September 10th Junior Shield semi-final : Brídíní Óga 11-6 Carnlough 2-1
It is true to say that we had an average enough second half in this game – and that gives an indication of how brilliant the team was in the first half. All over the pitch the first touch was first class. Every player was delivering the ball first time into a very sharp forward line and Shauna and Caoimhe in particular were causing tons of problems for the Carnlough defence. Even our hand-passing to players in space was accurate and quick! We hit Carnlough with 9 goals and 5 points before they got a late first half goal direct from a free.
For some reason at the start of the second half we retreated into defence and allowed Carnlough to press forward. This meant that our forwards were starved of possession. In fairness the defence held out well, but we simply could not open the game out in the same way as in the first half. Eimhear and Caoimhe did add goals and Shauna a point, but we simply did not re-capture the momentum of the first half.
I think we all will remember that first half, and want to return to that level of play when we face Rasharkin in the final. Everyone gets Player of the Match for the first half alone.
Brídíní Óga : Rose Reid, Oonagh Hyndman, Gemma McKeown, Úna McAleenan, Kelly O’Hagan capt, Bernadette Convery, Shannon Woulahan, Danielle Scally, Joanne McKeown, Caoimhe McAleenan 4-5, Casey Woulahan, Brónagh Shannon, Rachel McBride 1-0, Shauna Kelly 5-0, Eimhear McAleenan 1-0.
Subs : Natalie Marquess, Sabrina Speers.