Sister Acts send Ballinagleara a packing

Connacht Ladies Junior Championship Semi Final

Sister Acts send Ballinagleara a packing

Curry (Sligo) 5 – 13 Ballinagleara (Leitrim) 3 – 5

Curry – Sligo Ladies Junior Champions of 2007 – qualified for
their very first Connacht Club Final on Sunday last following
this fourteen point victory over Ballinagleara in Kilcoyne Park,
Tubbercurry. On a day borrowed from summer – what summer? – The
Leitrim Champions were hit with a double dose of sisters as first
the Marrens and then the Colleary’s ran riot. In that Final the
Sligo side will face either Kilbride of Roscommon or Miltown from
Galway on Sunday 21st October with the Green and White having
to travel. A week on from their County Final success and there
appears to be no stopping the Ladies Football folk in Curry from
winning. The previous week they had to come out in the second
half, dig deep for a victory – that they did – this time out and
apart from a brief 90 seconds in the opening period some 5 minutes
in, they were never behind and to be fair once Rebecca Colleran
finished the ball to the net in the opening minute of the second
half, there was only ever going to be one winner. A stiff breeze
blew towards the Ox Mountains with Curry having first use off.

Some twenty seconds in and they hit the front as Grainne Colleary
took a pass from Therese Marren and promptly pointed. The winners
then were off target with 2 attempts as both Therese and Aoife
Marren were wide of the mark. From virtually their first attack
of the Ballinagleara scored their opening goal. Curry keeper Sheena
Feehily would have nightmares of it had Curry lost by it as she
allowed a simple shot from Ailish Cornyn through her hands and
into the net. The same player was off target for the losers a
minute later. From the 7th minute on the Curry began to pick up
heat as they would outscore their opponents by 2 – 8 to 1 – 0
up to half time.

Aoife Marren set the ball a rolling with a goal from a lob that
deceived the keeper. Then it was time for sister Therese to turn
on her power and prove why she was vote Connacht Young Player
of the year back in 2004 – it hard to believe its that long ago,
considering she is still a minor – as she reeled off no less than
seven points in a row. Two of which were from frees while two
others were of the top drawer variety. At the other end Maria
McDonagh – who had an outstanding game – and Helen White were
making sure their opponents Full Forward line would do no damage
while Ann Marie Colleran and Niamh Gallagher were doing like wise
in the half back line. Off coarse their opponents were without
Letrim Net-minder Louise Loughlin but that hardly matter as Curry
were in no mood to let this game slip. Ciard Doyle knocked over
point no nine as she blocked a clearance out of defence and from
all of 45 meters out the ball sailed between the posts. A minute
into stoppage time and surely a contender for goal of the season
as Johanne Kennedy laid on a ball for Aoife Marren. The younger
Marren just turned and let fly, the net rattled even before the
Keeper realized the ball had left Aoife’s possession. Normally
its scores like these that settle games and send them in the direction
of their outcome as did this one.

The only disappointment about the score was there was no camera
there to catch it. As the clock ticked into the fourth minute
of injury time, Ballinagleara were awarded a penalty which at
the time could have been as much a free out as it was a penalty.
Ailish Cornyn duly dispatched the spot kick as the teams headed
for the dressing rooms at the break with the Sligo Champions nine
to the good. Into the second half, the winners picked up where
they left off as a free from Therese Marren dropped into the box,
the keeper dropped the ball, like a fox raid on a hen house Rebecca
Colleran reacted quickest finishing the ball to the net to give
Curry a dream start against the breeze. Over the next two minutes
Tara McGovern and Ciara McPartland grabbed a point and goal respectively
to cut the gap back to eight points. Mention of sister acts enter
one Roisin Colleary to join sister Grainne. It was Grainne who
scored the next two points to send Curry into a double figure
lead again by the 8th minute. The first of these came from distance
while the second was as a result of winning the resulting kickout
and returning it with interest over the crossbar. In the 12th
minute Ailish Cornyn converted a free to narrow the gap only for
Graine Colleary to hit back almost immediately for Curry. Minutes
late Cornyn sent over another free only for another Colleary response
from Curry, this time from the younger Roisin as she flicked a
ball over from a Ciara Doyle delivery.

Once again Ailish Cornyn sent over for the losers only for a response
from the winners accept this time it was a bullet to the net from
Roisin Colleary following a Johanne Kennedy lay off in the 21st
minute. Seconds later Kennedy was sent to the sin bin for what
looked like next to nothing, the referee issuing the card as two
players more collided than were fouling in race for the ball.
With the clock ticking into injury time Grainne Colleary cracked
the ball to the net to put the icing on the cake for Sligo Champions
and set them up for a first Connacht Final appearance in two weeks
time. Ailish Cornyn added a point from a free before the end,
but there was no stopping Curry who became the first Sligo side
since Geevagh back in 2004 to qualify for a Connacht Junior Club
Final. Prior to that Sligo Clubs enjoyed many a march to a Connacht
Junior Club Final with St Nathy’s twice in 1997 & 1999, Cloonacool
twice in 2000 & 2003, Ballymote in 2001 and St Mary’s in 2002
all playing on the big day with St Nathy’s (1999), Cloonacool
(2000) and Ballymote (2001) all winning the crown.

On current form Curry have the ability to join the latter 3.

Scorers Curry: Therese Marren 0 – 7, Grainne Colleary 1 – 4, Aoife
Marren 2 – 0, Roisin Colleary 1 – 1, Rebecca Colleran 1 – 0, Ciara
Doyle 0 – 1.

Scorers Ballinagleara: Ailish Cornyn 2 – 4, Ciara McPartland 1
– 0, Tara McGovern 0 – 1.

Curry: Curry: Sheena Feehily, Helen White, Maria Mc Donagh, Nikki
Howley, Claire Gallagher, Niamh Gallagher, Ann-marie Colleran,
Therese Marren, Ciara Doyle, Grainne Colleary, Johanne Kennedy,
Chloe Walsh, Aoife Marren, Rebecca Colleran, Claire Howley. Subs
used Roisin Colleary, Jackie Flemming, Sinead Howley, Michelle
Howley and Ann-marie Gallagher.

Ballinagleara: Linda McGourty, Marie Beirne, Catriona McCauley,
Yevette McGovern, Tanya McPartland, Mairead McCawley, Siobhan
McGovern, Ailish Cornyn, Tara McGovern, Carol Waters, Katie Gallagher,
Mary O’Rourke, Ciara McPartland, Clare Mullen, Sarah Loughlin.
Sub Rosaleen McHugh for McGourty (Injured 25 mins), McGourty for
McHugh (half time)

Referee: Seamus Regan (Roscommon)