Roscommon
L.G.F.C. Match Reports
In damp conditions with sporadic
rain a feature, the sides shared opening points before Roscommon's hopes of
glory were boasted nine minutes into the contest when a Sharon McGovern goal
saw her side take an early three point advantage. The goal was an
opportunist effort after lively center forward Sarah Sharkey's wide looking
shot found McGovern on the edge of the square and she palmed to the net for a
well taken goal. Roscommon were flying high and began to dominate the remainder
of the first quarter with their center field paring of Louise Brett and Emma
Burns providing a plentiful supply upfront.
Soon after, deadly free taker, Brett pushed Roscommon four points clear with
Shamrocks needing scores to get back in the game. These arrived on the 19th
minute with a great score by Angie Callaghan and another white flag followed
from Leaha Purcell. Brett for Roscommon shot over a
free before the end of the half to see her side deservedly ahead by three
points on a scoreline of 1-03 to 0-3.
Roscommon franked their first half performance when again they dominated on the
restart when popping over 4 unanswered points with two frees from Brett while
McGovern and Aine Murphy got in for a brace. Shamrocks
had a long way to come back from a 7 point deficit. They upped gear when
landing two points on the trot from wing forward Ann Dogherty
approaching the final quarter but they still trailed by 2 goals. With
Shamrocks needing goals in the worst possible way, they nearly conceded one
when Maggie Murphy hit the crossbar and over, but she really should have goaled
as the keeper was the only one left to beat.
Roscommon pushed again and added two more points with 10 minutes left to play
and the champions down by 7 were all but finished. With Roscommon dominating
the final few minutes they had the luxury of shooting three wides in a row
before both sides shared white flags to finish the scoring. Roscommon's midfield all through were on top while center back Gemma Fay held the center very well. Upfront center
forward Sarah Sharkey was at the heart of everything, while Sharon McGovern was
a constant threat with good work also from the Roscommon full forward unit who
were able to get the scores when needed. A deserved final win for Roscommon
then over a Shamrocks side that could not match them at midfield, and never
looked as if they could retain their title.
A tight affair all through saw a
very determined Roscommon fire over two injury time points to finally see off
an equally spirited and gallant Tir na N'og
who just fell short in the end. The conditions for this Ladies Senior Football
semi final was very wet underfoot as heavy over night rains left parts of the
main field rather soggy and so this didn't make for the ideal setting. The
sides were tied after 10 minutes at two points a piece before Roscommon sent
over from a placed ball expertly taken by midfielder and
It was a close game up to now with neither side dominating. However, the last
quarter of the first saw improvement from the Roscommon girls when their
attacking unit worked efficiently hitting three unanswered points to edge into
a two point lead at the break. Brett for Roscommon stretched the lead to three
soon after the restart but Tir came right back into
things when live wire Maz Sweeney let fly from close
range and even though keeper Caroline Twomey saved,
it sneaked out of her grasp and into the net.This
happening brought the Tir support to life but
Roscommon weren't about to collapse and by the 17th minute had added a further
two points from Sharon McGovern and Aine Murphy to
stay two in front.
Tir were starting to press hard but Roscommon's
defense was holding out well under intense pressure. Into the last 5
minutes Tir na
No'g were rewarded a brace of frees and sent over
efficiently to to level the sides. The last few
minutes were hectic. Excitement at every kick and
movement, with each side being roared at very muggy
The last time these two met
Shamrocks edged their rivals out in thrilling fashion however, Roscommon this
time got sweet revenge as they completely outplayed their rivals for a very
easy win. It was one way traffic right from the off with Roscommon shooting 1-1
inside 5 minutes, full forward Regina Finnegan hit the goal, with Shamrocks yet
to get on the board. Roscommon looked eager and by the 10th minute had added
another 1-02, this time Aine Murphy palmed the
goal effort, while lively midfielder, Louise Brett shot a brace of frees.
Shamrocks were making no progress upfront. A solid Roscommon
defense gave little room in which to maneuver and was led impressively by Gemma Fahey at center back. So, 2-03 Roscommon, 0-0
Shamrocks after 12 minutes and Shamrocks were in real trouble. Sharon McGovern pointed,
Murphy did likewise and Roscommon now ahead by 11 points were flying and
Shamrocks in disarray. Finally the champions got on the board with an Angie
Callaghan point, however, after good pressure in
attack, a penalty was awarded to Roscommon in the 26th minute which Erin McGirr slotted home with expertise.
Disaster for Shamrocks. Shamrocks did manage a late
brace of white flags but so did Roscommon and indeed they were controlling
things all over the field by the break, with Louisa Brett and Emma Burns doing
well at midfield with the attack, led by Sharon McGovern, in fine scoring form.
It was better for Shamrocks on the restart as they got a badly needed goal, the
high ball from Leaha Purcell beat the keeper - a goal
back but a long way to travel yet Noted for their famous comebacks, this was a
journey Shamrocks could not make, as once again the fired up Roscommon troops
pressed on looking for more scores.
