WS DENNISON Ladies LGFA IFC Championship
Gort na Mona 2-9 Glenavy 8-11
A goal hungry St. Joseph’s Glenavy had too much fire power for a battling Gort na Mona in this WS Dennison Intermediate Championship opener at Enright Park
The visitors put themselves in the driving seat when Megan McGarry raced through for the opening goal right from the throw in and before Gort na Mona had time to recover Aoibheann Monaghan struck with a second with only five minutes on the clock.
Niamh Enright got the home side off the mark with a good long range point after 6 minutes but points from Patricia O’Neill and Ellen Morgan and a goal from Keela McAllister had Glenavy in total command after 10 minutes when they led by 12 points.
The home side had been under the cosh for most of the opening quarter but Mia Dembele Mills gave them a lift when she fired to the Glenavy net in the 13th minute and Ciara Maguire added a point from a free with 14 minutes gone.
Megan McGarry finished to the net for a fourth goal for the Chapel Hill side before Maguire replied from a long range free in the 19th minute as the Enright Park side kept battling away.
There would be no let-up in the Glenavy intensity however as Ellen Morgan added their fifth goal with six minutes remaining to the break and after a lengthy stoppage for an injury to a Glenavy player, Grainne McLaughlin and Blaithin Ni Cathail exchanged the halves final points.
HT Gort na Mona 1-4 Glenavy 5-5
It looked a long way back for the girls from the Mona Bye-pass as the second half got under way but to their credit they continued to give it everything and indeed dominated the early second half exchanges.
It was Glenavy’s Ana Mulholland who kicked the opening point but Gort na Mona came back strongly with points from Ciara Maguire, Niamh Enright and Bronagh Crossan and a goal from the penalty spot by the impressive Maguire.
Just when it looked like we had a come-back on our hands, Glenavy responded with a vengeance as Aoibhean Monaghan struck with goal number six and further points from Megan McGarry and Grainne McLaughlin had the visitor’s back in total control by the end of the opening quarter.
The home side could manage only two further points during the final quarter from Ciara Maguire from a free and Mia Dembele Mills with a fine long range point from play but again it brought a strong reply from the visitors.
St. Joseph’s dominated the closing stages with substitute Michelle Gregory and Megan McGarry bringing the goal total to 8 for the evening and Megan McGarry, McLaughlin and Gregory adding points.
Gort na Mona: 1 Holly McGahey, 2 Emely Kearns, 3 Katie Irvine, 4 Caoimhe Delaney, 5 Tiernagh Elley, 6 Carla Scannell, 7 Seana Bradley, 8 Eimear Enright, 9 Duailtin Nic Cathail, 10 Blaithin Nic Cathail, 11 Niamh Enright, 12 Patricia O’Neill, 13 Mia Dembele Mills, 14 Ciara Maguire, 15 Casey Monaghan, 16 Jordan McCullough, 17 Broghan Crossan.
St. James: 1 Orlagh Mullin, 2 Maire McStravick, 3 Meabh Bradley, 4 Aideen McCambridge, 5 Orla McLeod, 6 Natasha O’Neill, 7 Cathy Scannell, 8 Ana Mulholland, 9 Anna Rice, 10 Aiobheann Monaghan, 11 Grainne McLaughlin, 12 Megan McGarry, 13 Ellen Morgan, 14 Bronagh Forester, 15 Keela McAllister
Referee: Emma Kelly
