Jackies off to winning start in league

Sun, 29th January 2017

At the home of Naomh Mearnóg, hosts Dublin beat Monaghan by 1-7 to 0-5, in what was Mick Bohan’s first competitive game in charge of the Sky Blues.

Olivia Leonard’s second half goal proved crucial for Dublin, who had a three-point haul from Sarah McCaffrey.

At the end of a low-scoring first half, Dublin led by 0-4 to 0-3 before the hosts turned the screw to run out five-point winners against the Ulster champions with Noelle Healy getting selected as Player of the Match.

Both side’s defensive units were on top form from the outset with scores very hard to come by for either set of forwards.

Monaghan’s All Star forward Ciara McAnespie registered the game’s opening score in the 10th minute, followed soon after with two further scores by Cora Courtney and Caoimhe Mohan, moving Monaghan into a 0-03 to nil lead.

The home side responded well tagging on four unanswered points to take a slim one point lead into the dressing room at half time. Dublin’s points coming from Sarah McCaffrey (12th, 30th min) Nicole Owens (28th min) and new Dublin Captain Sinead Aherne (31st min).

Dub’s midfielder Lauren Magee was sent to the sin bin just before the break (29th min) for a clumsy challenge on Monaghan’s Cora Courtney. Half time score Dublin 0-04 Monaghan 0-03.

The half-time talk seemed to do Dublin good as they started the second half with more purpose, stringing some good moves together and moving the ball well out of defence.

In the opening minute of the second half, Dublin got the break they needed to shrug off the Monaghan challenge. A well worked goal from Olivia Leonard giving the home side a 1-04 to 0-3 cushion. Leonards shot across the face of Catriona McKenna’s goal hitting the far post and into the Monaghan net.

Monaghan received another blow five minutes later when they lost full back Josephine McKenna to the sin bin for a high challenge on Dublin full forward, Lyndsey Davey.

Dublin added to their second half tally with points coming courtesy of Davey (31st min, 58th min), McCaffrey (36thmin) with Courtney sisters Rosemary (40th min) and Sharon (51st min) responding for the Farney County.

Dublin boss, Mick Bohan handed out senior league debuts today to Kate McKenna, Tarah O’Sullivan, Kelli Taite, Aoife Kane and Hannah O’Neill, an indication of the battle within the current panel to nail down first team places.

Next Sunday Dublin are on the road to the Kingdom for a second round game versus Kerry. The game will be played in Castleisland Desmonds club ground, throw in time to be confirmed.

SCORERS – Dublin: Olivia Leonard 1-0, Sarah McCaffrey 0-3, Lyndsey Davey 0-2, Nicole Owens, Sinead Aherne 0-1. Monaghan: Ciara McAnespie, Cora Courtney, Caoimhe Mohan, Rosemary Courtney, Sharon Courtney 0-1 each.

DUBLIN: Emer Ni Eafa, Fiona Hudson, Olwen Carey, Aoife Curran, Martha Byrne, Noelle Healy, Tarah O’Sullivan, Sarah McCaffrey, Lauren Magee, Siobhan Woods, Olivia Leonard, Nicole Owens, Rebecca McDonnell, Lyndsey Davey, Niamh McEvoy. Subs: Kate McKenna for McDonnell, Sinead Aherne for McEvoy, Molly Lamb for Woods, Niamh Collins for O’Sullivan, Kelli Taite for Leonard, Aoife Kane for Curran, Hannah O’Neill for McCaffrey.

MONAGHAN: Catriona McKenna, Rachel McKenna, Josephine Fitzpatrick, Lianne Ward, Aoife McAnespie, Sharon Courtney, Grainne McNally, Cora Courtney, Eimear McAnespie, Shauna Coyle, Ellen McCarron, Muireann Atkinson, Ciara McAnespie, Caoimhe Mohan, Rebecca McKenna.

Cora Staunton scored 1-8 but couldn’t prevent defeat for Mayo against Connacht rivals Galway on the opening day of the Lidl Ladies National Football League campaign.

Roisin Leonard scored 2-4 for Galway as they ran out 2-8 to 1-10 winners in Swinford, as Mayo’s returning trio of Staunton, Martha Carter and Yvonne Byrne were all drafted into the starting line-up.

At half-time, Galway had a 1-6 to 1-3 lead, with Leonard and Staunton trading goals in this Division 1 clash.

Leonard netted an ice-cool penalty before Staunton replied for Mayo with a goal direct from a 20m free, taking the Galway defenders by surprise with a stunning effort.

But Leonard’s second half goal, to cap a fine team move, proved crucial as Galway got their campaign off to a winning start against last year’s beaten finalists.

Galway missed some good chances to make the game a little more comfortable and Staunton, who bagged 1-5 of her haul from frees, was unlucky not to win it for Mayo at the death when she fisted an effort just over the crossbar.

Elsewhere, defending League and All-Ireland champions Cork were big winners against Munster rivals Kerry in Mallow.

The Rebelettes won by 5-17 to 1-11 to kick-start their season in impressive fashion.

By half-time, Cork had the game effectively wrapped up, having opened up a 4-10 to 0-9 lead.

Ciara O’Sullivan netted a first half brace of goals for Cork, striking in the eighth and 19th minutes, as Orla Finn and Bríd O’Sullivan also raised green flags for the in-form winners.

Kerry’s goal arrived early in the second half, Amanda Brosnan on target, before Eimear Scally’s scored Cork’s fifth goal midway through the half.

Kerry did have a good contribution from their inside line of Sarah Houlihan, Megan O’Connell and Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh, with eight of their nine points scored from play, but Cork were too good.

Cork captain Ciara O’Sullivan finished with a personal haul of 2-3 and Finn, one of the game’s most lethal forwards in 2016, collected 1-4 to get her season off to a good start.

Even without their four 11-time All-Ireland senior medallists – Deirdre O’Reilly, Bríd Stack, Rena Buckley and Briege Corkery – Cork showed real depth in their panel and having struggled in the early stages of last year’s League campaign, this opening-day win is a real statement of intent from Ephie Fitzgerald’s charges.

And in Convoy, Donegal marked their return to the top flight by scoring a 4-10 to 0-11 victory against Ulster rivals Armagh.

Paula McGrory netted two first half goals before Amber Barrett and Roisin Friel raised green flags in the second half.

At half-time, Donegal were 2-4 to 0-4 in front before stamping their authority all over the second period.

Armagh had a six-point haul from forward star Aimee Mackin, including four from play, but they were outclassed by Donegal.

In Division 2, Laois edged past neighbours Kildare by 2-11 to 2-9 and there were also wins for Westmeath and Tyrone on the opening day.

Munster counties Clare and Waterford drew and the Banner girls will be the happier with the result as Waterford had raced into an early six-point lead.

Leitrim, Tipperary, Roscommon and Meath opened their Division 3 seasons with victories and in Division 4, there were wins for Longford, Fermanagh, Wicklow and Carlow.

Lidl Ladies National Football League Division 1:

Donegal 4-10 Armagh 0-11

Cork 5-17 Kerry 1-11

Dublin 1-7 Monaghan 0-5

Mayo 1-10 Galway 2-8

Lidl Ladies National Football League Division 2:

Laois 2-11 Kildare 2-9

Westmeath 1-9 Cavan 2-4

Clare 1-9 Waterford 2-6

Tyrone 1-14 Sligo 1-10

Lidl Ladies National Football League Division 3:

Leitrim 5-5 Limerick 0-8