AGB OFF TO A FLYER
Arklow women sail past Blessington at Ballymoney
AGB BLESSINGTON 6-12 2-06
AGB’S Senior ladies kicked off the 2017 championship with a home fixture against Blessington in Ballymoney on Saturday last.
Sporting their new jerseys, generously sponsored by the Arklow Bay Hotel, the Arklow ladies were looking forward to the challenge for which they have been preparing since February.
Stephen McNulty and his officials took charge of proceedings which got under way promptly at 5.30pm in pleasant summer conditions with very little breeze to influence matters.
Steph Martin opened the scoring for AGB in the second minute with a point from play. This was followed by the first score of the day for Blessington from Shauna Byrne.
AGB continued to put pressure on the Blessington defence and Ann Marie Keegan took her first championship point in the fifth minute.
This was followed a point from her mid-field partner Niamh Arthur, with forwards Áine O’Reilly, Jessie McElheron and Doireann Kavanagh also adding points to cushion the home side as their back line had to work hard to suppress the attacks led by Blessington’s Molly Cullen, Amy Ryan and Shauna Byrne.
In the 19th minute, Katie Hurley ensured it was a memorable Senior championship debut for her as she rattled the Blessington net with a goal that settled the Arklow girls into a much more comfortable and assured phase of the game.
Niamh Arthur added a second point to her tally, Jessie McElheron scored Arklow’s second goal in the twenty seventh minute and Steph Martin added 1-1 before he half time whistle sounded, leaving Arklow in a commanding position at the break and Blessington with a hill to climb on a score-line of 3-8 to 0-1.
AGB had a dream start to the second half with a goal immediately off the throw in but after that the Blessington fight back came in earnest.
Amy Ryan and Molly Cullen were quick to respond to mistakes in the Arklow attack and they countered at speed. A penalty in the third gave Shauna Byrne an opportunity to restore some balance to proceedings and she deftly dispatched the ball into the Arklow net.
Steph Martin again responded with a point for AGB and immediately Blessington replied with a second point. Again, the young guns stepped up to settle matters and Ann Marie Keegan scored Arklow’s fifth goal in the 12th minute of play. Molly Cullen was outstanding for Blessington carrying dangerous ball into the Arklow defence throughout the second half. She slipped a wonderful ball into Shona O’Connor and she sent it over the bar.
This was followed by a point from Cullen herself and a further Arklow mistake was punished by a goal from the boot of Emma Lackey. S
teph Martin added another point for AGB, a goal from Áine O’Reilly and a closing point for Ann-Marie Keegan sealed a resounding victory for AGB.
Shauna Byrne and Shona O’Connor added points for Blessington in the closing minutes re- flecting their team’s determination to play this one out to the very end.
Full credit to both teams for a very sporting and entertaining game of football played in front of a great crowd of supporters from both clubs.
AGB will now take on Clara in round 2 of the competition on Thursday, July 13, in Laragh. Blessington will take on the other group members, Bray.
AGB: Linda Dempsey, Rachael Byrne, Emma Furlong, Ciara Forde, Sarah Garnett, Jessica Hurley, Emer Kelly, Niamh Arthur, Ann-Marie Keegan, Katie Hurley, Doireann Kavanagh, Áine O’Reilly, Steph Martin, Jessie McElheron, Orla Byrne, Róisín O’Reilly, Áine O’Reilly, Abbie Doyle, Angelika Pyciak, Meadbh O’Connor, Annie Conroy, Amy Guilfoyle, Eve Rogers, Grace Hurley
Blessington: Kim Connors, Mallaidh Behan, Alana McMahon, Sarah Peppard, Niamh Ellis, Maura Reid, Cara Hennessy, Molly Cullen, Amy Ryan, Emma Reid, Shauna Byrne, Emma Lackey, Rachel Hanlon, Shona O’Connor, Olivia Kinsella.
Referee: Stephen McNulty (St Patrick’s)