Ulster Junior A Championship

Loughgiel 0-08 v Crosserlough 2-12

Match report and photos from Michael Corcoran at Fr. Barrett Park pitch 2

A clash with the Ulster dancing championship, injuries and an unfortunate red card took a toll in Loughgiel’s challenge against a strong Crosserlough side that backed up their determination to make the three hour journey by cars into the Saffron county count. A low scoring first half where Loughgiel could only tally four points to Crosserlough’s nine, left everything on the table for a possible turnaround with a decent breeze on the Shamrocks’ backs. But we’ve seen it time and time again at this time of the year, where the wind drops as the afternoon burns it’s wick to the bottom, leaving Loughgiel with little to no advantage after the third quarter in Saturday’s game.

Loughgiel were the first to open up their scoring account with a free from Rose McMullan, a token score for her foul after Anna McKillop dropped in a dangerous ball, but Crosserlough were quick to reply with a point from play by the omnipresent, Cara Reilly, that would add a further 1-07 to her name across the afternoon.

McMullan added another point from play from a very industrious young Anna Smyth, who was showing everything she had learned in her spell training with the senior squad, but Crosserlough’s Reilly was on form and another four points on the trot would pass before Loughgiel’s Carla Sullivan would point. Eimear McCarthy topped that with a great pointed effort, set up by McMullan, though Crosserlough would take the game up to the break with three points in a row from Hannah Boylan, Ciara Finnegan and Reilly.

Loughgiel’s Terese Hill could have caused an upset going into the break, when off she ran on an unchallenged blistering solo that eventually spilled wide for a forty five. McMullan drifted that wide of the right upright into the challenging breeze. Match referee, Kieran Rice, glanced at his watch and blew for half time, scores standing Loughgiel 0-04 Crosserlough 0-09.

Hopes ran high at the restart, maybe fortunes would turn with the wind for the Shamrocks, but Crosserlough continued to be a physical handful, working the ball forward off the shoulder into what seemed like open play at times. That would eventually end productfull for Crosserlough, as two goals ripped into the heart of Loughgiel’s net from substitute Niamh Reilly and Cara Reilly.

Despite several opportunities to drop in a ball short of Crosserlough’s small box, Loughgiel couldn’t buy any luck as one drifted wide, went over the bar and another recycled out as the injury time ebbed away. Anna McKillop would finish Loughgiel’s season with a fine point fed in from Terese Hill, just before Rice blew for full time, scores at Loughgiel 0-08 Crosserlough 2-12.

Crosserlough now face Ballinderry in the final, after cruising past Mayobridge in the other semi final played in Mayobridge.

You can see more photos from today’s semi final by following the link here…

https://myalbum.com/album/zeCr8NKa5U54eb/?invite=80e351f7-690c-4170-b31f-5d6f70a21bb2

Loughgiel starting panel and scorers

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Crosserlough starting panel and scorers

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