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Carn's battling display not enough
28.08.09
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Naomh Conaill...3-5 (Megan McKelvey 0-2, Briana McDonald 1-1, Jennifer McNelis 1-2, Enya Ocallaghan 1-0) Carndonagh...3-1 (Cliodhna Canny 1-0, Kirsty Canny 1-0, Lauren Moore 0-1, Natasha Gallagher 1-0) by Liam Porter, Inishowen Independent, at Hibernian Park, Burt CARNDONAGH'S battling young U14 girls side just didn’t have the rub of the green on Sunday when, despite a battling performance in horrendous conditions, they lost out in the county semi-final against a determined Glenties side. The Inishowen girls who had a terrific first half, could well have emerged victorious had they had more luck in front of the posts. On a number of occasions they were denied by good blocks or saves, while twice they saw the ball come back off the upright in the second half – chances that could well have given this game a very different outlook at the end had they been taken. But in the end the Glenties girls proved more decisive in front of goal and their second half display in particular saw them through as they pinned Carndonagh back inside their own 45 metre line for most of the half. |
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Naomh Conaill got off to a
great start when Megan McKelvey scored with a free in
the second minute, but it would take ages for either
side to raise a flag after that with both teams finding
the going tough in the driving rain. In fairness though this was a good game of football full of honest endeavour with some terrific individual performances on both sides. Carndonagh full back Kellie McLaughlin and Naomh Conaill full back Edel Ellis both helped their teams out with some terrific interceptions, while around midfield Louise McLaughlin for Carndonagh and Briana McDonald for Naomh Conaill were both very impressive. However while the Glenties girls had started |
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brightly, the first half
really belonged to Carndonagh and although it took them
a while to find their shooting boots, it was no surprise
that they went in at the break with a comfortable lead. They had dropped two shots into the hands of the Naomh Conaill keeper Mary McGlynn early on, but they eventually scored in the 16th minute when Cliodhna Canny found the net with a great strike to give them a two point lead. Naomh Conaill replied in the 18th minute with a lovely point from play from Briana McDonald, but after that the best chances fell Carndonagh’s way. Kirsty Canny was denied a goal by a good block from Mary McGlynn but with half time approaching she did get Carndonagh’s second score, tapping into the net from close range after a clearance by McGlynn was blocked down. Lauren Moore then fired over the bar after good work by Rebecca Lynch as Carn extended their lead, but it did take a good save from Shanon McDermott from Enya O’Callaghan’s shot to maintain that lead at the break. It took a long time before either side managed a score at the start of the second half as the weather conditions deteriorated, but the introduction of Laoise Ward seemed to give Naomh Conaill a new lease of life and she had a big hand in their revival. It was ward’s fine pass that sent Jennifer McNelis away in the 12th minute of the second half and her shot looped over McDermott to leave just two points between the sides. Megan McKelvey followed that up with a good free and then a free from McNelis who was excellent in the second half, had the sides back on level terms. And then, as Carndonagh found it more and more difficult to get out of their half, the game swung in favour of the Glenties girls. Brianna McDonald’s strong run finished with a well-taken shot to the back of the net and Naomh Conaill were ahead. But it was a lead that lasted only two minutes. Carndonagh in one of their rare attacks in the second half, worked the ball through to Natasha Gallagher and she placed a lovely shot to the bottom corner to tie the game again. At that point it was anybody’s guess who would run out as winners, but the Glenties girls had more in the tank and were back in front when Enya O’Callaghan found the net after her initial effort had been blocked by Shannon McDermott. The impressive Jennifer McNelis then fired over a fine point to leave four points between the sides and with only injury time left, Carndonagh’s hopes were dashed. Not that they had given up though and they almost were back to wining a point when a good effort came off a Glenties defender and then off the post in the dying seconds. It might have made for a very interesting last minute, but when the Glenties girls managed to clear the danger they made sure that any hopes Carndonagh had of making the final, had disappeared. Carndonagh: Shannon McDermott, Claire O’Connor, Kellie McLaughlin, Amy Norris, Labhaoise Clynes, Kerry Doherty, Sarah Long, Rebecca Lynch, Trudi McLaughlin, Louise McLaughlin, Simone McLaughlin, Natasha Gallagher, Kirsty Canny, Lauren Moore, Cliodhna Canny. Naomh Conaill: Mary McGlynn, Niamh Bonner, Edel Ellis, Enya McGill, Megan Byrne, Joanne Gallagher, Claire McHugh, Megan McKelvey, Briana McDonald, Roisin McKelvey, Jennifer McNelis, Enya O’Callaghan, Catherine McGill, Emer McDevitt, Gemma Byrne. For full coverage of all your weekend sport, read the Inishowen Independent. |
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