Competition: Senior Championship Round 3

Venue: Confey

Date: Tuesday 19 August May 2014 Time: 7:30 PM

Confey 2 - 11 Balyna 2 - 13

Score at Half Time: Confey 0 - 4 Balyna 2 - 6

Balyna just did enough to collect the Championship points after a titanic struggle with a valiant Confey team. The visitors had a brilliant start when inside the first minute Aisling Holton burst through the middle and Miriam Murphy blasted to the net. Erica Burke and Siobhan Hurley quickly added a point each and even when Suniva Smith opened the Confey account with an opportunist point Balyna retaliated with 3 more scores, Miriam Murphy, Siobhan Hurley and Ais Holton each pointing to leave Balyna 7 points ahead. Confey eventually got motoring in the second quarter as Emma McCartney and Celia Hogan showed their class around the middle. They and Siofra Daly combined to allow Rachel Divilly kick a point and Deirdre Gately followed with 2 great scores. Just as soon as Confey looked to be taking charge Ais Holton again found space up the middle and her pass was perfect for Careen Farrell to run on and stick away their second goal and the half ended with Careen setting up Miriam Murphy for another point.

Referee John McLoughlin had just started the second half when Miriam Murphy drove over from almost 40 yards and 9 points down the Confey cause looked hopeless. That was not how the Confey players saw things and in an amazing 15 minute spell they wiped out that deficit and even went a point in front. Rachel Divilly started the fight back with 3 points and after Caoimhe pointed a Balyna free Rachel won and pointed a Confey free. Then Suniva Smith tore onto a breaking ball and fired home a Confey goal. Clodagh Flanagan got forward to create the opportunity for Siobhan Hurley to drive over a point. Back came Confey with the Hogan sisters combining and Deirdre Gately tapped over the bar and the comeback was complete when Emma McCartney picked out Dee Gately in the corner and a fabulous drive from Dee found the far corner of Balyna net. With Confey now a point in front Careen Farrell and Siobhan Hurley did the spadework and Aisling Holton kicked a vital leveller. Dee Gately made another great run and won a free. Rachel Divilly kicked the point. Miriam Murphy responded with a pointed Balyna free and with 5 minutes left it was all to play for. Caoimhe Keoghegan drove over a great score from a free wide on the right with that trusty left foot and then Miriam Murphy converted the softest free of the game. Now it was added time and Confey drove into attack. A Balyna defender pulled down a forward and took her leave on a yellow card. Rachel Divilly went for the point but for the first time in the game she was off target and when Confey won another free wide out she lobbed it in looking for a winning goal but Clair Hurley went highest to fetch and Clodagh Flanagan completed the clearance as the final whistle sounded.

Balyna have to be delighted with their narrow win but Confey will relish another crack and on the evidence of this cracking game it could well be a dress rehearsal for the County Final.

For Balyna Aoine O'Donoghue was a sound net-minder and excellent defence organiser. Jane O'Donoghue, Clodagh Flanagan and Rachel Cribben stood out in a solid defence. Aisling Holton and Caoimhe Keoghegan excelled at midfield while Careen Farrell, Siobhan Hurley and Miriam Murphy were the lead attackers.

For Confey goalkeeper Mairead Scanlon, Deirdre Sweeney, Niamh Scally and Orla O'Shea stood out in defence, Niamh Quinn and Celia Hogan did well in the middle while Emma McCartney, Suniva Smith, Rachel Divilly and the ever brilliant Deirdre Gately excelled up front.

Scorers

Confey
Rachel Divilly 0 - 6 (0-3Frs),
Deirdre Gately 1 - 3 (0-1Fr),
Suniva Smith 1 - 1,
Niamh Quinn 0 - 1.

Balyna
Miriam Murphy 1 - 4, (0-1Fr),
Careen Farrell 1 - 0,
Siobhan Hurley 0 - 3,
Caoimhe Keoghegan 0 - 3 (Frs).
Aisling Holton 0 - 2,
Erica Burke 0 - 1.

Confey
1 Mairead Scanlon,
2 Deirdre Sweeney,
3 Cliodhna McNamara,
4 Niamh Scally,
5 Orla McSweeney,
6 Orla O'Shea,
7 Lorna Whitson,
8 Niamh Quinn (0-1),
9 Celia Hogan,
10 Emma McCartney,
11 Siofra Daly,
12 Orla Hogan,
13 Suniva Smith (1-1),
14 Rachel Divilly (0-6),
15 Deirdre Gately (1-3).

Sub:
Rebecca Harte for E McCartney (42 min).

Balyna

1 Aoine O'Donoghue,
2 Ciara O'Donoghue,
3 Jane O'Donoghue,
4 Sarah Blake,
5 Clair Hurley,
6 Clodagh Flanagan,
7 Rachel Cribben,
8 Aisling Holton (0-2),
9 Caoimhe Keoghegan (0-3),
10 Careen Farrell (1-0),
11 Siobhan Hurley (0-3),
12 Jenna Murphy,
13 Erica Burke (0-1),
14 Miriam Murphy (1-4),
15 Ellen Morgan.

Sub:
Shona Farrell for C O'Donoghue.

Referee: John McLoughlin.

Report By: Tom Ryan

 

Senior champ rd 3
Confey 2.11 Balyna 2.13

Junior A champ rd 5
Na Fianna 3.10 Clane 5.13

Junior C champ rd 5
Sarsfields 1.15 Cappagh 2.08

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