Boston Shamrocks 3-8 Connacht Ladies 1-8
The Ladies senior football championship became much more
interesting after the Boston Shamrocks put in a solid 60 minutes to win their
first game of the season, and see themselves into a semi-final against the
losers of the final game of the regular season next Sunday. Shamrocks got some great performances from
their defenders, as well as Sara Delahunt in the middle of the field, and
Rebecca Mongan at center forward. Two
goals in the first half proved to be the difference in the end.
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| Jane Ward shoots for Connacht Ladies |
Boston Shamrocks banged in two goals in the first half, one
each from Lisa Flynn and Anna Finnegan.
Rebecca Mongan was full of running at center forward, and when she was
in possession the spaces opened up for the Shamrocks. Also Sara Delahunt in the middle of the field
was a force. Mongan was involved in both
goals after putting two points over the bar, and on a third occasion Connacht
had to clear the ball off the line.
Connacht played well in spells with moves starting in the
half back line through Tori McLaughlin and Hazel Potts. Nicola Donnelly at center forward was also
key to the efforts of the Connacht Ladies.
Points came from Donnelly, Emily Hannon, and Jane Ward and at the break
it was the Shamrocks in a 2-4 to 0-5 lead.
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| Liah Lavin on the ball for Boston Shamrocks |
The second half saw each side open with a goal each. Jane Ward put the finishing touch on a shot
from Ruth Cox for Connacht Ladies, while Shamrocks got it back almost right
away after a quick free from inside the 21 from Louise Murphy caught the
Connacht rearguard napping. Ward and
Lisa Flynn traded points as the Shamrocks lead remained intact.
The Shamrocks last line of defence worked very hard to keep
their opponents from making a breakthrough.
Cathy McEleaney, Sheila McLaughlin, and Brid Devlin did well to force
turnovers or missed shots as Connacht pushed to try and turn the tables.
Connacht came within a whisker of netting on a handful of
occasions over the final minutes, each time the ball went just wide of the
posts to the relief of the Shamrocks faithful.
One on occasion Tori McLaughlin hit the post as the Shamrocks goal was
under siege towards the end. The siege
was finally lifted near the end as Flynn and Mongan put a couple of insurance
points over. A delighted Shamrocks
celebrated their first win of the season, and now have a semi-final to look
towards later in the month.
Shamrocks: L. Burke,
C. McEleaney, S. McLaughlin, B. Devlin, L. Murphy, B. Murray, C. McCormick, S.
Delahunt, S. Woods, A. Montague, R. Mongan, A. Finnegan, L. Lavin, L.
McCrystal, L. Flynn. Connacht: J. McDonagh, A. Griffin, J. McDonnell, K.
Lynch, D. Taggert, H. Potts, T. McLaughlin, C. McMahon, C. Fitzpatrick, R. Cox,
N. Donnelly, M. Mullen, J. Ward, A. McGuckin, E. Hannon.
By Rory O'Donnell
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