2008 is proving to be a very
good year for the Down Ladies team as they resoundly
defeated Fermanagh in a veritable goal fest
to finish top of Division Two B and remain unbeaten
this year. Playing on a perfect pitch in Saval,
the mourne girls showed much of the resilience
and skill that has served them well this year
as they swept the Erne Ladies aside with a tremendous
display of shooting and movement. The team now
face Clare in the National League Division Two
semi final. A win will see them promoted to
Division One and through to the televised Division
Two League Final on TG4.
The game started with a bang
as Sonya McGaw gathered the ball from the throw
in and found Grainne McClean on the forty five
yard line. Her through pass to Kyla Trainor
put the Downpatrick player heading for goal.
With just the goalkeeper to beat, she unselfishly
laid the ball off to her left to Orla Fegan,
who made no mistake in striking the ball low
to the keeper’s right for the first goal
of the game after just fifteen seconds. Down’s
ideal start wasn’t to last though as Fermanagh’s
struck back with a scrambled goal of their own
from Marcella Connolly after Down ‘keeper
Elaine McCourt had saved a shot from corner
forward Noelle Connolly. Down’s defence
was further opened up a minute later when a
Fermanagh high ball was palmed in amid Down
protestations for a square ball.
Down Supporters Club make presentation to Down
Ladies training fund. Receiving the cheque is
Down captain Michaela Downey along with Senior
Managers Paul McShane, Sean O'Hare and Down
Ladies County Board Chairman Gabriel McCaffrey
As the first frenetic minutes
passed, the game eventually settled and Down
began to get their shooting boots on. The strong
drives forward by Kyla Trainor and Lisa Morgan
caused all sorts of problems for Fermanagh and
the free kicks started to come, with Aileen
Pyers in fine form. A free on the twenty-yard
line from Pyers was followed by a goal from
Michaela Downey after Kyla Trainor broke through
the middle of the Fermanagh defence. The roles
reversed on the half way mark as Downey found
Kyla Trainor on the left wing. The Downpatrick
star duly went past two players before launching
a pile driver into the top right hand corner
of the net and notched herself the best score
of the game.
Fermanagh continued to challenge
the Down half back line with Caroline Little
and Noelle Connolly particularly active. Their
inability to retain possession under Down pressure
though cost them as Down seemed to capitalise
on every opportunity. With five minutes remaining
of the first half, a Down turnover in the Fermanagh
defence was worked out well by Sonya McGaw to
Sinead Murphy. The Bryansford player hit a sweet
pass through the middle of the field for Kyla
Trainor (1-0) to run on to. Trainor was fouled
in possession with a penalty awarded but her
spot kick was superbly saved by Fermanagh ‘keeper
Frances Maguire. Fortunately for Down, Aileen
Pyers captured the rebound before neatly lobbing
the ‘keeper. A free from her two minutes
later extended the Down lead to nine points.
Several injuries on the Erne
team meant that seven minutes of extra time
was played at the end of the half. This time
proved very advantageous for Down as they added
a further goal and a point from Michaela Downey
and two points from Grainne McClean (0-2) to
give themselves a comfortable cushion heading
for the changing rooms. Half time score: Down
5-6 Fermanagh 2-1.
Playing into the wind, Down
started where they had left off. Shamrocks player
Orla Fegan who worked her socks off throughout
the game, hit the first point of the half after
less than minute, with Aileen Pyers following
suit from twenty yards out a minute later. Fermanagh
were quick to cancel these out though as they
hit three points on the trot with excellent
scores from Connolly (2) and Little. With the
gap closing, Down moved up a gear, with Aoibheann
Downey, Eliza Downey and Karen Gribben solid
in defence. They hit back with a free from Michaela
Downey (2-2) after the Clonduff player was fouled
in possession wide on the left. From the resulting
kickout, Aileen Pyers retained possession well
under pressure before finding Orla Fegan who
had no problem hitting between the posts (1-2).
The triple threat of Downey, Kyla Trainor and
the excellent Lisa Morgan was too much for Fermanagh
who conceded a lot of frees from scoreable areas.
This was the case with ten minutes to go as
Fermanagh fouled Downey twenty five yards out
only to see Pyers (1-6) punish them again from
the free. The last say of the game went to Lisa
Morgan (1-0) who took the ball on the fourteen
yard line from a Kyla Trainor pass. The Castlewellan
player duly turned, stepped inside her player
and struck a crisp strike low inside the left
hand post. Her strike summed up the Down team’s
peformance on the day – too hot to handle.
Final score, Down 6-12 Fermanagh 2-5.
Unsurprisingly, the Down team
management of Paul McShane and Sean O‘Hare
were pleased with their players saying, “this
was probably our best performance of the year.
Our teamwork, passing and shooting was outstanding
today and for what is still a very young team,
our maturity and tenancity on the pitch was
excellent”. Looking ahead to the National
League semi final, Sean O’Hare commented,
“We are now sixty minutes away from playing
Division One football next year. The players
are very much looking forward to the semi final
and we will present a challenge to whoever we
face”.
The Down Ladies County Board
would like to extend a sincere thank you to
Saval GAC who have hosted all the Down Ladies
home games this year. Their facilities and support
have been first class throughout the year and
have undoubtedly contributed to the success
experienced by the team in 2008.
Down team: Elaine McCourt, Eliza Downey, Karen
Gribben, Niamh Lennon, Emma Mulhern, Aoibheann
Downey, Sinead Fegan, Sinead Murphy, Kyla Trainor,
Grainne McClean, Lisa Morgan, Orla Fegan, Sonya
McGaw, Michaela Downey, Aileen Pyers. Subs Used:
Jenna Connell, Lyndsey Cunningham, Emma Madine,
Natasha Ferris, Mairead Treanor, Shauna McKevitt.
