All County Camogie League – Division 1
Dunloy 2-12 Ballycastle 1-02
Meetings between these two sides have served up plenty of great games in the league and last night’s encounter didn’t disappoint again.
With both sides having only lost one game each so far this season and at Monday night’s championship draw the sides were yet again paired with each other this league game had an added interest in it.
Ballycastle started with a strong wind at their backs and quickly tried to pile the pressure onto the Dunloy back line. Maria Bakewell had the first effort on goal but her short was well saved by Liza Mc Allister. Despite the pressure the Ballycastle forwards were guilty of wasting a lot of ball as the Dunloy defence started to clear their lines.
Erin Traynor and then Shannon Woulahan had efforts on target for the home side, but both dropped short with the strong wind.
Ballycastle did open the scoring after near 5 mins with a free from Caoimhe Wright after Niamh O’Neill was taken down and in truth could have extended it farther but for some good defending. Aine Donnelly had a shot on goal which was again saved by Liza McAllister and her follow up attempt was then hooked as the Dunloy defence closed her down.
Jacinta Dixon finally got the home side on the board moments later after Aileen McManus was held up. Her free brought the sides level at 0-01 each.
Then came the games first goal and an excellent one it was. Caoimhe Wright picked the loose ball up at her own 45-yard line and ran into the 21-yard line to fire low and hard to the Dunloy corner of the net.
This should of given Ballycastle the edge to power on esp. with the wind however they only registered 2 more efforts for the last 15mins of the first half.
It was the home side who started to turn the screw on the game as they dominated possession in their push for scores.
Jacinta Dixon knocked over another free and Aileen McManus fired over from play to reduce the lead to 1. Caoimhe Wright responded with another free of her own but as the half drew to a close Aileen McManus split the posts to leave the half time score Dunloy 0-04 Ballycastle 1-02.
With the wind still blowing as strong the home side made full use of it as they rattled off score after score to take full control of the game.
Four scores from Dearbhaill Elliott, Jacinta Dixon (2) and Shannon Woulahan in the first 8 mins of the half turned this game around as the home side took a 3-point lead.
Erin Elliott then came in for Mary Martin and she quickly got her self in the game with an effort on goal that was brilliantly hooked by Bronagh McCaughan to go wide. However, she then got onto the next ball to fire high and over the bar.
Ballycastle had been under a lot of pressure at this point and their frustrations saw corner forward Aine Donnelly see red following her second yellow card which killed off their chances esp. against a strong wind.
Another placed ball free from Jacinta Dixon extended the lead before Dunloy killed the game off with their first goal. Shannon Woulahan and Erin Elliott played some nice passed off to find Dearbhaill Elliott to finish to the net.
A brace of points again from Jacinta Dixon further extended the lead before another Dearbhaill Elliott goal finished it off as a contest.
The final score of the day went to Aileen McManus as she knocked over a free right on the blow to leave the final score Dunloy 2-12 Ballycastle 1-02.
This was a game that the home side fully deserved to win from the very start. Ballycastle had plenty of chances in the first half to take their scores but were closed down by the home defence and stopped at all times. It was also a hard hitting but fair contest as both sides give it their all.
For Ballycastle they will rue giving so many fouls away over the course of the hour esp. in their forward line. Kathryn Donnelly had a good game at full back and along with Bronagh McCaughan they gave good accounts of themselves. Caoimhe Wright and Aine Donnelly for the first half were full of running but starved of any possession couldn’t make any headway as the game wore on.
For Dunloy it was a whole team performance from word go. Liza McAllister in nets had a good game and in front of her Sorcha & Caoimhe Conlon and Clare McGuckian all had good games.
At midfield Dunloy dominated as Sinead Martin ruled in there and up-front Shannon Woulahan, Aileen McManus, Jacinta Dixon and Dearbhail Elliott all had good games.
Dunloy
L McAllister, L Reid, J Rush, K Boyle, S Conlon, C Conlon, C McGuckian, E Kearns, S Martin, S Woulahan (0-01), A McManus (0-03), M Martin, D Elliott (2-02), J Dixon (0-05), E Traynor – subs – E Elliott (0-01), C Crawford
Ballycastle
A McGowan, O Black, K Donnelly, B McCaughan, S McKinely, C McShane, T O’Neill, E Connor, B McKeague, M Lofthouse, N O’Neill, N Donnelly, C Wright (1-02), M Bakewell, A Donnelly – subs R Donnelly, C Scullion