Derry Ladies at Last Hurdle

Derry Ladies at Last Hurdle

Derry Ladies at Last Hurdle.
Derry Ladies have just one more hurdle to clear before securing a place in an All Ireland Final, After beating London on Sunday (3rd Aug 08). Derry have topped their group and will play the second placed team of group two in the All Ireland semi final (which may be Antrim if Wicklow beat Offaly on Sun 10th). The game against London was a hard fought battle, which was to be expected. Derry had beaten London on their last encounter and this proud London team where out to even the score. The game took place at Glen,s Watty Grahams pitch Maghera.  Derry opened the score with a point (Ursula Mullan) and a goal (Shauna McCallion) in the third minute. With end to end play London came back with 2 points and a goal by the 10th minute. Managers on both teams paced the side lines scrutinising their teams and shouting instructions and encouragement, for the Derry management of  Boyle and McCallan this was home turf and pride was at stake in front of the local supporters. With several more points from both sides the half time score read Derry 1-6 ,  London 1-8.
With only two points in it, management on both sides where asking their players to dig deep, having played and watch London in previous matches the Derry management and team were aware of Londons fitness and never say die attitude. This game was a great show of the Derry teams character, the girls played hard and fair and showed all the requirements needed to go all the way to the final. The second half was as tense as the first, again with very little in it and both teams racking up a total of 10 points each, it was the two second half goals (Ashlene Kealey and Shauna McCallion)for Derry that secured the game. Final Score Derry 3-10, London 1-10.

Next game . All Ireland Semi Final-
Derry v 2nd place of Group 2 (time and venue TBC. 31st Aug or 7th Sept)

Derry Squad

1.Breigeen Cassidy 2.Nuala Doherty 3.Naula O’Hagan  4.Naomi McMullan
5.Dervla McMaster 6.Una Harkin 7.Emma Doherty 8.Mary Angela Conway
9.Clodagh Gormley 10.Ursula Mullan (0-2) 11.Kathy Conway (0-1)
12.Ashleen Kealey (1-1) 13.Louise Glass 14.Shauna McCallion (2-4)
15.Shauna Vallely (0-2)

16.Emma Kelly 17.Clare Lagan18. Breige Convery 19.Claire Doherty
20.JulieMcLaughlin 21.Aine McCusker 22.Ashlene Moore

23.Michelle McAteer 24.Sinead Barker