Louth Ladies go down to Tyrone

Louth
Ladies debut ends with defeat to Tyrone in first
round of Division 1 Suzuki Ladies National Football
League

Louth Ladies made their debut in the Division
1 National League on Sunday 14th November 2004
when they met Tyrone in Noamh Malachi’s pitch
in Louth. Louth appeared to have bounced back
from the earlier championship defeats as they
got off to a great start with a goal scored by
Nuala White in the first two minutes of the game.
Louth were unlucky not to have two goals at this
stage as an earlier attempt by Ann Marie Murphy
came off the cross bar. Louth were putting Tyrone
under pressure and this was evident as Tyrone
had three wides, one after the other. However,
Tyrone soon found their scoring boots and really
put the wee county under pressure. Tyrone then
went on to put two goals and five points on the
score board without reply from Louth. Louth regained
control of the ball when Grace Lynch made a great
block in the half backs and moved the ball up
the field to Tara Lynch who was fouled. The resultant
free was taken by Ann Marie Murphy, who again
was unlucky to hit the cross bar. Louth kept the
ball in their scoring half and a Sharon Drumgoole
effort dropped short and again another goal chance
was missed by Louth. Tyrone further punished Louth’s
mistakes and a goal and a point from Tyrone put
them well ahead coming towards the interval. Half
back Grace Lynch made a great run up the field
and was unlucky not to have scored a point. Louth’s
Ann Marie Murphy converted a free to give to Louth
a point and Tyrone responded with a point just
on half time. At the interval the visitors were
ahead by 3-9 to Louth’s 1-1. It appeared to be
all over for the wee county girls.

In the second half Louth came out fighting and
for the first 10 minutes of the second half, the
Tyrone backs were really under pressure as Nuala
White and Ann Marie Murphy combined to give Louth
a goal and a point. Mary Maloney was replaced
by Ciara Raftery and Roisin Hanlon was replaced
by Rosena Heaney. Missed chances for Louth included
a free missed by Sharon Drumgoole, a point by
Trisha Marmion and Nuala White was unlucky not
to have had a hat-trick when the ball dropped
short and into the hands of the Tyrone goalie.
Majella Agnew then replaced Trisha Marmion and
Marie Brennan replaced Sharon Drumgoole who went
off injured. In the last few minutes, Nuala White
was replaced by Jennifer Mulligan who added her
name to the score board by scoring a point. Tara
Lynch earned herself two points in the last few
minutes of the game, together with Vikki McGinn
who also scored a point. However, it was all too
little too late for the Louth team as the Tyrone
girls had taken their chances and had clocked
up the scores in the first half to somehow leave
the game beyond the reach of Louth. Tyrone scored
1-2 in the second half to Louth’s 1-5. The Louth
team showed great determination in the game and
never gave up and players such as Grace Lynch,
Vikki McGinn and Ann Marie Murphy gave it their
all on the day. It may have been a different game
had Louth scored the missed chances in the first
half and early in the second half. This game will
have given Louth a feel for Division 1 football
and will have allow the managers and the team
to regroup and come out stronger in the next game.

Scorers: Nuala White 2-0 Ann Marie Murphy 0-2
Tara Lynch 0-2 Jennifer Mulligan 0-1 Vikki McGinn
0-1
Team: 1. Lynn Savage, 2. Karen Raftery,
3. Lorraine Burns, 4. Ann Marie Lynch, 5. Mary
Maloney, 6. Grace Lynch, 7. Jenny Agnew, 8. Orlaith
Kirk, 9. Vikki Mc Ginn, 10. Trisha Marmion, 11.
Sharon Drumgoole, 12. Tara Lynch, 13. Nuala White,
14. Ann Marie Murphy, 15. Roisin Hanlon