SIMONSTOWN SHADE IT IN A THRILLER

Saturday April 27th 2019
Ladies FL Division 1, Round 2
Full time: St. Michaels 4-11, Simonstown 4-14,
Half time: St. Michaels 2-07, Simonstown 3-06.

The 2018 senior and intermediate champions served up a cracker of a match in the division 1 FL in Simonstown on Saturday evening last, it’s just a pity that only a handful of spectators turned up to witness two sides serve up a feast of all that’s good about ladies football in a game that was played in great spirit and at a ferocious pace throughout.

Seona Lynch opened the scoring with a point in the first minute, the hosts added two to take the lead for the first time before Marion Farrelly, Sinéad McCormack and Seona Lynch each pointed to go two in front after 10 minutes. Simonstown bagged their first major two minutes later, however St. Michaels won their own kick-out and a great move up-field was finished to the net by Megan O’Brien for a 1-4 to 1-2 lead. Simonstown drew level at the start of the second quarter following two unanswered points, they built on those scores to go two in front but the St. Michaels girls who were playing with the wind to their backs were not holding back and points from Farrelly and Lynch levelled the match once again with six minutes of the half remaining.
Such was the tempo of this match, blink and you missed a score, Simonstown were back in front a minute later after bagging their second major, 30 seconds later Marion Farrelly shot low past the Simonstown net-minder Naoise De Graaff for the first of her hat-trick of goals, Claire Halpin won the kick-out and found Farrelly in space who then tapped over for a 2-7 to 1-6 lead on 28 minutes. Back came the senior champs with two goals in as many minutes to go in at the break two points to the good at 3-6 to 2-7.

Simonstown were first on the board in the second half with a point, then up popped Marion Farrelly with her second major of the evening, not to be outdone, Simonstown bagged their fourth goal, Farrelly added a point, Simonstown added two, and all this with only 10 minutes of the second half on the clock.
St. Michaels won a penalty on 43 minutes which Farrelly placed in the top corner to reduce the deficit for her side to a point, but again Simonstown replied immediately with two unanswered points, Marion Farrelly completed her tally with a point from play only for Simonstown to cancel it out immediately. Both sides still had the energy to trade a brace of points apiece before Paul Mooney sounded the long whistle with Sinéad McCormack completing the scoring for St. Michaels.
Credit must go to both sets of players for the wholehearted effort they put in to make this match so enjoyable to watch, unfortunately there had to be a loser, and for the St. Michaels ladies there is no shame in losing to the senior champions especially when every one of the losing players played their hearts out.

Team & scorers:
Clodagh Corcoran; Marita Rogers, Ellen Cassidy, Laura Halpin; Emma McDonnell, Hayley Doyle, Aine Sheridan; Clare Halpin, Megan O’Brien (1-0); Alicia Curtis, Seona Lynch (0-3), Sheena O’Donnell; Marion Farrelly (3-5), Yvonne Farrelly, Sinéad McCormack (0-3). 

Sub: Deirbhile Curran for L. Halpin
Referee: Paul Mooney.
Report by Pascal Reilly PRO.