Errigal Ladies ease past Omagh in SFC opener

LADIES DIV ONE CHAMPIONSHIP PREM RD

Errigal Ciaran 4-12  Omagh 1-6

A STRONG first half showing from hosts Errigal Ciaran, spearheaded by Aoife Horisk, ensured there would be no championship upset on Thursday night at Dunmoyle.

It was a 15 point win in the end for the hosts which could easily have been a bigger margin but for several saves by Danielle Cunningham in the visitor’s goal.

Horisk was excellent, while Claire Canavan and Maria Canavan also kept Errigal on the front foot as the St Enda’s recent promising form was no match for their energetic hosts.

Missing several key starters Omagh struggled to get a foothold in the game and only on the odd occasion did they threaten. Christiane Quinn, Eimer Cunningham, Eimer McCanny, Meave McSorley, Louise Moynagh and Tori McMullan did their utmost to put pressure on the hosts but it was an overall disappointing night for them.

The home side led 3-8 to 0-5 at the break and after an early Cunningham point it was all Errigal. Horisk was denied twice in as many minutes before she opened her account with a point, while a poor clearance was punished by a Kelly McCaffrey goal.

Building on that Claire Canavan crashed home a second goal while Horisk, Michaela Moore and Maria Canavan kept the scoreboard moving. Too many times Omagh coughed up possession. And Errigal capitalised as Canavan swung over a couple of great scores. Three late scores from Cunningham and a McCanny point closed the gap to twelve by the break.

After a point within a minute of the restart from Errigal’s Elle McNamee it was nearly quarter of an hour before the next score.

Omagh improved and pressed more albeit without a score before Horisk who finished with 1-5 tagged on several points.

Ciara Quinn came off the bench and bagged a fourth goal with a late Cunningham point and goal from Cliona O’Reilly mere consolation scores for St Enda’s.

Despite this loss Omagh will remain in the senior ranks for a third year in succession. Errigal progress to face Cappagh in the quarter-finals.

Scorers

Errigal Ciaran: Aoife Horisk 1-5, Kelly Mc Caffrey 1-1, Maria Canavan 0-4, Claire Canavan 1-0, Michaela Moore and Elle McNamee 0-1 each.

Omagh: Emer Cunningham 0-5, Cliona O’Reilly 1-0, Eimer McCanny 0-1