Moycullen too strong for Mary’s
THIS eleven-goal fest saw plenty of action and unfortunately from a St Mary’s point of view, the majority of it was from their Moycullen opponents who were lethal in front of the posts during the hour.
Moycullen were supreme up front and left St Mary’s with a somewhat impossible 15 point margin at the break.
With only five minutes played, three goals and a point had already been scored.
In the opening three minutes, St Mary’s scored first with a fine point through Keighleigh Cawley which was followed by a goal from the lively Sarah McMoreland as the sizeable Sligo support cheered loudly.
Then on four minutes, the action was all down the other end. Moycullen went surging on the attack,
Molly Hynes brought to the ground as referee Garryowen McMahon signalled for a penalty.
Up stepped Evvie Ní Leamhná who smashed into the back of the net in what was a very eventful opening few minutes.
The next move a minute later saw Moycullen’s Katie Arthur take a free which looked like it was going over but instead dropped under the bar into the St Mary’s net, giving the Galway side the lead.
They went three in front when Megan Davoren slotted over a free but St Mary’s levelled matters when Emma Hansberry sent an excellent ball into the path of McMoreland who got her second goal on 9 minutes as the scoreline read 2-1 to both sides.
It was a very pace opening half, St Mary’s captain Karen Maloney edged them in front again on 12 minutes, when she sent over a free which was shortlived as Moycullen responded through Ní Leamhná to level again.
Davoren added another on 14 minutes and from here it was all Moycullen.
Two scores from Catherine O’Connor and Ailbhe Davoren were added to with goals from Áine McDonagh and Hynes to put the Galway side into a 4-5 to 2-2 advantage on 20 minutes.
The quick and cunning movement from Moycullen was leaving St Mary’s defence under severe pressure and there was little they could do to stop them scoring.
Another goal from Megan Davoren and a free from McDonagh saw them comfortably ahead 5-8 to 2-2 at the break and with eight wides, the Galway side could have been further in front.
Any hopes of Shane Breheny’s charges denting the Moycullen with a couple of early goals were dashed when substitute Shannon Ní Chéigigh found the net for their sixth goal two minutes into the second half. Eight more points from Moycullen saw them cruising to the next stage, although Hansberry went on her own and powerfully found the net after the ball bounced off the post for St Mary’s third goal on 43 minutes.
It was quickly responded to by Moycullen, scoring four more unanswered points before Maloney pointed a free for St Mary’s and ten minutes from time, teammate Amy Gerrity scored an impressive goal and she was unlucky not to follow with another shortly after.
McMoreland was heavily challenged and was awarded a penalty, the forward having to leave through injury with Hans- berry showing her neat soccer skills to strike to the left hand side and into the net.
Although scoring five goals on the day, it wasn’t to be for St Mary’s and Moycullen advance.
ST MARY’S: S Keaney, H Kilgallon, L Rooney, A Connolly, E O’Connell, S Brennan, A Gilroy, A Ruane, K Cawley (0-1), A Gerrity (1-0), K Maloney (0-3, 3f), M Gaffney, E Hansberry (20), S McMoreland (2-0), R Monaghan. Subs: H Monaghan, K Lynch.
R Ní Chonghaile, E Maloney, J Ní Éidín, C de Lá, F Flaherty, L Corcoran, A Corcoran, E Arthur, A McDonagh (1-6, 2f) K Arthur (1-1), A Davoren (0-2), C O’Connor (0-4), M Davoren (11), M Hynes (1-2, 1f), E Ní Leamhná (1-2, pen).
Subs: S Ní Chéidigh (1-5, 2f), E de Phaor (0-1), E McDonagh, A Duggan (C).
REFEREE: G McMahon (Mayo).