Down Camog’s not back in full flow just yet!!

National League Division 2

Down vs Meath

Down 3-09 Meath 2-14

Down hosted Meath in their second match of the National League over the weekend. Down opened the scoring with a Catherine McGourty point from a free. Meath retaliated with an attempt on goal. Maria Mc Nally managed to clear her goal line only for Meath to have another attempt on goal which bounced and deflected into the back of the Down goal. Good exchanges took place all over the field with the ball being struck up and down the field and being defended well by both teams.

A long ball struck from midfield found Meath’s Jane Hackett who had snuck in behind the Down defence. Hackett punished this by rattling the back of the Down net. Meath were given another shot at goal when awarded a penalty but decided to put the ball safely over the bar. Down responded with a long range free from Derbhal Magee and a point from a Catherine McGourty free. A good series of passes from Derbhla Magee, to Cassie Fitzpatrick and then Dearbhla Savage resulted in Savage having an attempt on goal only to be denied by the Meath goalie. A Catherine McGourty free dropped into the square set Cassie Fitzpatrick up for a goal. Another two points from Catherine McGourty frees helped close the gap to two points going into the interval. Down closed the gap straight away with a point from a free and a long range point by Dearbhla Magee. Meath retaliated by stepping it up a gear and managed to get nine points clear of the Down girls.

Down were not to give up that easily and showed some steely determination in the last ten minutes when a Catherine Mc Gourty free fell into the hands of Niamh Mallon who dodged her way through the Meath defence to hand pass the ball into the back of the net. Fionnuala Carr closed the gap further with another goal. With minutes to the final whistle the ball was exchanged on both ends of the field and both teams defence having to defend well. Unfortunately for the Down girls the final whistle came too early for them to claw back the lead and they were denied a victory.

Thanks to Down Camogie PRO Grainne Coulter for the match report.