15 October 2006

Ulster Club Championship - Semi Final

An Charraig Mhór 3 - 11 Knockbride 2 - 05 A storming second half performance by Carmen secured an Ulster Final date at Pairc Colmcille this afternoon.The margin of victory does not reflect the performance of the Cavan girls, who for long periods, particularly in the first half, had Carmen on the back foot. The visitors will look back on that first half in which they were dominant and rue the fact that the only held a one point lead at half time. Gemma Begley operating from the throw in at full forward opened Carmen`s account with a point after just two minutes, but Knockbride`s Claire Murtagh raced though to hit the net just two minutes later. In the fifteen minutes that followed Knockbride carried the fight to Carmen with some strong running and well organised play. However, Carmen`s defensive unit, supported by Lynette Hughes and Gemma Begley dropping back, held out and denied the Cavan girls clear scoring opportunities, confining their return to a single point from a 5th minute free. Elaine Coyle pointed a Carmen free in the 21st minute but almost immediately Knocbride broke up the field for Elaine Costin to reply with a point from play. Carmen closed the half well with points from Maire Grogan and Lynette Hughes, and the entire Carmen contingent were well pleased to go into half time just a single point in arrears; score 0-04 to 1-02. It was all square within three minutes of the break when Lynette Hughes converted a free. Two minutes later followed a great Carmen goal; Connie Fox burst from defense and fed Gemma Begley now operating at midfield; Begley found Lynette Hughes in full stride with a pinpoint pass, Hughes cut through the heart of the Cavan defence and crashed the ball to the net. A minute later Lynette fired over a great long range point and Carmen were suddenly in the ascendancy. Kathy McAleer and Maire Grogan both pointed in the 41st and 43rd minutes and Carmen were now six points to the good. But Knockbride were far from finished. Full forward Emma Scanlon cut a swathe through Carmen`s rearguard to hit the net and when Claire Murtagh pointed with 10 minutes to go the deficit was two points and a grandstand finish was in prospect. Carmen kept their composure, and Gemma Begley leading by example carried the ball at the Knockbride defence, placed it to Elaine Coyle and Elaine netted from close range. This was a hammer blow to the resurgent Cavan girls and in the remaining eight minutes Carmen ensured that this would be no repeat of the 2003 final. Points by Claire Gallagher and Sinead McAleer underlined Carmen`s superiority, while Aisling Traynor converted a 54th min free for Knockbride. Gemma Begley hit Carmen`s third goal three minutes from time and although Emma Scanlon pointed in the 58th minute, Begley rounded off a fine personal performance with the final point of the game in added time. Team: C. Donnelly, R. Rafferty, C. McCallan, A. Loughran, C. O`Kane, C. Fox, E. Fox, L. Hughes(1-03), M. Slane, N. Hurson, G. Begley(1-02), K. McAleer(0-01), E. Coyle(1-01), M. Groogan(0-02), S. McAleer(0-01). Subs used: C. Gallagher(0-01)(for Hurson), S. McCann(for K. McAleer)

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