Cavan football - Don Smiths bar Cootehill Senior Championship semi finals

Cavan Ladies football

Don Smiths bar Cootehill Senior
Championship semi finals

Lurgan 2-13

Knockbride 3-09

Reigning champions Knockbride
crashed out of the ladies senior championship
on Saturday evening last, when Lurgan defeated
their rivals by the closest of margins. The
game was play at a very impressive pace with
end to end action throughout the hour. Great
credit must go to both teams for the thrilling
action and high skilled game.

Knock bride got of to the
best possible start when county star Emma Clarke
picked up a pass from fellow county player Elaine
Costin to score a goal. Further points from
Clarke and Costin added to Lurgan’s woes as
Knockbride raced onto a 1-4 to 0-2 lead with
only eight minutes gone. Then the tall figure
of full forward Nicola O’Dwyer for Lurgan pounced
twice on the Knockbride net with two brilliant
goals to inject new life into the Lurgan attack.
It was Lurgan that started to dictate proceedings
and for the mid ten minutes of the half had
many chances to go ahead but for some wayward
shooting, Aisling Traynor and Emma Clarke steadied
the Knockbride ship with two points before Clarke
scored her second goal to put the champions
further ahead. Lurgans reply came instantly
with points from Clara Reilly, Philly McDermott
and Ciara Brady (3) to leave the lough Ramor
side ahead at the interval with a scoreline
of 2-07 to 2-06.

If the first half was anxious for the large
crowd of traveling supporters then the second
half was certainly not for the fainthearted
as both sides renewed their fierce battle for
a place in this year’s final. Emma Clarke’s
blitz around the Lurgan goal-mouth continued
when she scored her third goal coming directly
from the throw in.  Lurgan responded with points
from Philly McDermott and Ciara Brady (2) before
Clara Reilly put Lurgan ahead by a point with
fifteen minutes gone. Philly McDermott stretched
Lurgan’s lead when she converted a free before
Aisling Traynor showed her class with a superb
forty yard shot over the bar. Knockbride, playing
with that morale boosting point equalized five
minutes from the end when Emma Clark scored
a point. Both teams embraced the last few minutes
with battling qualities of a ‘never-say-die’
attitude. Sisters Ann Lynch and Laura Hanratty
alongside Edel Gaffney and Claire Carpenter
fought bravely to stem any Knockbride attacks
and as full time approached both sides seemed
at locker heads. But then as the game headed
into injury-time Clara Reilly picked up a loose
pass and gracefully launched the ball over the
bar much to the delight of many Lurgan supporters.

Lurgan;  Leanne Doughty, Edel Gaffney, Laura
Hanratty, Emma McDermott, Claire Carpenter,
Ann Lynch, Fiona Murphy, Emer Gilsenan, Miranda
Cole, Venessa Brady, Clara Reilly (0-04), Grainne
O’Daughnessy, Philly McDermott (0-04), Nicola
O’Dwyer (2-00) Ciara Brady (0-04)

Subs: Danielle Brady

Knockbride: Aggie Clarke,
S Dolan, Emma Traynor, Pamela Keaskin, Joanne
McNally, Lisa McCabe, Michelle Clarke, Aisling
Traynor, Elaine Costin, Arlene Clarke, Emma
Clarke, Nuala Rodgers

Ref: Gerry Sheridan

Erne Valley 3-14

Lacken 2-07

In the first semi final played
on Friday evening in Ballinagh, Erne Valley
overcame near neighbors Lacken to progress onto
the final. Two goals from Paula Fitzpatrick
and another from Breda Smith proved to be one
of the deciding factors in this encounter. Lacken,
playing without injured Donegal star Debbie
Lee Fox and also Aisling McInerney and Lisa
Urbanski, put in a very credible performance
and despite the difference in the scoreline
battled hard until the final whistle. Erne Valley
had to rely on the scoring poweress on Paula
Fitzpatrick who finished with a personal tally
of 2-08 at the end of the game.

The first half was a tough
close encounter and finished up with a scoreline
of 1-07 to 1-03 in favor of Erne Valley. In
the second half Lacken had introduced county
players Rosmary Crowe and Eireann Galligan which
seemed to steady the attacking. But then Erne
Valley stepped up a gear and points from Aine
Brady, Jenny Fitzpatrick, Patricia Lynch and
Laura Pearson ensured that they stayed comfortably
ahead. Roisin O’keefe scored a goal to keep
Lacken’s hopes alive but they just couldn’t
close the gap

Erne Valley: P Beglan, N Reilly, JA Sheridan,
A Harton, N Brennan, P Lynch, L Reilly, E Reilly,
C McPhillips, L Pearson, B Smith, J Fitzpatrick,
A Brady, JA Brady,  Fitzpatrick

Subs: N Fitzpatrick, M Sheridan

McGinn Print Intermediate
championship semi final

Erne Gales 1-10

Drumgoon 1-09

Cavan Cabs Junior Championship
semi final

Killinkere 3-12

Arva 2-03