Navan O’Mahony’s 4-16
Oldcastle 0-10
On a fine summery evening in Paddy O’Brien Park, Navan O’Mahony’s secured their place in the knockout stages of the SFC with a convincing win over Oldcastle.
Two scores came within the opening minute, one from Megan Collins and the other from Tara Fay. Oldcastle sprung into action quickly however, and by the five-minute mark the sides were level once again. Olivia Callan kicked a free from a narrow angle in the sixth minute to give O’Mahony’s a narrow lead.
A four minute spell from the tenth to the fourteenth minute effectively sealed the game for O’Mahony’s. This started when Collins rattled the net twice in as many minutes and Calla added a third within seconds. Immediately afterwards, Orlaith Mallon added a point to leave eleven points between the sides.
Oldcastle broke the momentum with another point at the opposite end of the pitch, but Mallon soon added another. This repeated itself in the following minute, with Oldcastle and Mallon adding a point apiece. Callan and Collins added points in quick succession before Oldcastle kicked three points in a row. Further scores could have came for the visitors only for an impressive save by Rebecca Crowley and a textbook block by Denise McGrath. A Collins point was the last kick of the half, leaving twelve between the sides.
Navan O’Mahony’s 3-09
Oldcastle 0-06
The second half was a lot slower to get started, with the scoreboard operator unoccupied for the first eight minutes.
O’Mahony’s then enjoyed a strong five-minute spell when Callan scored the first score of the half. Mallon followed shortly afterwards and Ailbhe Leahy and McGrath added their names to the scoresheet.
Oldcastle enjoyed their best spell of the half midway through, kicking three points in two minutes. This was broken by a Leahy shot at goal, which the Oldcastle netminder deflected over the bar.
The game was over as a contest when Oldcastle kicked their last score of the game in the twentieth minute, while Collins kicked her side’s last point in the twenty-third. The final score seemed to be settled going into injury time, but Mallon had something to say about that, firing home a late goal to see out the game.
Navan O’Mahony’s
Rebecca Crowley, Sarah Maguire, Sophia Fitzherbert, Hannah Heskin, Laoise McDermott, Ailbhe Leahy (0-03), Eimear Fay, Rebecca Reilly, Robyn Murray, Denise McGrath (0-01), Tara Fay (0-01), Orlaith Mallon (1-04), Megan Collins (2-04), Olivia Callan (1-03)
Isabel Thorpe for McDermott, Neasa McDermott for Reilly, Lilly Dwyer for Murray.
