Dromore and St Macs progress in Ladies Senior Championship

SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP PRELIMINARY ROUND

ST MACARTANS 2-8  KILLEESHIL 0-10

WRITE off the champions at your peril! Sunday night five points down after 13 minutes at Dunmoyle against Killeeshil St Macartans looked in real trouble.

However by the break they led by four and never looked back. Goals from Cadhla McCarroll and an excellent Slaine McCarroll strike changed this game.

The St Marys were fired up for this senior clash and took the game to the Macs from the of. Early points confirmed their dominance but as so often is the case the experienced Macs gnawed away at the deficit to eventually take controlled of the game.

Alananh Donnelly, Grainne Rafferty and Orla Mulgrew were on target with early points for Killeeshil and they also tested the woodwork in the opening ten minutes. Further points from Mulgrew and Aine Mc Rory had them five up and looking very much in control.

Perhaps there was an air of good fortune about the Macs opening goal but once again they crafted it from nothing. Goalkeeper Rhianne Monaghan raced out to midfield with the ball and passed to player of the match Slaine McCarroll. Her quick movement sent Cathy Maguire away out right and in turn she teed up Cadhla McConnell for the easiest of finishes.

Chloe McCaffrey, who finished with four points, then opened her account and McCarroll’s point levelled things on 21 minutes.

A fine Rafferty point on the run nudged Killeeshil ahead again but the same Macs pair Mc Carroll and McCaffrey edged them ahead just before half-time. Cadhla McCarroll saw her effort saved only for Slaine to slam the rebound off the crossbar to the net.

After McCaffrey’s opening second half point and a yellow for McCarroll Killeeshil rallied. Points from Rafferty, after her initial shot was saved on the left, and Louise Kelly closed the gap to three. Zoe Loughran saw a super effort well saved as points from Joline Donaghy and Maguire eased the Macs back into control.

Killeeshil tried hard and moved the ball well up the park. Both teams produced some great tackling but as tempers flared McCaffrey kept her cool. Her point sandwiched between scores from Loughran and Rafferty kept the gap to four and a yellow for Donnelly ended her involvement as Macartans marched on to the next round in the end with a four point success.

DROMORE 1-13  FINTONA 0-7

MISSED chances proved costly for Fintona in this Senior Championship derby which really failed to ignite in the Beragh sunshine on Saturday evening.

St Dympna’s were by far the better team on the night, looking sharp throughout, and in Emma Smyth had the outstanding performer. She scored eight points for the victors.

Always in control Dromore were seven ahead by the break. Quality work through the centre by Ciarrai McCann and Nuala McHugh saw them dominate at times with Shauna Teague and Shauna McNabb a constant threat alongside Smyth up front.

Teague landed the opening two scores and McHugh a third before pressure on the Pearses goal paid off when Smyth teed up Teague for a goal.

Fintona had chances but hit four wides from scorable opportunities while a couple of other efforts dropped short which did not help their cause. A brace of frees from Emma Loane was their only scoring contribution in the first period.

Three further points from Smyth kept Dromore in command.

Unforced errors from both teams was the pattern of the second half as they each coughed up possession. A Nichola Donnelly point closed the gap but the loss of Karen Gorman was a blow to Fintona hopes of a comeback.

Smyth and Sarah Toal exchanged points in that ten minute spell but it was Dromore who powered through the gears in the final quarter. Scores by Catherine McNabb, Nuala McHugh and Smyth again opened the gap to ten points before a late flurry of Fintona scores from Donnelly, Aoife Wilson and Loane finished the contest, with St Dympna’s advancing with some ease