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The Down Ladies Team ploughed their
way through a blizzard in Longford
Town on Sunday to reach the play
offs of the Suzuki National League
Division Two. Playing in Pearce
Park, they overcame a determined
Longford team in a low scoring game,
characterised by missed
opportunities on both sides.
The game was dominated by the
weather conditions with poor
visibility and windy conditions
making passing and shooting very
difficult. Down got things underway
though on the five minute mark with
a point from play by Kyla Trainor.
Longford matched this almost
immediately as midfielder Fiona
Blessington drove forward to hit
over the bar and her team proceeded
to take lead after eighteen minutes
through an Alison Smyth point. The
remainder of the half was dominated
by Down but they didn’t capitalise
on their possession, hitting six
wides in succession. Michaela
Downey brought the game level just
before the half time whistle leaving
nothing between them at the break.
Half time score Longford 0-2, Down
0-2.
As the snow and hail continued to
pelt down, Longford took the lead
immediately from the throw in
through full forward Denise
Murtagh’s free. Alison Smyth
captured her second shortly after,
giving Longford some element of
breathing space, albeit despite a
disallowed Down goal, denied for a
square ball. However, the number of
frees conceded by the home side
would eventually be to their
detriment as Grainne McClean
punished them from the freeline
three times in succession. A Donna
Leavy free for Longford though, saw
the game level going into the final
minutes as both sides stepped up the
pressure. Annaclone player Aileen
Pyers came off the bench for the
injured Cora McKibben and had the
perfect impact. Receiving the ball
from Kyla Trainor, she turned twenty
yards out to strike the ball over
the bar four minutes from the end.
For the remainder of the game and
the subsequent five minutes injury
time, Longford piled on the pressure
as they sought the equalizer.
However, the Down defence handled
everything thrown at them. The full
back line of Bronagh McCurry, Niamh
McGowan and Niamh Lennon were
immense and captain Eilish
McConville gave a captain’s
performance on a day when the
conditions demanded fortitude as
well as skill. Down eventually
eased the pressure without conceding
the vital score and as they pressed
forward for a final attack, the
referee’s whistle blew giving them
their deserved victory and a
precious place in the play offs.
Managers John McCarthy and Noel
Haughey were pleased with the result
saying, “the playing conditions
meant that the game would come down
to pure grit and determination and
we weren’t found wanting. Our
defending, especially in the closing
minutes was tremendous and while we
missed a lot of chances, we
dominated possession and did enough
to win in the end”.
The playing conditions meant that
this would never be a beautiful game
of football but Down will have been
pleased with the determined manner
that they closed up shop in the
closing minutes to deny Longford.
They dominated possession
throughout, again built on the
performance of the back six.
Midfielders Aine Keary and Cora
McKibben were everywhere for the
mourne county, while up front
Grainne McClean’s accuracy in front
of the posts did the necessary
damage. With the League games
complete, Down will need to repeat
their recent good form and up their
scoring rate if they are to proceed
through the playoffs on April 8th,
where both players and supporters
will be hoping for less punishing
weather conditions.
Down Team: Emma Madine, Bronagh
McCurry, Niamh McGowan, Niamh
Lennon, Eilish McConville (captain),
Sinead Murphy, Sinead Fegan, Cora
McKibben, Aine Keary, Grainne
McClean, Kyla Trainor, Michaela
Downey, Kerrie O’Neill, Lyndsey
Cunningham, Maeve McConville. Subs
Used: Aileen Pyers, Geraldine
Campbell
Management: John McCarthy, Noel
Haughey |
