Six of the best as Bridge down Loman's

St Mary's, Rochfortbridge 6-7, St Loman's, Mullingar 3-14

Nine goals hit the net in a thriller that saw St Mary’s, Rochfortbridge ladies overcome St Loman’s, Mullingar in the senior football championship last Thursday evening. Substitutes Lisa Cully and Catríona Dunne both got in on the act in front of a decent crowd in Rochfortbridge.

With both teams coming out of the traps at lightning speed, the strong start by St Loman’s did not sustain as crucial scores at key times for the Bridge saw them over the line. All of the scoring drama was entrenched among yellow cards, a missed penalty, and some sideline debates with the official. Ciarán Kilmurray’s team scored first with two from Katie Kilmurray and a single from Evie Kilmurray. The Bridge opened their account through Emma Collins’ free, but the reply was swift as Katie Kilmurray found the net for Loman’s.

Still inside the opening minutes, Rochfortbridge hit the net at the other end as Nicola Judge managed to raise the green flag with an audacious effort from an acute angle. Ava Balfe added another point as the game never seemed to slow down. Loman’s simply continued to burst out of defence at every chance and the next minutes brought more points from Katie Kilmurray (two), Vicky Carr, and Caoimhe Kilmurray – the midfield duo really making their impact on the game.

Rochfortbridge did not seem phased, however, and hit back with some inspirational scores. Forwards, Orla Collins and Aoibhinn Berry, pointed in quick succession from either side to reduce the deficit to a point. Seconds later, Collins found herself in a patch of space and drove the ball to the roof of the net to put the Bridge 2-5 to 1-6. Approaching the break, Lucy McCartan was taken off injured but a nice point from the reliable Vicky Carr meant at the interval it was a tight affair with the Bridge just ahead, 2-5 to 1-7.

Catríona Dunne came on for Rochfortbridge at the break. Her first touch almost found the net but Loman’s keeper, Jane McKenna, did superbly to keep the ball out. The goal did eventually come as Elizabeth Carey’s looping shot hit the net.

As if the substitutes impacts weren’t strong already, Lisa Cully arrived and was no sooner on the pitch than she found her first goal. At the other end, replacement, Aileen Martin, rifled a loose rebound to the net to reduce arrears.

The experienced defender soon found herself on the line with twenty to go for what was deemed to be a high challenge – in real time, the call seemed harsh.

Cully then hit a second goal to make it 5-6 to 2-7. Loman’s points from Katie and Caoimhe Kilmurray, Carr, and Breslin did make for a tense final few minutes as they went in search of levelling, or even winning, scores.

However, a sixth goal from another sub, Catríona Dunne, killed the fightback. Katie Kilmurray saw a penalty saved by keeper, Keira Kelly, as two more yellow cards came out for Ava Balfe and Aoife Kilcoyne. Another goal, this time for Loman’s, from Caoimhe Kilmurray, made for an interesting finale, but the Bridge stood firm

Scorers – St Mary’s Rochfortbridge: L Cully 2-0, O Collins, N Judge 1-1 each, A Balfe 0-3 (1f), E Carey, C Dunne 1-0 each, E Collins (f), A Berry 0-1 each.

St Loman’s: K Kilmurray 1-7 (3f), C Kilmurray 1-3 (1f), A Martin 1-0, V Carr 0-2, E Kilmurray, S Breslin 0-1 each.

St Mary’s Rochfortbridge: Keira Kelly; Dawn Wallace, Aoife Moran, Lucy Brogan; Michaela Brady, Fiona Coyle, Niamh Carey; Aoife Kilcoyne, Niamh McDermott; Emma Collins, Orla Collins, Elizabeth Carey; Ava Balfe, Nicola Judge, Aoibhinn Berry. Subs used: Catríona Dunne for Judge (h-t), Lisa Cully for E Carey (36), Jenny Whelehan for Brady (41), Kacey Geoghegan for E Collins (52), Caoimhe Darcy for Brogan (58).

St Loman’s: Jane McKenna; Eimear Doonan, Ella Daly, Ellen Kilmurray; Shauna Traynor, Lara McCartan, Sandra McGrath; Caoimhe Kilmurray, Vicky Carr; Annie Kilmurray, Lucy McCartan, Ciara Blundell; Evie Kilmurray, Shannon Breslin, Katie Kilmurray. Subs used: Aileen Martin for Lucy McCartan (inj., 29).

Referee: Paul McCaughey (Milltown).