Seneschalstown 3-06 Dunboyne 0-10

A beautiful, sunny morning in Fr Tully Park, provided the perfect setting for the U13 girls Division 1 opening game against a strong Dunboyne outfit on Sunday.

A slow start by the home side with half of the girls never before having played on a full size pitch with 15 a side, saw the Dunboyne girls take an early lead after just 2 minutes. The visitors continued to dominate the play and racked up another 4 scores in quick succession. Despite some good defensive work from the full back line of Ella Kilfeather, Sadhbh McLarney and Caoimhe Dunne and the half back line of Charlie Murray, Katie McDonnell and Maebh Hickey and some good passing through the mid field between Tara Traynor, Zoe Kirwan, Megan Clarke and Anna Wogan, the Seneschalstown attempts were flying wide of the uprights time after time.

Dunboyne popped over another 2 points and with only 5 minutes of the 1st half remaining things were not looking good for the home side. After another attack from the Seneschalstown girls a foul was committed and Anna Wogan stepped up to take the free. The ever alert Anna, spotted Tara Traynor across the pitch, and after picking out the flying wing forward, Traynor saw her shot deceive the goalkeeper and drop under the crossbar to give Seneschalstown a real shot in the arm. The half ended with Seneschalstown trailing by 1-00 to Dunboyne 0-07.

A stern talking to at half time together with the promise of ice cream if victorious saw a different home side take to the pitch in the second half. A few positional changes were prescribed by the management team of Catherine Traynor and Dearbhla O'Carroll with Claire Finnegan coming on for Zoe Ryan, Charlie Murray dropping into full back, Caoimhe Dunne switching to goals releasing Seneschalstown's secret weapon Robyn Murray into the half back line.

From the throw in Zoe Kirwan caught the ball and immediately launched an attack teaming up well with Tara Traynor who throughout the game seemed to find acres of space. Despite continuing to see their attempts on goal drifting wide of the posts in the first few minutes, the home side with the wind on their backs now appeared to have a new found determination.

However, it was the Dunboyne girls that managed to notch up another 2 points before the ever tenacious Nicola Mongey won a free which Zoe Kirwan slotted over the bar. With Robyn Murray now bursting through the midfield, her fresh legs a huge advantage, with the help of the Seneschalstown forwards, Abby Hewitt, Claire Finnegan, Niamh Treanor, Zoe Ryan and Nicola Mongey, the girls were creating more and more chances and with only 10 minutes remaining a great run through the midfield from Zoe Kirwan and a pass back to Robyn Murray saw Robyn's kick drop into the goal.

Anna Wogan then struck a lovely score from open play. With confidence and belief growing, Megan Clarke slotted over a fine point from open play. Staunch in defence, Charlie Murray, Ella Kilfeather and Sadhbh McLarney were mopping up any balls coming in while Caoimhe Dunne provided a secure presence in the goals while her accurate kickouts were travelling half the pitch as she picked out her teammates with pinpoint accuracy time and time again.

The home side were now in the ascendancy and pushing forwards again the visitors committed a foul which Robyn Murray put over to draw the 2 sides level but the Seneschalstown girls wanted more and spurred on by the support on the side lines, Robyn pointed again, nudging Seneschalstown into the lead for the first time. Another run from Zoe Kirwan saw the midfield powerhouse link up again with Robyn Murray who this time found the back of the net. The victory was sealed with another free from Robyn Murray.

Seneschalstown never gave up and showed some of the battling qualities which have long been a hallmark of Ladies Football in the club racked up a score of 2-05 in the final 10 minutes of an incredibly exciting and hard fought match. The roars from the supporters could be heard across the parish. This truly was a great performance from all 16 girls.

Seneschalstown: Robyn Murray (2-03), Caoimhe Dunne, Sadhbh McLarney, Ella Kilfeather, Katie McDonnell, Megan Clarke (0-01), Maebh Hickey, Zoe Kirwan (0-1), Charlie Murray, Tara Traynor (1-00), Anna Wogan (0-01), Nicola Mongey, Zoe Ryan, Abby Hewitt, Niamh Treanor.

Substitutions: Claire Finnegan for Zoe Ryan, Zoe Ryan for Claire Finnegan  

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