February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
It was Kerry D Gold who had the better of the early exchanges and looked the brighter in the opening half. The most recent clash of the sides in the league at Van Courtland Park ended with just a point between the sides, and the early indications were that this encounter would be no different.
After a number of early wides from both sides, Anne Marie Cassells opened the scoring for the Kerry D Gold side. Na Fianna were finding it difficult to reach their dangerous inside forward line of Brenda Furlong, Mary O’Keefe and Paula Barrett and were under constant pressure in defence.
To their credit, Kerry D showed great determination in the first half, and created some wonderful scoring chances. Anne Marie O’Malley responded to two Barrett points to level the game once again. Barrett then squandered a penalty opportunity when O’Rourke was brought down in the square. Cathy Hughes was putting in a gutsy performance in a bid to reduce the scoring power of the Waterford transfer.
Mary Kearney Cooney added another point, as O’Rourke responded for Na Fianna with two. As Kerry D finished the half strongly, Cooney was again to the fore and registered the first goal of the game, with Rose Dunican unlucky in the Na Fianna goals.
At half time, Kerry D held a 4-point lead, but Na Fianna were playing good football and appeared to go into the second half a rejuvenated side. O’Rourke started the comeback with a score in the third minute, while Furlong and Barrett began to cause severe headaches for the Kerry D corner backs of Loretta Duffy and Mary O’Keefe.
The battle for possession at midfield intensified as Michelle Fahy and Lorraine Lacey began to dominate Kerry D’s Michelle McVann and Mairead Crowe. Na Fianna played some excellent long balls into their inside three and this was rewarded with numerous scoring opportunities. While attaching a number of good points, Na Fianna were also guilty of some very wayward shooting.
Lacey, Furlong, O’Rourke and Barrett registered scores in the second half, with O’Rourke taking all free opportunities with ease. Kerry D failed to register a score in the second half, but did create several good chances that they were unable to finish. In the end, Na Fianna ran out winners with five points to spare.
Next weekend sees the Na Fianna pitted against Cavan to determine places for the Sean Flaherty semifinal, and by Sunday’s performances, a real battle may ensue.
Player of the game: Kathleen Hickey (Kerry D Gold), Michelle Fahy (Na Fianna).
Na Fianna: R. Dunican, M. Slevin, K. Lynch, M. Ryan, F. McConnell, G. Kelly, S. Hannon, L. Lacey, M. Fahy, N. Egan, C. O’Keefe, N. Donohoe, P. Barrett, M. O’Rourke, B. Furlong.
Kerry D Gold: D. Maher, L. Duffy, C. Hughes, M. O’Keefe, K. Hickey, A. Gibbs, K. Enright, M. Crowe, M. McVann, M. Kearney Cooney, A.M. O’Malley, A.M. Cassells, B. Stacks, M. Casey, K. McAleer.
CAVAN 6-6, ROSCOMMON (BOSTON) 3-13
Cavan were under pressure from start to finish in this tight encounter and early indications looked like the hunger of the Roscommon women would be a telling factor in the end result. Roscommon started the game with intent and were by no means showing the usual respect granted to one of the prominent teams in New York ladies football.
The Boston visitors registered the first three points of the game before Cavan registered their opening score. Roisin McCallen kicked with first point of the game courtesy of a close-range free. Sharon McGovern, who was causing major problems for the Cavan defense, scored a fine effort from the right wing to increase her side’s lead.
Michelle McAteer, who was the real target at full forward for Roscommon, kicked her first after 9 minutes. Cavan looked out of the in the early stages but recovered. Rosie O’Reilly undid Roscommon’s early had work with a goal after a lapse in the otherwise solid defense. Clare Lagan contained O’Reilly well during the course of the game.
Roscommon replied with three further points, but Cavan once again cam back with a goal from corner-forward Martina Dougal. Sue Bennett then added a point to give Cavan the lead for the first time. Grainne Nulty then scored her first point of the game, and this was quickly followed with a goal from some distance out that crawled under the crossbar.
Cavan added another goal to the halftime score of 3-3 to 0-7 from the first attack of the second half, Sue Bennett finding the net. The fighting McCallan added another point to keep the Boston side in touch. Midway through the second half, Roscommon looked down and out, but Debbie Murphy gave them a renewed optimism when she found the Cavan net to out five between the sides.
McAteer scored 2-3 inside the last 15 minutes and was the key to the late Roscommon surge. Nulty scored another goal for Cavan to put her side seven in front with 10 minutes remaining. Roscommon had leveled the game before Sue Bennett struck another point to restore the Cavan lead. Bennett increased the lead to two points before the referee blew for full time.
Roscommon (Boston): M. De Moss, C. Hearty, C. Lagan, K. Byrnes, C. Marley, N. McCarten, C. McGunn, L. Byrnes, L. Murphy, R. McCallon, R. Finnegan, S. McGovern, M. McAteer, J. O’Connor, D. Murphy.
Cavan: S. Levins, O. Coleman, M. McGuire, K. Bennell, A. Traynor, L. McKeever, E. Doherty, D. O’Reilly, G. Nulty, L. McVeigh, S. Bennett, C. McNicholas, M. Dougal, R. O’Reilly, C. Bennett.
FERMANAGH 0-8, ROCKLAND 1-4
This was a game that only can be described as a game won on sheer heart, determination and passion. With Fermanagh dominating most of the game and squandered numerous chances, they held out for the one-point victory in the Peter Connaughton Cup.
JULY 25 FIXTURES
Cavan vs. Na Fianna, 11:30 a.m. at Gaelic Park; Peter Connaugton Semifinal: Fermanagh/Monaghan vs. Rockland, 1 p.m. at Rockland; Mayo vs. Roscommon, 1 p.m., Irish Cultural Centre, Canton, Mass.