All Saints 2 14

Gort Na Mona 4 04

All Saints Ladies played host to table topping Gort Na Mona on Sunday at Quinn Park

The visitors were early pace setters in this encounter and opening exchanges suggested Gorts would be too hot to handle for the Saints with a lovely point from play followed by a goal leaving the Saints struggling to cope with the pace of the opposition on the break

Saints had to work hard in the first half to ensure Gorts initial dominance didn’t translate into a big half time advantage and the golden boot of Maria Sestakova contributed seven points to the Saints cause in the opening half-hour

Kalie Little got on the end of a flighted ball into the danger zone and palmed the ball to the net and

Sinead McKeown also got on the score sheet for Saints in the opening half

The visitors converted from the spot when the referee correctly penalised a Saints defender for an infringement and added two goals from play

Gort Na Mona went in at the break a point up 3 03 to 1 08

All Saints half time chats are always interesting and after a quick analysis they concluded that more of the same was what was needed and it saw them claw their way back into the game and improve as the half progressed was the recipe for ensuring our visitors would leave the Woodside Rd pointless

Saints enjoyed the lion’s share of possession in the second half and restricted the visitors to 2 scores in the whole of the second period; a goal and a point

Gorts on reflection will point to a number of wides chalked up in the latter period but Saints defence were resolute and put pressure on the Gorts attack to good effect

Gorts goal brought the sides level in the closing stages but a goal from Marnie O Neill and a late point from Sinead McKeown ensured victory for the Ballymena girls

It was a pleasing scoreline for players coaches and supporters alike at the final whistle

There were big performances throughout the pitch with Maria Goldring Katie Connolly and Sinead McGarry the pick of the defence

Sinead McKeown Anna Kearney and our ‘third midfielder’ were outstanding throughout.

Maria Sestakova and Wiktoria Babuszewska were the pick of the forwards

Special mention to our captain Marnie O Neill who popped up in the right place with the clinching goal and again proved her value in both defence and attack.

Scorers

Maria Sestakova 0 08

Marnie O Neill 1 01

Kalie Little 1 01

Sinead McKeown 0 03

Wiktoria Babuszewska 0 01

Maria Sestakova who scored 0-8 as All Saints defeated Gort Na Mona in the Ladies ACFL at Quinn Park on Sunday