Aghada Ladies’ Football Notes

. The first score of the match came from Hannah Looney after she was fouled and she kicked the resultant free over the bar. Douglas slowly but surely started to apply pressure on the Aghada backs and were rewarded with a goal and Three points before Hannah got a point to leave the score on eighteen minutes Aghada 0-2 Douglas 1-3.The city girls managed to score another point before one of the defining moments in the game. A well worked ball out of defence by Cassie Tynan, was picked up by Hannah who went on one of her piercing runs and the resultant shot came off the post and the inrushing Nessa Fitzpatrick was pushed in the back and the referee blew for the penalty. Up stepped Hannah to rattle the back of the Douglas net to leave the half time score Aghada 1-2 Douglas 1-5.

The second half again started with more tactics. This time Douglas dropped there centre forward back between there full back and half back line. It took the east Cork representatives a bit of time to adjust but adjust they did with the hard working Sophie Bawden, Sinead O’Driscoll, Jodie Rose, Amanda Bennett and Moire Mc Govern upping there work rate. At this stage Hannah Rose was also getting on top in midfield giving a plentiful supply of ball to Sorcha Phelan, Sarah Leahy and Claire Coughlin. The first score of the second half fell to the boot of Hannah Looney when she converted another free. On the thirty sixth minute Aileen Mc Grath got a beautiful point from out on the left wing to leave the minimum between the sides Aghada 1-4 Douglas 1-5. The question now was could Aghada get level and then push on. A top class save from Caoimhe Robinson kept the Douglas girls at bay. It was now Douglas’s time to come into the game and this they did and got a goal on the forty first minute to put them four clear but this was short lived as Claire Coughlan got one back on the forty third minute to leave the minimum between the sides again. Could Aghada draw level everyone in the crowd was thinking and Christine Moran duly obliged with a well taken point. On the fifty minute the sea side girls took the lead courtesy of Hannah Looney and were a point to the good heading down the home straight. Hannah Looney kicked another free to leave the score with five minutes to play Aghada 2-7 Douglas 2-5 would there be another kick out of Douglas and the answer was yes with two well taken points to level the match with a minute on the clock. At this stage all the crowd were talking about was there going to be extra time but there was to be one more twist when Hannah Looney kicked the winning point with sixty three minutes on the clock to leave Aghada County Champions on a score line of Aghada 2-8 Douglas 2-7. The scenes that were witnessed at the end of the match wee a joy to watch. Every girl gave it their all and are worthy County Champions.

After the game the cup was presented to Cassie Tynan by Jerome Casey Treasurer of the Cork County Ladies Board, and so it was another County title for the Aghada Ladies’. Well done one and all.

Aghada Panel Caoimhe Robinson, Sophie Bawden, Sinead O’Driscoll, Jodie Rose, Amanda Bennett, Cassie Tynan (Captain), Moire Mc Govern, Hannah Rose, Hannah Looney, Aileen McGrath, Sorcha Phealn, Nessa Fitzpatrick, Sarah Leahy, Claire Coughlan, Christine Moran, Ciara McGrath, Daphine Stratos, Sophie Long, Ciara Counihan, Laura Varian, Kiera O’Hanlon, Kate Wall, Julie Moynihan, Sarah Berry. We would also like to congratulate Ian Rose, Michelle O’Driscoll, Jennifer Lewis, Reece Bawden and Paul Fitzpatrick the management team on a job well done. Ath Fhada Abu…..