Outstanding Manley drives Glenealy to play-off

at Bray Emmets GAA Club

And indeed the highly industrious ace would have made an even greater impact on the scoreboard but for regularly unselfishly setting up scoring chances for teammates who were occupying only marginally more favourable positions.

Manley’s scoring contribution was made up of five points in the first half, and six in the second period during which she shot five points on the trot in the space of just seven minutes.

Bray Emmets displayed no lack of commitment and industry in attempting to curb the influence of the opposing ace, but for the most part those efforts did little to curb the impact she exerted on the proceedings.

Significantly, Manley, who displayed equal ability to strike the sliotar off both sides, showed the way to her teammates by contributing the first two points in a contest during which the floodlights had to be switched on in the second half because of the quick onset of darkness.

And indeed the inspirational Glenealy player might have raised a green flag midway through the first half, when, from quite a favourable position, she elected to take the safe option of a point rather than try to beat Emmets’ goalkeeper Sarah Davis.

Shortly after shunning that goal opportunity, Manley demonstrated additional evidence of her stick-work prowess, when, after taking a pass from wing-forward Erynn O’Brien, she struck the sliotar without catching it straight over the bar.

That score marked Glenealy’s seventh point inside the opening 23 minutes, and Bray failed to get off the mark until a minute later when Rachel Rice converted a free.

Shortly before half-time, wing-forward Louise Vickers registered the opening goal of the contest, and that left the home side with a mountain to climb in the second half, as they now trailed by 1-8 to 0-1.

And Bray suffered an additional blow for the second half when midfielder Jane Butler was withdrawn owing to the fact that she was due to play for Emmets’ footballers in the league final against Tinahely just 24 hours later.

On the resumption, it got little better for the home side who might have been encouraged by the fact that they outscored the opposition by three points to two in the opening 12 minutes to leave the scoreline reading 1-10 to 0-4 in Glenealy’s favour.

But any hope of a dramatic turnaround in Bray’s fortunes was emphatically dispelled , with the visiting outfit shooting an unanswered 1-6 inside the next nine minutes, the green flag being raised by full-forward Lottie Cullen midway through the half.

Then just before the final whistle, sub Vicky Coen further endorsed the visiting side’s dominance, beating goalkeeper Sarah Davis, after being set up by centre forward Abbie O’Loughlin.

Glenealy – Laura Manley 0-11 (1’45’), Lottie Cullen 1-1, Vicky Coen 1-1, Louise Vickers 1-0, Erynn O’Brien 0-3 (2f).

Scorers:

Bray Emmets – Rachel Rice 0-2 (1f), Niamh McCormack 0-2 (2f), Eve Murphy 0-1.

Jessie Driver; Denise Walsh, Stacey O’Neill, Amanda Doyle; Anne-Marie Manning, Lisa Hogan, Megan Kennedy; Laura Manley, Aoife Weir; Louise Vickers, Abbie O’Loughlin, Erynn O’Brien; Jennifer O’Neill, Lottie Cullen, Casey Anderson. Sub: Vicky Coen for Abbie O’Loughlin (49).

Sarah Davis; Shauna Ryan, Emma Davis, Vicky Cremmins; Emma Doyle, Roisin Quigley, Lauren Sweeney; Niamh McCormack, Jane Butler; Eve Murphy, Rachel Rice, Sadhbh Eglinton; Erica Bellamy, Brona Murphy, Eva Connaughton. Subs (all half-time): Laura McGarry for Jane Butler, Roisin Murphy for Erica Bellamy, Alana Henry for Eve Connaughton.

Gerry McGough (Kilmacud-Crokes).

Glenealy: Bray Emmets: Referee: