Wee County prove too strong for Derry girls
AN outstanding performance from Lauren Boyle propelled Louth to an emphatic win over Derry at a bitterly cold and wet Owenbeg on Sunday last.
This latest win their fourth on the spin means the Reds need just one win from their remaining fixtures against Offaly and Carlow to claim a place in the League final on April 18 or 19th
Derry took an early lead when Erin Dohery converted a close-in free and it took the visitors until the tenth minute to get on level terms courtesy of a Niamh Rice free, they were unfortunate as both Niamh Rice and Lauren Boyle saw efforts hit the post while a vicious Eimear Byrne shot was brilliantly pushed away by keeper Molly McBride.
Following their equaliser the visitors took almost total control with a succession of points from the lethal Cooley duo of Boyle and Rice and Aimee Mcnally to lead by 1-11 to 0-01 at the break with some excellent scores despite the regular wintry showers and extreme cold with Boyles goal the last score of the half, shooting into roof of net from 25 metres.
Despite making six changes to the starting team against Leitrim in their last outing, the visitors ended any remote hopes of an Oak leaf comeback as Niamh Rice, Rebecca Carr, and Lauren Boyle (4) and Eimear Byrne all raised white flags within ten minutes of the restart
As both sides emptied their benches Boyle and Grace Conway exchanged points as the visitors won at a canter.
With many of his regulars not in the starting fifeen, Louth manager Wayne Freeman will be delighted with the showing as a number of his newcomers showed their capabilities while Minor stars Kodie McEneaney and Ciara Quinn made their first competitive appearance in the Red jersey LOUTH; Coirin Rice, Eimear Murray, Sarah Quinn, Soeda Matthews, Claire
Donnelly, Shannen McLoughlin, Ciera Nolan, Aine Breen, Aoife Byrne, Rebecca Carr, 0-01,Eimear Byrne, 0-01, Roisin Kavanagh, Niamh Rice 0-5, (2 f) Lauren Boyle 1-10, (2 f) Aimee McNally 0-01. Subs; Una Pearson, Holly Lambe Sally, Louise Byrne, Alannagh McLoughlin, Emily Norton, Aoife Halligan, Eilish Hand, Ailish Noonan, Grace Traynor, Lauren McFaul, Katelyn Quinn, Kodie McEneaney, Aisling O’Doherty, Grainne Murray, Ciara Quinn
DERRY; Molly McBride, Anna Frizelle, Dania Donnelly, Niamh McElroy, Niamh Gilmore, Nicole Nugent, Grace Conway, Katryn Canavan, Catherine McKenna, Danielle Kivelhan, Erin Doherty, Nuala Brown, Aoife Collins, Emma McIvor, Breena O’Loughlin. Subs; Aine Quigley, Ciara Lynn, Rhianna Curran, Claire McCroggan, Leonie McIlroy, Hannah Farren, Orlagh O’Kane, Blaithan Donnelly, Niamh Gilmore