Sarah McCaffrey earns draw for battling Jackies

Sun, 8th February 2015

Tesco Home Grown NFL Rd 2

Sunday February 8^th 2015

Dublin 1-12 Galway 2-09

Tuam Stadium

There was a major doubt that the TESCO Home Grown NFL Rd 2 meeting of Dublin and Galway would proceed on Sunday afternoon in Tuam as the Connacht venue was surrounded in a blanket of dense fog.

Sligo official Gus Chapman did eventually let proceedings get under way ten minutes later than the scheduled throw in time, despite the presence of the lingering fog.

To their credit Galway and Dublin went on to produce a tremendous exciting game of football playing out a hard fought draw.

Dublin took a one point lead into the dressing room at half time despite being hit for two first half goals by veteran Galway forward Edel Concannon.

Dublin had replied well to Concannon’s first goal with St Sylvester's full forward Niamh McEvoy netting for the blues in the 17^th minute.

Galway received a major boost in the third minute of the second half when Niamh McEvoy’s penalty free kick was stopped on the line by Johanna Connolly.

The penalty kick was awarded as Eabha Rutledge had been pulled down in the small square.

2004 All Ireland winning captain Annette Clarke kept her team in the game throughout the second half with some excellent free taking, bagging five points in total from dead balls.

Roisin Leonard who had started as a late replacement for Lucy Hannon edged her team ahead in the 28^th minute while Clarke pushed Galway further in front with a 29^th minute free.

Gregory McGonigle’s side reacted superbly with a Carla Rowe converted free to leave a single point between the sides. As the game edged well into injury team up stepped Dublin midfielder Sarah McCaffrey, sister of Dublin senior footballer Jack, to nail her second point of the day and clinch a well deserved draw for the travelling Dubs.

Dublin’s next game in the TESCO Home Grown NFL will be a home tie against Mayo on February 22.

Dublin: 1 Ciara Trant (St Brigid's), 2 Muireann Ní Scanaill (St Margaret’s), 3 Sorcha Furlong (St Brigid's), 4 Olwen Carey (Thomas Davis), 5 Sinead Goldrick (Foxrock Cabinteely), 6 Lucy Collins (Na Fianna), 7 Sinead Finnegan (Fingallians), 8 Amy Connolly (Foxrock Cabinteely), 9 Sarah McCaffrey (Clontarf), 10 Hannah Noonan (Foxrock Cabinteely), 11 Lyndsey Davey – Captain (Skerries Harps), 12 Carla Rowe (Clann Mhuire), 13 Eabha Rutledge (Kilmacud Crokes), 14 Niamh McEVoy (St Sylvester’s), 15 Kim Flood (Clanna Gael Fontenoy). Subs: Nicole Owens for Noonan, Niamh Rickard for Flood, Leah Mullins for McEvoy

Dublin Scorers: Carla Rowe 0-5 (4F), Niamh McEvoy 1-01, Sarah McCaffrey 0-2, Lyndsey Davey 0-1 (1f), Lucy Collins 0-1(1f), Sinead Finnegan, Nicole Owens 0-01 each

Galway: 1 Johanna Connolly, 2 Fabienne Cooney, 3 Noelle Connolly, 4 Aine Seoighe, 5 Ger Conneally, 6 Emer Flaherty, 7 Sinead Burke, 8 Annette Clarke, 9 Maria Hoey, 10 Olivia Divilly, 11 Louise Ward, 12 Barbara Hannon, 13 Roisin Leonard, 14 Tracy Leonard, 15 Edel Concannon

Galway Scorers: Edel Concannon 2-00, Annette Clare 0-05(5f), Roisin Leonard 0-02, Maria Hoey, Tracy Leonard 0-1 each.

Referee: Gus Chapman (Sligo)