Brilliant comeback by St. Michaels Ladies
Sunday August 25th 2019
Masita ladies SFC Round 6
Full time: St. Michaels 3-11, Seneschalstown 1-14,
Half time: St. Michaels 2-02, Seneschalstown 0-13.
St. Michaels ladies put in an excellent second half performance to overturn an eight point deficit after 31 minutes to eventually stun their Seneschalstown counterparts into submission with a goal to spare and to pick up their second set of precious points inside five days in this exciting encounter played in sunny Seneschalstown on Sunday evening.
The Yellow Furze ladies looked nailed on winners when they blasted to the net 30 seconds after the re-start for an eight point lead having held their opponents scoreless for the entire second quarter, however they say there’s no substitute for experience and that applies to this games winning scorer Laura Duignan who came out of retirement to help her team mates and was only 10 minutes on the field when she latched on to a clearance to volley a peach of a goal from a tight angle to the back of the net.
St. Michaels made a tremendous start as Sinéad McCormack opened the scoring with a point after 40 seconds, Seneschalstown replied in kind but St. Michaels good start continued when Yvonne Farrelly reacted quickest and found the back of the net after Lisa Keenan’s penalty shot came off the bottom of the post. Up popped Seona Lynch in the fifth minute for her sides second major and a 2-1 to 0-1 lead with just five minutes played.
The Seneschalstown girls never panicked and took the game to the St. Michaels girls as they registered twelve points to St. Michaels one point for the remainder of the half to lead by 0-13 to 2-2 at the break.
Things looked very bleak for the visitors when the home side banged home a goal 30 seconds after the re-start for an eight point cushion but credit must go to the St. Michaels girls for the gutsy performance they put in for the next 30 + 6 minutes of injury time as they gelled together all over the park.
Megan O’Brien worked tirelessly collecting and going on solo runs into the Yellow Furze defence creating havoc, Seona Lynch, Claire Halpin and Sinéad McCormack did likewise while inside Lisa Keenan, Hayley Doyle & Erin Lynch who all covered the entire pitch making great use of the ball. Substitute Mary Clinton also helped he side to whittle away at the Seneschalstown lead until O’Brien levelled the match in the 50th minute at 2-10 to 1-13. Seneschalstown then added their second score of the match to go back in front, however the magnificent O’Brien levelled matters once more. Then on the stroke of full time, up popped Laura Duignan for what proved to be the winning goal. The Yellow Furze side went on all out attack sending high balls into the St. Michaels square but the St. Michaels defence led by Áine Sheridan, Lorraine Curtis and Emma McDonnell stood their ground but the home side did manage to get the ball in the Michael’s net, however the player was deemed to be in the square when she made contact with the ball. It was tense stuff at this stage and as the fifth minute of added time ticked away the home side were awarded a penalty which was brilliantly saved by the outstretched Sarah Bradley in the St. Michaels goals.
What an evenings entertainment, well done team and management.
St. Michaels team & scorers:
Sarah Bradley; Marita Rogers, Áine Sheridan, Laura Halpin; Emma McDonnell, Mary Carpenter, Lorraine Curtis; Claire Halpin, Megan O’Brien (0-3); Sinéad McCormack (0-2), Hayley Doyle, Erin Lynch; Yvonne Farrelly (1-0), Lisa Keenan (0-4), Seona Lynch (1-2).
Subs: Ellen Cassidy for Rogers, Mary Clinton for L. Halpin, Laura Duignan (1-0) for Farrelly.
Report: Pascal Reilly, PRO.