Roscommon shot a few wides in quick succession but they were as good as
scores. The game never really took off in the second half with the
westerners continuing to show well and Shamrocks in their worst outing in some
time could only register a further point while Roscommon added a pair. Any day
Roscommon beat the Shamrocks would be considered a good day for them, but
yesterday was a day to savor as they crushed old rivals comprehensively in the
end by 3-12 to 1-02.
On Saturday afternoon the senior
football ladies championship served up another thriller when champions
Shamrocks just about held out against arch rivals Roscommon after the Rossies put in a storming second half display to nearly
pull off a great victory. If only Roscommon hadn't fallen asleep in that first
half when they leaked two green flags and waved but two white ones themselves.
Seven minutes in champions Shamrocks were up by 1-01, the major from bustling
full forward, Kathleen Rohan with Sinead Walsh
hitting over a nice point. Roscommon were under pressure at the back as new
Shamrocks center forward Ann Doherty was enterprising in creating space and
opportunity. She had pointed a free on 8 minutes, although she seemed to
overstep the free marker by a couple of yards but the ref paid no head, and
followed with another from play toute suite.
Roscommon were playing second fiddle and in trouble and it wasn't until the
19th minute that they had their first score through a
Well if it was all Shamrocks the first half, it was all Roscommon in the
second. Sub Andrea Kelly sent over a lovely score to narrow the gap but
this was soon cancelled by Shamrocks Grainne Kelly. On
the 7th minute, lively wing forward Louisa Brett pointed before things got
decidedly interesting when Roscommon fired home a badly needed goal to bring
them to within four. The goal - a rocket coming from the increasingly
influential Regina Finnegan. Now the fiery band of supporters on the top field
in the wee stand started to get behind their heroes and shouted them on with
great gusto. Roscommon piled on the pressure and were rewarded with
three good points from Finnegan, Niamh Canty and Brett to leave just one between the sides with
just under a further quarter left to play.
The champions were rattled at this stage and were making little headway upfront
with good work by Edel McGovern in defense for
Roscommon while Shamrocks defense were on the backfoot.
It was case of finally Tir na No'g doing what they had threatened for many a season and
that is overcome rivals Roscommon and so they did and with some amount of
style. Oh how it sizzled on Sunday June 18. It was a blisteringly hot hot day with temperatures hovering around 95 (35C!) making
it very very hard on players all afternoon. It was
two points in two minutes as Tir na
N'og set their marker early with new midfielder
Rebecca McPhilbin and new corner forward Mazz Sweeney both obliging and both looked lively in the
process. Roscommon hit back with a point from Louisa Brett before Tir na N'og
looking sharp upfront with a burst of scores in five minutes putting 1-2 on the
board, the major from Sweeney, a dipping effort that beat the keeper while
Marie Keane and full forward Niamh O'Neill chipped in
with the white flags for a deserved six point lead. Tir
na N'og
were playing the better football and had a hungry look about them but also they
had some new blood in a brand new and exciting midfield paring in Joanne Geoghan and Rebecca McPhilbon.
At center forward they had Tara Lynch who looked promising from the off with Mazz Sweeney at left corner forward looking a livewire.
Just into the second quarter, the sides swapped a brace of points through
Roscommon's Haley O'Neill and Keane before Tir na N'og
followed with another two from Lynch and Sweeney to stretch the lead once more
to 8 points. This was good stuff from Tir na No'g
and they looked dangerous every time they got the ball in attack with Lynch,
Sweeney and Keane causing trouble. Roscommon needed something to happen fast or
this game would be gone and in the 26 th minute that
something happened when they rattled the Tir na N'og net with right half
forward Louisa Brett who was the lone shining star for Roscommon all day
getting in for the goal to reduce arrears to five. Before the half ended the
sides exchanged points with Tara Lynch from play and a
A late Roscommon rally saw them get a goal and two points in that time
with the lively Brett raising the green flag however
Keane, Lynch and splendid midfielder Rebecca McPhilbon
also raised white flags and this would be enough to keep the opposition at arms
length. Good football then from Tir na N'og
and the best performance to date and with more players supposedly on route, it could
be a lively championship yet for the women from the land of
youth. Roscommon on the other hand have to regroup and access their
strengths and weaknesses and make adjustments accordingly.
Another rout this time with
Roscommon blitzing hapless Tir na N'og who never really
got out of their defensive positions as Roscommon piled on the pressure and the
scores. For a while there, actually the first 5 minutes, it looked as if Tir na N'og would put it up to their rivals from the
west. But that was before the flood gates opened and Roscommon just
crashed home score after score thereafter.
Roscommon's full forward,
Before poor Tir na N'og could recover for their collective breadth just on the
mid mark in this 20 minute half,, McCallan and
Finnegan had another brace of points while Colette Carvill
bagged another goal. McCallan had two more points before break to see her side
with the match rapped up and ahead by 15 points with their opponents yet to
score. Whether it was a case of Roscommon pulling up somewhat or Tir na N'og
doing better, a bit of both perhaps, Roscommon added just 4 points in the
second though it was still one way traffic.
Tir na
N'og did finally register a score with a goal near
the end but the match had long lost interest.