Coca-Cola Intermediate Championship Round Two
Date: Tuesday 5th July
Full Time:
Donaghmore Ashbourne 5-06
Blackhall Gaels 3-07
Half Time:
Donaghmore Ashbourne 3-03
Blackhall Gaels 0-05
Donaghmore played the 2nd round of the Championship v Blackhall in perfect conditions in Ashbourne. These 2 sides met last year with the Gaels coming out the victors, not this time however.
The Moors opened the scoring with tenacious full forward Becky Deery hitting the net within 2 mins. This was followed up a minute later by a well taken point by Captain Eva McNelis. Caitlin Eliott linked up well in the forward line and is showing her potential. The half back line of Ailish Moriarty, Kate Heffernan and Mary Kate Benville cleared ball well and kept the visitors to 2 points before dynamic Deery hit the back of the net again. A penalty was awarded to Donaghmore for a foul in the box, this was duly put in the back of the net by half forward Abbie Timmons. Moments later Timmons, who showed pace through the game, kicked a fine point over from play from distance. Shauna Hutton had a great game in defence, her fighting spirit and tenacity makes her a solid defender.
Black hall Gaels had the next 2 points with Lisa Kelly showing her experience and leading her team by example. Donaghamore had the final say of the 1st half with a point from the hard working midfielder Eva McNelis
Blackhall opened the 2nd half with a free which was duly cancelled out by a point from play from Timmons. Timmons showed her speed through the game, covered a lot of ground and caused the Blackhall defence all kinds of problems. A penalty awarded to Blackhall gave them a goal. Great interlinking play and running from Deery and Timmons resulted in a well taken free kick from the 21-yard line which Timmons put in over the keeper’s head to hit the back of the net.
2 points from Blackhall spurred the visitors on, Ciara Menton working hard to force the visitors to kick over the bar. but they were cancelled out by a goal from Rian O’Keeffe. Emma McCarney working hard in defence pushing forward to bring the ball into play created play, a point from Captain Eva McNellis put daylight between the 2 sides. Aoibhin Cleary pointed for Ashbourne to add another point. However a penalty in the 2 min of extra time was awarded to Blackhall to bring the game to a close.
Donaghmore team and scorers.
L. McClean, Mk Benville, S Hutton, C Menton, E mccarney, C mullen, K Heffernan, A moriarty, E mcnelis 0-3, R O’Keeffe. 1 – 0, A Cleary 0-1, A Timmons 2-2, C Elliott, B Deery 2- 0, S Geoghegan
Subs: R Gibney for Moriarty (HT), T Baitson for Cleary 55 mins, N Finnegan for Elliot 56 mins, J Bobbett for O’Keeffe. 59 mins.