No separating the teams in a fantastic game at Pearse Og Park!!

NWP Recycling Ulster Minor Championship Semi Final

Down vs Armagh

Down 3:09 Armagh 3:09

Down travelled to Pearse Og Park, Armagh in the Semi-Final of the Ulster Championship over the weekend. The Down ladies opened the scoring when a good pass from Aine Fearon was placed into the hands of Neisha McCullough who sent the ball over the bar. Armagh responded with a Shannon Kelly ball being placed into the Down forward line. Under pressure the Down defence opted to push the ball out over the end line to give a 45 metre free. The free dropped short and resulted in a few crossed balls from corner to corner by the Armagh forwards until Hannah Hughes finished it off with a point.

Armagh’s Aimee Brennan joined the action netting a goal for the Orchard County. A superb strike by Ciara Hill put the Armagh ladies into the lead on a score-line of 1-2 to 2points. Neisha McCullough closed the gap with her accurate free taking notching her up another point. Down’s Petrina Lively made a good attack on goal only for Armagh’s goal keeper Ciarrrai Devlin to get a touch on the ball to send it over the bar. Armagh’s Aimee Brennan responded with a point for Armagh. The speed of Armagh’s Ciara Hill was proving problematic for Down as she made a run for goal but was denied by a good save from Lauren Clarke. Hill was not content and had another go at a score settling for a point this time. Points were exchanged at both ends before Down’s corner forward Eimear Rushe made a run unchallenged from 40 metres to rattle the back of the Armagh net. Down now trailed by 1 point. Armagh suffered a blow just before half time as Hannah Hughes retired injured. A carefully placed puck out from goal fell straight into the hand of Down’s Deirbhile Magee who pucked it into Petrina Lively who put it safely over the bar. Armagh responded with two points of their own before Neisha McCullough put another 45metre free over the bar to close the gap to one point at the half time interval.

Down started well in the second half when clever play from Petrina Lively resulted in a hop ball being put over the bar. Aine Fearon then got another point for Down putting them ahead for the first time since the opening score of the game. A backward pass from the Down girls in the middle of the park was intercepted by speedy Ciara Hill who punished the mistake, netting a great goal for Armagh. Points again were exchanged at both ends and a great point from Petrina Lively closed the gap to Armagh 2-07 Down 1-09. A long range free from Down’s Dearbhla Magee landed in the heart of the Armagh defence. A bit of a tussle ensued but it was Down’s Naoimh McDowell who managed to get the ball lifted and despite being closed down by the Armagh defence, managed to get a hand onto the ball to pass it into the back of the net. Down again trailed by one point.

Ciara Hill once again made a run at the Down defence only to be closed down by Clare Greenan and Deidre McCabe. The ball was returned to the Down forwards where Eimear Rushe made another play on goal only for goalie Ciarrai Devlin to pull off a great save. Down’s Neisha McCullough made another attempt on goal only for Ciarrai Devlin to pull off another great save really saving Armagh when Down were applying pressure. A Down free from 50 metres out was mishit and Armagh responded with Leah McGoldrick breaking up the field and feeding the ball to sharp shooter Ciara Hill who sent the ball over the bar to level the game. With 5 minutes left to play Armagh cleared the ball from their own defence and quickly overturned the Down defence to produce a spectacular goal from Gemma McCann. Into injury time and the Down girls hadn’t given up when they were awarded a 20 metre free from a foul on the ball in the Armagh defence. Despite having a line with seven Armagh defenders on it, Neisha McCullough took her free of the day and rattled the back of the Armagh net to bring it all level.

The last play of the game saw Dearbhla Magee from Down make an impressive run from the Down defence into the Armagh centre half back line and took a shot for a point. An Armagh defender got a touch on the hurl to deflect the ball and it bounced off the post. The final whistle followed meaning the girls would have to come back to do it again another day. This was a fabulous game with some super scores from both teams but without errors on both teams. Down will be eager to give Armagh a good game with a full strength team in the replay as will Armagh who will hope Ciara Hughes will be back from injury.

Down: L Clarke, D McCabe, C Byrne, N McBurney, C Caldwell, D Magee, C Greenan, N McDowell (1-00), L Wilson, A Fearon (0-01), N McCullough (1-04), S Murphy (0-01), P Lively (0-03), A Rogan, E Rushe (1-00) Subs: N Quinn, E Fitzpatrick

Armagh: C Devlin, M Smyth (0-02), C Hill (1-03), A Kane, M McKee, L McGoldrick, E McGuigan, O Vallelly, S Kelly, G McCann (1-00), E Smyth, H Hughes (0-01), A Brennan (1-03), D Heavin

Many Thanks to Down PRO Grainne Coulter for the pictures and report.