Glyde Rangers: Ellen Campbell, Aishling Scriven, Sinead Kirk, Emily Scriven, Ciara McCullagh, Michelle McMahon, Blánaid Kerr, Alanna Conlon, Amy Farrell, Ciara Owens, Karla Emerson, Hannah Kearney, Annabel Kearney, Hannah Kelly, Sarah Gilmore.
Also in this group Dreadnots had a win over O’Raghallaighs/Plunketts, 3-14 to 2-06.
Ladies Championship R2 FT:
Dreadnots: 3-14
O’Raths/Plunkets: 2-6
Great result girls⚫️🔴@LouthLGFA pic.twitter.com/3EvKuYyhmM— Dreadnots GFC (@DreadnotsGFC) August 16, 2020
Clan Na Gael 0-14 Kilkerley Emmetts 0-05
Clan Na Gael booked their place in the semi finals of the Intermediate championship after this comfortable win over Kilkerley.
The game started at a fast pace with Caoimhen Brady scoring within thirty seconds of the throw in. Clans who carry a considerable scoring threat came back strongly to lead by 0-4 to 0-1 after only five minutes with Denise McKenna, Ciera Woods (2) and Cara McKeever all on target. The home side hit back to reduce the deficit to the minimum as Ciera Lennon and Jade McKeown shot over before McKenna and Alanagh McLaughlin restored Clans three point lead just before the water break.
Kilkerley had four wides before Caoimhen Brady finally raised a while flag in the 28th minute but late efforts from Woods and a superb effort from ex Fingallions star Denise McKenna left Clans leading by 0-8 to 0-4 at the break and it could have been even better for the visitors but for a brilliant save by Kilkerley keeper Emer McEntaggard to keep out a goal bound shot from McKenna.
The Dundalk side upped the tempo on the restart and extended their lead with point’s from Ciera Woods(3) and Pamela Campbell to put game beyond the homesters. The young Kilkerley side who boast a number of very promising player’s never stopped trying but we’re unable to mount a comeback.
Clan Na Gael: Mia Rogers, Trina McKeever, Therese Curran, Daramay Fitzpatrick, Sinead McGill, Shannon McLaughlin, Kathy Reilly, Janine Kelly, Emily Norton 0-1, Grace Smith 0-1, Denise McKenna 0-4, Alanagh McLaughlin, Cara McKeever 0-1, Deirbhile Tinnelly, Ciera Woods 0-6. Subs used, Pamela Campbell 0-1,Gillian Reilly and Alanagh Tinnelly
Kilkerley: Emer McEntaggard, Sinead Kneel, Blanad Callan, Emer Geoghain, Blaithain McFadden, Annmaree Kane, Ella McEntaggard, Jade McKeown, 0-1, Ciera Sharkey, Leah Hoey, Claire Lennon, Cara Brady, Enya Kempes, Ciera Lennon 0-2, Caoimhe Brady 0-2. Subs used, Rachel McNally, Kerri and Lucy Litchfield
St Marys 3-05 Glean Mhairtin 1-14
Gleann Mhairtin kept their Intermediate Championship hopes alive with a hard fought victory over St Mary’s in Ardee on Sunday.
The Monasterboice/Tullyallen combination led the way throughout the first half and looked to have the game sealed following a second half Jessica Daly goal.
However, a strong second half surge by the Ardee in which they scored three goals, including a penalty put way by Mia Duffy, levelled the scores and made for a tense final quarter.
Some good point scoring by Rachel Leonard, Aoife Russell and Mari-Clair Fahy in the final ten minutes secured a much needed Championship win for Gleann Mhairtin.
Junior B Championship
There were two games in the Junior championship on Friday evening.
Cooley & Gleann Mhairtin played out a very exciting draw in the sunshine in Tullyallen. In a great display of attacking football by both teams there was very little between them throughout.
The home team looked to have the victory in the bag but a late equalising point deep into added time clinched the draw for the visitors. It finished Gleann Mhairtin 2-08, Cooley 1-11, with these two teams now sharing the top spot in the Championship table.
Meanwhile Geraldines had a convincing home win over Clan na Gael, 5-12 to 0-06.
