St Dominic’s Belfast 5-10 Loreto Coleraine 4-2
TWO goals and three points in the opening eight minutes of the second half of this Fr Davies Cup quarter final in Creggan on Tuesday morning have set St Dominic’s Belfast up with a first ever semi final against St Patrick’s Keady next week.
Overall St Dominic’s were the better team with strong performances from the half-back line of Niamh Murray, Nina McBride and Aoibhinn Austin with Sadhbh Drain and Niamh Keenan strong in the forward line.
Nevertheless Loreto Coleraine, driven on by Dunloy pair Clíodhna O’Kane and Anna Martin in defence and dangerous forward Ellie McCaul from Dungiven, had a promising start to the game spurred on by a goal from McCaul in the first minute.
Points each from Aela Niblock and Niamh Keenan helped St Dominic’s settle and Chloe Irvine pushed them ahead with a 12th minute goal. However Loreto hit back with goals from McCaul and Glenullin’s Nellie Rose Bradley.
A goal from Niblock put St Dominic’s back level and Carragh Flynn edged them into the lead before a late goal from Ciara Christie left them 3-4 to 3-0 ahead at the break.
On the re-start the Falls Road side pushed on to put the game to bed. Points from Flynn, Niblock and Aoibhinn Austin (a 45) were followed by goals each from Sadhbh Drain and Chloe Irvine and there was no way back for Loreto at 5-7 to 3-0.
However a goal and two points in the last quarter from Nellie Rose Bradley better reflected their contribution on the scoreboard to the overall play.
St Dominic’s: C Irvine 2-1, A Niblock 1-2, S Drain 1-1, C Christie 1-0, C Flynn 1-0, N Keenan, A Austin (f), S Fryers and I Smyth 0-1 each
Loreto: NR Bradley 2-2, E McCaul 2-0
Starting teams:
St Dominic’s: Cara Garland, Amelie Donnelly, Jay Austin, Niamh Wallace, Nina McBride, Aoibhinn Austin,
Niamh Murray, Chloe Irvine, Sadhbh Drain, Ella Clarke, Niamh Keenan, Seana Fryers, Ciara Christie, Áela Niblock, Caragh Flynn.
Loreto: Rhona McTaggart, Grace Niblock, Niamh O’Connell, Úna Moore, Carrie B, Clíodhna O’Kane, Anna Martin, Eimear McTaggart, Eira McTaggart, Brónach McNicholl, Nellie Rose Bradley, Cara Elliott, Cara Johnston, Ellie McCaul, Maggie Heaney.
Referee: Vincent Boyle.