Board Gais National league Division 3

Down v Wicklow

The Down ladies started this game in determined fashion. In the first minute Aileen Pyres (0-7) pointed from a free. Just minutes later Orla Fegan was fouled in the square and Kyla Trainor (2- 2) stepped up and blasted to the corner of the Wicklow net. On the half back line Sinead Fegan, Niambh McGowan and Emma Mulhern (0-1) were playing strongly , with Emma cutting through from deep and finishing with a point. In the sixth minute Grainne McClean’s (0-1) accurate left boot found the target from long range. This put the Down ladies into a 1-3 lead.

The Down ladies took their foot of the pedal , Wicklow upped their game and replied with a goal and a point. During this half Kyla Trainor and Aine McCurry were breaking evens in the midfield battle while Hannah Murray and Eliza Downey covered well in defence.

Coming up to the interval both sides traded scores leaving the score

Down 1-7 Wicklow 1-5

Again the resumption of play saw Down ladies firing on all cylinders. Good inter-passing continually found the Mourne target lady Aileen Pyres who stretched Down’s lead with three unanswered points. Paula Gribben (0-1) combining a player maker and attacking strategy , slotted over a point under pressure. Eliza Downey came more into the game while up front Colleen Magee , Orla Fegan and Cassie Moane foraged hard for possession. Scores were hard to come by in this half, but both sides had goal chances only to be denied by two in-form goal keepers, in Downs case Katie Farrell.

The introduction of Clara Fitzpatrick and Kate McKay added input to the Mourne cause and with Aileen Pyers keeping the points ticking over Down maintained their lead.

Coming up to the end of normal time Kyla Trainor went on one of her trade-mark runs and looked to have put the game beyond doubt with a well taken goal giving Down a five point lead.

Wicklow had other ideas, capitalised on Down’s complacency and broke through the middle getting in for a goal and a point. This left the Down Ladies having to withstand a Wicklow barrage in injury time ,to hold on for a one point win.

Final score Down 2-12 Wicklow 2-11