Down minor ladies win Ulster Bronze

Down minor ladies win Ulster Bronze

20 April 2022

DOWN’S Minor ladies secured the Ulster Bronze MFC Championship in Celtic Park, Derry, on Saturday.

Down opted to play against a stiff breeze in the first half and this was a major factor as both sides got to grips with each other and the elements.

The opening period was dominated by some good defensive displays from both sides. 

In the 13th minute a high ball ped in towards the Down goal was spilled by the defence. Fermanagh’s Erin Tierney picked up the loose ball, but was judged to have been fouled and the first score of the game arrived by virtue of a 13-metre free kick.

Down weren’t unhinged and two minutes later there was a great interception by Nora Maguire, who then struck an inch-perfect diagonal pass to Ciara McCullough on the 45-metre line. McCullough stepped inside and drove towards goal firing over a great point under intense pressure to level the game.

From the kick-out Fermanagh had a great chance for another score, but the ball drifted narrowly wide as the game reached the water break at 0-1 apiece.

In the 20th minute a superb turnover by Shauna O’Higgins found McCullough on the left. McCullough kicked a probing ball to Enya Quinn, who had no hesitation kicking a great score from just outside the 20m line to put Down in front for the first time in the match.

In the 24th minute after some good work the ball travelled through no less than eight different Down players before being popped out to Carr on the right. Carr found a yard and knocked over Downs third score with her left foot to push the Red and Black 0-3 to 0-1 ahead.

From the kickout, Cassidy passed to O’Higgins, who found the in-running Anna Craven, who slipped to ball to Katie Convie. Carr found some space and Convie, spotting the run, slipped a great ball to Carr, who made no mistake to send Down 0-4 to 0-1 ahead.

Fermanagh responded immediately and Emily Cassidy got their first score from play to narrow the gap to two. From the kick-out the ball found Bronagh Smyth and she made no mistake to bring it back to a one-point game.

In the 27th minute a move the length of the field should have resulted in a score for Down, but Carr saw her shot drift to the left of the post.

Fermanagh broke up field and a foul out towards the end line resulted in a 13-metre free that was kicked over to level the game. In injury time despite some great pressure, Fermanagh kicked another point to leave Fermanagh 0-5 to 0-4 in front at half time. 

The second half started with Fermanagh attacking strongly. Down on their first attack saw substitute Niamh King kick narrowly to the right and wide. The 34th minute brought a good score from Fermanagh’s Cliodhna Martin and they had now scored five in a row without reply.

In the next Down attack Niamh McClorey found some space on the left and her great strike split the posts to stop the slide. The kick-out was gathered by Carr who slipped the ball through the hands to Niamh Rice who in turn found King and from all of 30 metres she kicked a great score to level the game at 0-6 apiece. Fermanagh drove up field from the next kick-out and some great running and interlinking play resulted in a great point from Cliodhna Martin to retake the lead.

In the 39th minute a foul on Carr was punished by King and once again the two sides were level 0-7 apiece. Fermanagh had a few good chances, but resolute defending by Kate Rice, Rhianna Wojcieszak and Caoimhe Quinn continued to frustrate.

In the 46th minute some great Down defending overturned a Fermanagh attack. A Maguire long ball was gathered by King who was being well supported by Cassidy driving forward at pace. A quick layoff and Cassidy broke three tackles before offloading to Carr who was upended.

Orla Murphy was sent to sin bin, King stroked over the resultant free and Down were back in front.

In the next passage of play there was a great block by O’Higgins in the centre of the park. She then found Kayla Gartland with a great ball out wide. Gartland collected and slipped the ball back to Maguire and she in turn picked out Rice with a delightful hand pass.

Rice cut inside and weaved her way past three defenders before offloading the ball to her Rostrevor clubmate Leah Scholes, who had taken up a good position near the small square.

Scholes, had just been introduced and with her first touch of the ball rattled the back of the Fermanagh net to push Down four points ahead, 1-8 to 0-7, with 47 minutes on the clock.

A minute later King was judged to have shouldered Hanna Murphy and she was sent for a 10-minute rest in the sin bin. Both sides were now down to 14 players with ten minutes left.

In the 52nd minute a foul on Fermanagh’s Tierney resulted in a score and Down’s Caoimhe Quinn being yellow carded and sent to the sin bin. Down were now reduced to 13 players and only a goal to the good.

McClorey had a goal-bound shot blocked and Cassidy fired wide as the Red and Black took the game to Fermanagh. From a kick-out O’Higgins gathered and struck a wonder point to bring Downs advantage back to four.

In the 57th minute some good build up play from defence to attack saw Scholes drive a shot to the left and wide. A minute a later, a long kick from Kennedy found McCullough, who drove a long ball towards goal which bounced nicely for the in-running Rice, who a fired a great left-footed shot to the net, giving the keeper no chance.

Down were now ahead by 2-9 to 0-8. On the stroke of full time a great save by the Down keeper kept Fermanagh at bay. In the second minute of injury time Erin Tierney won a penalty which Kennedy brilliantly saved by dropping to her right.

The full time whistled sounded and Down were the Ulster Bronze Minor champions. Cari Boyle held aloft the trophy and the celebrations began.

This win was made possible by a solid Down rear-guard that played brilliantly throughout, constantly frustrating and denying the Fermanagh attacks.

The midfielders and forwards tracked and defended to force mistakes and turnovers.

A deserved win from a team that only got together in late January and has shown immense improvement in such a short space of time. 

Down: Caroline Kennedy, Rhianna Wojcieszak, Kate Rice, Caoihme Quinn, Cari Boyle (C), Nora Maguire (VC), Anna Craven, Neva Loudon, Shauna O’Higgins, Katie Convie, Ciara McCullough, Ellie Carr, Enya Quinn, Molly Higgins, Anna Cassidy, Sophie Keane, Bebhionn Rogan, Bronwyn McGovern, Cara Bradley, Cliodhna McArdle, Emma McLaughlin, Katie Howlett, Kayla Gartland, Lara Carson, Leah Scholes, Mary Ann Smyth, Shannon Sloan, Niamh McClory, Niamh King, Niamh Rice, Aoibhin Dougan, Cait Rooney, Corra Croskery.

Down scorers: Shauna O’Higgins (0-1), Ciara McCullough (0-1), Ellie Carr (0-2), Enya Quinn (0-1), Leah Scholes (1-0), Niamh McClory (0-1), Niamh King (0-3), Niamh Rice (1-0).

Management: Sean McElroy (Mayobridge), Sean Magone (Mayobridge), Paul Crinion (Glenn), P J Cunningham (Ballymartin), Ryan Kelly (Ardglass), Cheryl Gibbs (Glenn).