Senior Ladies -v -Creggan

Sun 18th June 2006
St Brigids 4 – 5 ;Creggan 4 – 4.
The width of a cigarette paper was all that separated these two teams at the end of a tense and well fought game of football. The cooler conditions on Sunday evening seemed to suit everyone on the pitch but those on the sidelines still managed to get a bit hot under the collar as the heat of battle intensified and the contest reached its climax. Where the home side seemed to be well in control at the half way mark with a healthy 3 goal lead, the winner was only put over in the dying seconds after a valiant rally by the visitors.
Two early points from Anna Finnegan and Catherine Mullan settled the St Brigids and settled the pattern for the first half. Creggan started to make inroads in the middle which required some shoring up and personnel changes, mainly due to sickness. Sophie Curran stabilized the centre, allowing an ailing Ciara Loughran to move forward and leaving room for Sarah Mc Guckian to operate slightly in front .A returning – to – fitness Orla Montague played the illusive “Owen Hargreaves role” as holding player at centre half but the real revelation was the all-running, all-jumping, all-new full back Helen Keenan. Her ability to see and then snuff out danger, aided by her two wing men Eimear McKenna and Bronagh Mc Kendry, kept the visitors to 2 points in the first half. The fluidity of the full back line more than matched the mobile half back line, which led to some very attractive play from the back to link into the marauding forward line. Indeed the runs of centre forward Catherine Mullan caused excitement every time she took possession at speed. She was ably assisted by Anna Finnegan and between them these two put all St Brigids scores on the board by half time. The Simpsons might have the “Itchy and Scratchy Show” but we had” the Catherine and Anna Show”.
Half Time :- St Brigids 3-2 : Creggan 0-2.
Creggan came out in the second half determined to take advantage of the slope down towards the river and to make the score more reflective of their play and possession. For the home side had not been as dominant as the score suggested at that point and the final denouement really summed up the tone of the game. Points from each side kept things moving along but then Creggan hit 2 unanswered goals to pull things around. Sophie Curran, now in the half forward line, put over a long-range point only for the visitors to plant another goal in the net. A further point, and goals from each side saw the clock tick into the 90th minute with the sides even.
Aoife Montague had battled away all afternoon taking, holding and playing off ball in her usual effective and efficient manner. Even when she doesn’t score [which is unusual] her contribution to team play is second to none. Having run herself into the ground she stepped aside to allow Catherine McAuley to take on that thankless but not unnoticed role .Her layoff to an advancing Catherine Mullan was just right and the final point sailed over just seconds before the final whistle.
9 scores to 8 scores.4 goals a piece. 9 wides to the Blue and Golds. There’s lies, damned lies, and stastistics. Some game; some statistics.