Windgap 1-12 St Brigids 2-7
Windgap and St Brigids opened their senior summer league campaign with a first round game in Windgap last Sunday 29th March. While the clocks had gone forward an hour to signal the start of longer daylight hours, conditions were heavy after recent soft conditions and a biting wind made it challenging for all players. Both sides were short many of their county players who were involved at various levels but both sides served up a very competitive encounter which Windgap led from start to finish although St Brigids hung in to the end and almost snatched something from the match in the closing minutes.
Windgap opened backed by the wind and dominated the opening 15 minutes which saw them build up a 0-6 to no score advantage by the 15th minute – with all scores coming from the accurate Megan Kenneally from frees. St Brigids who played the match with 14 players did open their account with a Siobhan Kenny free in the 20th minute but three further Windgap points from the lively Aisling O’Shea saw Windgap stretch the lead out to 0-10 to 0-2 by the interval. Windgap who had a number of U16 players making their senior debut lost Lucy Crowley to an early injury and matched numbers afterwards at 14 a side – and their workrate was excellent throughout this period with Margaret Purcell, and the O’Shea sisters (Orlaith and Cliona) performing very well.
St Brigids turned with the elements in their favour and when a Siobhan Kenny 45 ended up in the Windgap net within two minutes of the restart, they were firmly back in the contest. Two further St Brigids points from Ellie Lanigan and Kitty Conroy reduced the margin to a goal (0-10 to 1-4) by the 40th minute. Windgap managed to stem the tide in the next ten minutes which saw the sides trade points (0-11 to 1-5 by the 50th minute and when Shonna King finished a breaking ball to the net in the 51st minute, they led by 1-12 to 1-5 and seemed set for a comfortable win. St Brigids never gave up although their next score didn’t arrive until the 59th minute when Siobhan Kenny netted from close range and two further St Brigids points from Tara Ronan and Ellie Lanigan had the margin back to two points (1-12 to 2-7) by the 62nd minute. Fortunately for Windgap, the final whistle sounded soon afterwards to leave them narrow victors. Both sides are out again in league action this coming weekend (4th/5th April).
Windgap: Emer Moylan, Nathania Jackson, Moya Egan, Sophie McGowan, Cliona O’Shea, Margaret Purcell, Lucy Crowley, Orlaith O’Shea, Emer Smith, Laura Doyle, Aisling O’Shea, Aisling Foley, Shonna King, Megan Kenneally, Denise Foley. Subs Ava Lily O’Neill, Abby Vaughan, Sarah Power.
St Brigids: Miriam Walton, Daisy May Cleere, Moya O’Brien, Georgina Casey, Kate Purcell, Reece Delaney, Katie Brennan, Tara Ronan, Lauren East, Ruth Purcell, Ellie Lanigan, Siobhan Kenny, Edwina Keane, Kitty Conroy.
Referee: Gavin Quilty
By PRO Sat 11th Apr
