Navan O’Mahony’s 3-12
Clonard 2-16
Sport can be cruel sometimes and no more so than when a comeback falls agonisingly short. O’Mahony’s were down by eight points at half time and the young team showed great character to come back to within inches of progressing.
The visiting Clonard got off to a dream start, finding the net within thirty seconds of throw-in. Within half a minute, Lauren Woods split the posts at the opposite end of the pitch and thirty seconds later, Muireann Nelson found the net to give O’Mahony’s the lead.
It was short-lived however and Clonard did likewise at the astro-turf end three minutes later. Only one point separated the sides when Nelson converted a free, but it was Clonard who pushed on to kick five points on the trot.
Nelson then added another free but Clonard nullified this with two points from play in as many minutes. A Nelson score and an impressive point from Jorja Keogh after a good run narrowed the gap to five until the visitors had an impressive end to the half, kicking three points.
Navan O’Mahony’s 1-05
Clonard 2-10
Cara Ratty got her side going in the second half, kicking a point from play after less than two minutes. Nelson kicked a good free in the fifth minute, but four points from Clonard left ten between the sides with twenty minutes remaining.
A goal and a point from Nelson in a thirty-second period left O’Mahony’s six points in arrears and got the home crowd hoping again. While Clonard pointed from play, Ratty reduced the gap to four with a goal.
With five minutes remaining, the game was really in the balance following points from Woods and Nelson. Clonard, however, managed to keep the scoreboard ticking over and two late frees from Nelson left one between the sides. Try as they might, O’Mahony’s could not break through the Clonard defence to get the crucial equalising score and the visitors had the day.
This game was the third in a treble header of ladies football in Paddy O’Brien Park and a massive thanks to everyone who supported all three teams. Best of luck to Clonard in the remainder of the competition.
Navan O’Mahony’s
Lauren Patterson, Tara Gleeson, Aileen Falahee, Grace Cahill, Jorja Keogh (0-01), Deirdre Forde, Dayna Keogh, Alison O’Toole, Charlie Murray, Doireann Mellett, Lauren Woods (0-02), Milly Clarke Carolan, Chloe Duffy, Muireann Nelson (2-08), Cara Ratty (1-01)
Roisin Tobin for D Keogh, Alannah Brady for Cahill, Aoibhín Kielty for Mellett, Doireann Mellett for Clarke Carolan.
