Blackhall Gaels 1-4
Ratoath 2-14

Last Monday saw the Blackhall ladies take on Ratoath in Ratoath. The sunshine made it an ideal match for spectators, although it was more of a hindrance than a help for the players.

Ratoath managed to get a handle on things quicker than Blackhall, scoring 1-3 unanswered. The Blackhall team kept their heads, with a Sue Kelly point giving them a much-needed foothold in the game. It wasn't enough to fully settle them, however, and Ratoath went on another rampage, scoring 1-2. It was easy to see the sisterly connection on the team, however, as Lisa Kelly took her turn halting the opposition by popping one over herself. This bolstered Blackhall, leading to some good passages of play and a well-deserved goal for Aileen Coyle. The teams battled it out for the remainder of the half, getting one more point apiece (the Blackhall one coming from Fran Nolan) before the whistle. The half-time score was 2-6 to 1-3 in favour of the home team, but Blackhall looked set to make a serious comeback.

Blackhall started well in the second half. A Catherine Quinn point settled them nicely into the half and brought the number of scorers up to five. Shockingly, this was to be the last Blackhall score of the day. Losing Coyle to a yellow card after about ten minutes seemed to take the wind out of the team's sails. Ratoath took full advantage of the extra player, running away with the game by the end. The final score was 2-14 to 1-4.

Despite the unfortunate ending, there were many positives from the game. The four subs made their mark on the pitch, making their presence felt. The defending was strong, with Claire Burke really standing out. Paula Dunne's runs in the middle of the field were as energetic and as timely as always, injecting real pace and vigour into the game. Although it is clear that there are some areas that still need a bit of work, the Blackhall ladies are a serious outfit bursting with potential. They will be out again in the coming weeks.

Blackhall Gaels - Sarah O'Keane , Claire Burke , Michelle Dalton , Aisling Maye , Sinead O'Sullivan , Helen Murphy , Leona Nestor , Paula Dunne , Suzanne McCormack , Rose O'Donnell , Fran Nolan (0-1), Suzanne Kelly (0-1), Lisa Kelly (0-1), Aileen Coyle (1-0), Catherine Quinn. Subs: (0-1), Aideen Nolan, Aisling Keane, Aine Maye, Michelle Breen

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