Magic day for Éire Óg as they cruise to ‘B’ crown
ÉIRE ÓG BARNDARRIG 8-13 1-04
FOR 20 minutes this was a competitive match. Éire Óg started very brightly but Barndarrig came back at them with a vigour and verve that looked like this was going to be a close match to the finish, however as soon as the midfield and half backs of Éire Óg got on top Barndarrig perished.
Three goals and four points from Kellie Ryder was instrumental in their triumph but a tour de force display by half backs Eva Moore, Eva Roche, Megan Healy and half forwards Rachel Purcell (2-2), the skillful Katie Lawless and pacey Kerrianne Hamilton were the main difference between the sides.
Éire Óg started superbly with Purcell galloping through the middle in the opening attack, she lost control but the ball ran loose she pulled on it and it flew into the corner of the goal for a dream start.
Tracy O’Halloran added a quick point before she was pulled down for an Éire Óg penalty. Up stepped full-forward Kellie Ryder to dispatch the right corner of the net for her first score of the day.
From this point Barndarrig staged a revival. A long punt in was gathered by powerful corner forward Katie Shanley she burst through and buried a shot to the net.
Shanley was unlucky soon after to see a goal attempt just clear the bar and when Sinead Johnson pointed two fine scores for the Barndarrig ladies the gap was down to a point.
However, it was to be as close as they got as the Éire Óg half back line got on top they strangled the life out of their opponents.
O’Halloran struck a goal and when Ryder got another major before the break the game was all but over as a contest.
The second half went along similar lines and an early rampaging run from Éire Óg’s impressive midfielder Claudia Randels saw her arrow a goal beyond Barndarrig keeper Laura Whelan.
On 40 minutes Purcell got her second goal after good interplay with Ryder.
Ellie O’Neill got Greystones seventh goal after toe poking a loose ball home.
The goal scoring was finished when Ryder completed her hattrick from the penalty spot after Hamilton was pulled down .
Barndarrig fought gallantly till the end and never let their heads drop even though they were completely outclassed.
Corner-back Ellie Brody had a fine game for them. For the victors Eva Roche, Katie Lawless and Kerrianne Hamilton were immense however with a personal haul of 3-4 Kellie Ryder has to be player of the match.
Scorers - Éire Óg: Kellie Ryder 3-4, Rachel Purcell 2-2, Tracy O’Halloran 1-3, Ellie O’Neill 1-1, Claudia Randels 1-0, Katie Lawless 0-2, Eva Roche 0-1.
Barndarrig: Katie Shanley 1-1, Sinead Johnson 0-2, Ellie Brody 0-1.
Erika Bellemy; Wendela Zegers, Ciara Patrick, Ciara Doyle; Eva Moore, Eva Roche, Megan Healy; Aoife McTague, Claudia Randels; Katie Lawless, Rachel Purcell, Kerrianne Hamilton; Ellie O’Neill, Kellie Ryder, Tracy O’Halloran. Sharon Lewis, Ellen Prendergast, Alice O’Neill, Rachel Garvey, Katie O’Reilly.
Laura Whelan; Aoife Redmond, Sarah Waldron, Ellie Brody; Aoibhin Stone, Mary Scales, Roisin Scales; Roisin Stone, Iona Murray; Grace Cleary, Una Murray, Sinead Johnson; Katie Shanley, Orlaith Browne, Emma Kennedy. Subs: Katie O’Brien, Mary Byrne, Sandra Byrne, Kate Moriarty.
Kieran O’Shea