DOWN LADIES V LONGFORD LADIES MATCH REPORT

SUNDAY 12^TH FEBRUARY, SAVAL GAC
FINAL SCORE : DOWN 2-10  LONGFORD 2-3

The hills of Saval set the scene as the Down Ladies team got their National League campaign off to a flyer with a competitive win over a tough Longford team.  As well as being the first competitive game of the season, this game was also notable as it saw Down play their first ever game in Division Two football following promotion last season.

The Down team got the better of the early tussles with some good interplay between captain Eilish McConville and Annaclone woman, Aileen Pyers.  The first shot of the game came after just three minutes following a foul on Pyers on the wide left.  Unfortunately, the resulting free kick sailed narrowly to the right hand side of the upright.  Down’s play was characterised by some good varied passing into the forward line which paid off early on as a clever cross field ball from forward Michaela Downey to Kyla Trainor was converted well from wide on the left on the five minute mark.  Down’s domination of the opening quarter was compounded in the ninth minute when a high ball into the square from Michaela Downey was caught cleanly by Aileen Pyers and coolly slotted home.  As the game progressed though, Longford started to come back into the game, with midfielders Lizzie Brady and Alison Smith favouring the long ball approach.  However dogged defensive work by the Down half back unit meant their efforts went unrewarded as Down’s counter attacks started to reap rewards.  They secured a second goal in one of the best moves of the half.  A quick free kick into Kyla Trainor on the left was cleverly palmed off to Aileen Pyers who powered the ball low to the keeper’s left.  This move was swiftly followed up with another point from play as Karen Keown secured her first score of the game.  A direct ball in from senior debutant Frances O’Connor resulted in Keown looping the ball over her shoulder and over the bar despite the frantic attentions of three Longford defenders.  The direct approach from a physically big Longford side did provide some defensive worries for Down through the middle of the field as number 8 Lizzie Brady and half back Yvonne Bardon drove forward.  However, they were frustrated by a determined half back line who scuppered several forays forward, with Eilish McConville making a number of notable intercepts.  Longford’s efforts were not aided by some wayward shooting from those frees that they did secure and as a result the scoreboard showed them no favours as the game hit the half way point.  They did eventually break their duck on 15 minutes with a good solo effort down the left wing by number 15 Denise Murtagh who converted following a foul in front of goal.  The busy forward proved to be one of Longford’s better performers in the first half, although her notable solo efforts weren’t converted with two further wides from free kicks.  Longford’s forays were also characterised by several over carrying decisions as the Down back line harried every ball.  The Mourne girls continued to rack up the scores as Mairead Hearty and Frances O’Connor delivered balls accurately in front of the forward line.  A quick one-two initiated by Lyndsey Cunningham with Kyla Trainor saw the Saval woman send the ball over from twenty-five yards.  A good solo effort by Hearty down the right hand wing and cross field ball also gave Downpatrick player Kyla Trainor a good scoring opportunity which she duly took.  The last ten minutes of the first half saw significant pressure placed on Down as Longford pressed for scores before the half.  They secured their reward when a strong drive by midfielder Lizzie Brady resulted in a foul in the square and a penalty being awarded.   The no 8 duly stepped forward to take the kick placing it low towards the left hand corner of the net.  However, goal keeper Elaine ‘Dot’ McCourt dived full length to palm the ball away in a save that Mr Given would have been proud of.  Longford were not to be discouraged though and finished the half strongly with scores from Fiona Farrell and a goal by Denise Farrell following good work from number 14 Aoibheann Smith.  However, Down forward Aileen Pyers had the last say of the half with a point from the Annaclone player following an assist from Karen Keown.  Half time score, Down 2-5, Longford 1-2. 

The second half proved to be a fairly tense affair as both teams sought to start their year off on a win.  Down had several advances forward in the first ten minutes without reward until a low ball up the right hand side from Eilish McConville to Frances O’Connor resulted in a foul on the Bright woman.  Ever reliable free taker, Aileen Pyers duly slotted the ball over the bar.  Denise Murtagh responded for Longford with a superb solo effort ten minutes into the half.  They raised the game stakes three minutes later as half forward Edel Quinn carried the ball down the right hand side and whipped over a lethal ball that was scrambled into the net by a combination of players, bringing them within one score of the Down team.  The ferocity of tackling and commitment from both sides made for a great game.  The question of who would prevail turned on a moment of bravery from Down defender Eliza Downey who didn’t shirk when faced with a head on collision with her Longford counterpart in the 25^th minute.  As the referee faced no choice but to stop play for the incident, Aileen Pyers stepped up to slot the resulting possession over the bar, and give Down some breathing space.  Longford persisted but were frustrated by Down, with subs Kerry O’Neill and Sinead Murphy making some important steals.  Down retained possession well to effectively end the game as a contest, and with a great solo effort from Eilish McConville to finish the game, came away with a winning start to the National League campaign.  Manager Gregory McGonigle was happy with the win saying, “we’re happy to get the League campaign off to a good start in what will be a tougher division for us this year.  For our first competitive game, we did a lot right but we know there is still a lot of work to do”.  McGonigle was full in his praise for goal keeper Elaine McCourt’s excellent spot save and saved a word for the team’s two senior debutants, Mairead Hearty and Frances O’Connor saying, “it’s a big step up from Minor level to Senior but the two girls were great today in what was a good solid team performance”.  Full Time Down 2-10 Longford 2-3.

Teams below;

Down

1.      Elaine McCourt
2.      Eliza Downey
3.      Aine Keary
4.      Bronagh McCurry
5.      Patricia McKibben
6.      Aoibheann Downey
7.      Eilish McConville
8.      Mairead Hearty
9.      Frances O’Connor
10. Karen Keown
11. Michaela Downey
12. Lyndsey Cunningham
13. Aileen Pyers
14. Maeve McConville
15. Kyla Trainor

Subs used : Sinead Murphy
                    Emma Madine
                    Kerry O’Neill

Longford 

1. Michelle Kilkenny

2. Miriam McElvaney

3. Emer Rowell

4. Antoinette Brady
   Yvonne Bardon

7.Emer Dooley
8.Lizzie Brady
9.Alison Smith
10.Fiona Farrell
12.Edel Quinn
13.Ann Marie Bartten
14.Aoibheann Smyth
15.Denise Murtagh
16.Sharon Treacy
20.Donna Leavy