MANLEY IN CONTROL
Laura leads Glenealy to healthy victory over Ballinacor
GLENEALY BALLINACOR 1-16 0-04
GLENEALY got their Senior camogie championship campaign up and running with a comprehensive dismantling of Ballinacor in Glenmalure last week.
It was a stunning evening for a game of camogie with the gorgeous scenery providing manna for the eyes during breaks in play on the field of battle.
Glenealy’s Laura Manley was the tormentor in chief of the Ballinacor side and her 11-point haul is testament to her free taking and super display of skill and game awareness.
It was far from a one-woman show, however. The Glenealy management have been shaping and crafting this fine group of camogie players for the last number of years and they are hurling very well if this game is anything to go by.
A strong defence kept their battling opponents to four measly points, two from frees and two late on, with Lisa Hogan catching the eye for her tough and abrasive play over the hour.
Manley and Vicky Coen at midfield were quite dominant but it’s in attack that the Glenealy women look at their strongest with Erynn O’Brien, Kasey Doyle and Aoife Weir making up a powerfull half-forward line and Aoibheanne, Lottie Cullen and Amy Irwin providing plenty to aim at inside for the players further out.
It was Erynn O’Brien who opened the scoring for evening. A free from Laura Manley from deep reached the Ballinacor 45 where O’Brien and Ballinacor’s Martina Kearney/Flynn tussled for the breaking ball. The loose ball was picked up by Kasey Doyle and she made inroads before passing sweetly to O’Brien who slotted over a fine point from play.
Laura Manley showed her su- perb skill soon after when she charged into the Ballinacor heartland with Mairead Dunne in hot pursuit and walloped over the bar from 30 yards on an angle.
The game took on a fairly difficult rhythm from a Ballinacor perspective from here on. The home team would attack with eagerness and endeavour but would be repelled by a powerful defence and Gleenaly would attack and either win a free or a 45 which Manley would more often than not slot over.
Aoife McGrath did fire over a point for Ballinacor after five minutes to make it 0-03 to 0-01 for Glenealy but they didn’t score again until eight minutes into the second half when McGrath grabbed her second but Glenealy were leading y 1-12 to 0-02 at this stage, the goal coming from Aoibheanne O’Neill after 23minutes of the opening half.
Credit to Ballinacor they never once dropped the heads and they had a very good finish to the game with a pointed 45 from centre-half back Christine Carter and a fine effort from play from Caitlin Olahan.
They were well served by their goalkeeper Bernie Byrne and aside from Glenealy’s only goal the full-back line, marshalled by Mary Holt, performed very well under pressure.
Ballinacor’s tally of four points couold have been doubled at the very least had some of their chances from play and placed balls been converted while theuy could have been much closer had they been more clinical closer to goal.
But it was Laura Manley who had the final say in this game with a super strike on the run to finish the scoring at 1-16 to 0-04 in what was a comprehensive victory for the Reds who will be hoping to make up serious ground on the top two in this year’s Senior championship.
Scorers – Glenealy: Laura Manley 0-11 (3f, 3 45s), Aoife Weir 0-01, Amy Irwin 0-01, Aoibheann O’Neill 1-00, Erynn O’Brien 0-02 (1f).
Ballinacor: Aoife McGrath 0-02 (2f), Christine Carter 0-01, Caitlin Olahan 0-01.
Glenealy: Jessica Driver; Denise Walsh, Ailbhe Dowling, Megan Kennedy; Ann Marie Manning, Lisa Hogan, Niamh O’Brien; Laura Manley, Vicky Coen; Erynn O’Brien, Kasey Doyle, Aoife Weir; Aoibheanne O’Neill, Lottie Cullen, Amy Irwin. Subs: Lucy Cullen
Ballinacor: Bernie Byrne; Noelle Ward, Mary Holt, Siobhan Toomey; Mairead Dunne, Christine Carter, Martina O’Kearney/Flynn; Aoife McGrath, Tanya Carter; Katie Toomey, Pamela Maher, Caitlin Olahan; Alice Faly, Michelle Fitzgerald, Katie Mundow. Subs: Danielle Burke, Megan O’Doherty/ Roche, Dara Byrne, Lauren Burke, Nicola Farrell, Shannon Doyle.
Referee: Con O Ceadaigh