EARLY GOALS ARE CRUCIAL
Blessington beat Tinahely
BLESSINGTON 4-5 TINAHELY 1-7
TWO goals from Blessington in the first 90 seconds was ultimately the difference between two evenly matched teams in Ballinakill last Sunday morning.
Blesso started at speed and centre forward Aisling Brennan unleashed a cracking effort to the top corner of Tinahely goalkeeper Bea Clancy’s net.
Moments later Sophie O’Driscoll drilled a low effort to Clancy’s left corner for a dream start.
The onslaught continued with Brennan drifting in from left flank and pointing of her right peg before Ava O’Driscoll landed a bomb from distance.
Rachel Tighe got Tinahely on the board after Jessica Murphy had done tremendous work. O’Driscoll got Blesso’s next point before Tinahely took over.
Aine Darcy, Aine McDonald and Ciara Connolly all pointed to narrow the gap.
Then Connolly found the top corner of the net with a well placed free. When she then added a point moments later the gap was just one.
It was Brennan who closed out the scoring for Blesso to leave two between the sides at the interval.
Connolly was excellent for Tinahely and the centre forward pointed early in the second half to close the gap.
It was Brennan again who stood up and was counted for Blesso.
She collected the ball off Aoife Cullen and fed O’Driscoll who rifled home.
Once more Connolly pointed to keep Tinahely within a score.
However, Blessington were not to be denied with Brennan fetching a great ball over her head rounding her marker and burying to the net.
Leila Shannon added the insurance point late on.
For Tinahely Ciara Connolly was superb as was wing-back Emma Keenan. For Blessington Sophie O’Driscoll and Aisling Brennan were excellent and between them scored 4-3 of the Blessington total.
Scorers - Blessington: Aisling Brennan 2-2, Sophie O’Driscoll 2-1, Leila Shannon 0-1, Ava O’Driscoll 0-1.
Tinahely: Ciara Connolly 1-4, Aine McDonald 0-1, Aine Darcy 0-1, Rachel Tighe 0-1
BLESSINGTON: Anna Carlyon; Grace Swan, Ava Jordan Dempsey, Caoimhe Gilligan; Roisin Doyle, Erin McMahon, Niamh Brennan; Leila Shannon, Ava O’Driscoll; Robyn Brennan, Aisling Brennan, Aibhe King; Aoife Cullen, Sophie O’Driscoll, Ciara Keane. Subs: Ella Richardson, Leah Richardson, Paige McDonald, Ellis Reid, Susie Cronin, Emily O’Rourke.
TINAHELY: Bea Clancy; Willow Jordan, Grace Mulhall, Niamh Whelan; Emma Keenan, Tara Murphy, Chloe Sheehy; Olivia Shannon, Eva O’Keeffe; Ava McGuigan, Ciara Connolly, Aine McDonald, Aine Darcy, Rachel Tighe, Jessica Murphy. Subs: Maryann Martin, Hayley Walker, Jessie Martin, Niamh Monaghan, Ciara Byrne
REFEREE: Ciaran Walshe.