Published on: 20-May-2010
Strong second half sees off the Garda
Parnells 3-13 Garda 1-5
After a strong performance in the first round of the intermediate championship last week against a young up and coming team St Margarets; Parnells were looking to back it up with another win against a Garda team that had been a thorn in their sides for previous years.
The first half was a tight physical game between the 2 teams as they always seem to be but the deadlock was broken with a beautiful long range point from Sinead Cumiskey. Parnells dominated the exchanges for the first 15 minutes with further points from the Dublin midfield duo of McEvoy and Peat. The Garda came back with 2 good points of their own and if it wasn't for some outstanding defending by Avril Cluxton and Vicki Ronning in the full back line the Garda could have reversed the early dominance. The Parnells half back line began to dominate on the breaking ball and drove forward creating some openings for the Nells forward line. For all of their endeavour, little dividends came as a result and the Nells were restricted to a further 3 points by a determined Garda rear-guard.
HT score: Parnell 0-6 Garda 0-4
The Nells belles started the 2nd half as they meant business with some early points from Hannon and Peat. Following some fantastic interplay between the Niamh McEvoy, Laura Flannery and Cumiskey the ball was placed in the hands of Peat bursting through from midfield like she was drilling for oil and who dually finished the ball neatly into the bottom corner of the net. The goal seemed to open the floodgates with everyone looking to get in on the scoring action. Further points from Hannon and Peat again kept the Nells out of touch from the Garda. The dominance around the middle 3rd from the McEvoy clan ably assisted by new recruit Eimear Fitzpatrick and Claire Morgan helped maintain the strangle hold on the game. The Nells put the game out of reach with an exquisite long range point from Morgan followed an instinctive flicked goal by Kennedy. The Garda never gave up hope and their strong midfield pairing and full forward stafford tried to drag them back from the brink. But after conceding 1-1 the Nells backline shut up shop for the evening and stood firm. Scoring was finished off by a beautifully left footed point from substitute Beirnes.
Overall this was a strong performance from the whole panel of players who are looking to march on in this championship.
FT score: Parnells 3-13 Garda 1-5
Team: Emma Merrigan, Aoife McEvoy, Avril Cluxton, Vicki Ronning, Sinead McEvoy, Sandra McEvoy, Eimear Fitzpatrick, Lindsay Peat, Niamh McEvoy, Suzanne Hannon, Sinead Cumiskey, Laura Flannery, Claire Morgan, Leanne May, Ruth Kennedy
Subs: Jeanette Beirnes for Leanne May (52), Helena McMackin for Eimear Fitzpatrick (55), Laoighse Savage for Ruth Kennedy (55)
Scorers: Lindsay Peat 2-5, Ruth Kennedy 1-1, Sinead Cumiskey, Suzanne Hannon 0-2 Each, Niamh McEvoy, Claire Morgan, Jeanette Beirnes 0-1 each