Roscommon U21 ladies give Cavan a dose of the blues

Roscommon U-21 ladies recorded their second successive victory in the Aishling McGing U-21 Championship with a 3-7 to 1-4 victory over Cavan in Strokestown last Sunday.

Roscommon dominated for large parts of the game but failed to make it count on the scoreboard. Were it not for the heroics of Richeal Timothy in the Roscommon goals and Cavan’s indiscipline in the final ten minutes - which saw them reduced to 13 players - maybe it could have been much closer at the final whistle.

As early as the second minute, Roscommon's Meabh Holmes saw her goalbound shot swooped off the line by Aoife Hiney in the Cavan goal. Two minutes later, a Laura Fleming pointed effort came of the upright and was cleared by the Cavan defence. With the stiff crossfield breeze a major factor, Roscommon registered three wides, before Laura McLoone struck for Roscommon’s first goal in the 12th minute after some great build-up play involving Fleming and Caoileann Beirne.

Laura Fleming stretched Roscommon's lead to four with a nice point on the run. Cavan were reduced to 14 players for ten minutes after their centre-back Naomi Smith was sin-binned for a high challenge on Laura McLoone.

It took 20 three minutes for the Blues to register their first score, a pointed free from Niamh Hatton. From the kick-out, Gillian Dufficy's sublime pass out of defence found the unmarked Kayleigh Dunning, who offloaded to Laura Brudell and the corner-forward fired to the top corner of the Cavan net. Moments later, Holmes extended Roscommon's lead with a fine point, making it 2-2 to 0-1.

Hatton hit two points for Cavan in the closing stages of the half, the first a point from an acute angle, the second a free, to leave Roscommon leading 2-2 to 0-3 at the break.

Laura Brudell extended Roscommon's lead within forty seconds of the restart with a good point. In the 36th minute, Cavan centre-forward Nicole Fleming showed a clean pair of heals to her marker and was through on goal only to see her shot expertly saved by Timothy in the Roscommon goals. Niamh Hatton got Cavan’s fourth score of the afternoon a minute later (free). Roscommon responded immediately with a point from Saffron Cull.

Cavan dominated the next ten minutes and were it not for the heroics of Timothy (who brought off two further super saves) and two bad wides, the Breffni girls could have been ahead.

Joanne Cregg steadied the ship for Roscommon, chipping in for a wonderful point after a one-two with Caroline Gunning. But Cavan’s bombardment on the Roscommon goal wasn’t finished yet as Geraldine Sheridan tore through the Rossies' rearguard and fired an unstoppable shot past Timothy.

Cavan began to sense a victory could be on the cards and continued to attack at pace, a vital interception in the Roscommon back line by Rebecca Coyle ended with a point at the other end by Laura Brudell.

The turning point in the game came in the 50th minute when Saffron Cull, who was bearing down on goal, was dragged down inside the small parallelogram by Aoibheann Kiernan who was subsequently sin-binned for the offence. The resulting penalty was expertly dispatched to the bottom corner by Caoileann Beirne to put eight between the sides, thereby ending any chance of a Cavan comeback.

Cavan’s chances were further compounded after Tina Reilly was sin-binned for a late tackle on Joanne Cregg. The final score of the afternoon was a Laura Brudell point as Roscommon ran out deserving winners.

Next up for Roscommon is a clash against Meath next weekend at a Meath venue, fixture details TBC.

Roscommon: Richeal Timothy (St. Croan's), Kimberly Finlass (Clann na nGael), Gillian Dufficy (St. Mary's), Rebecca Coyle (Kilglass Gaels), Aishling McAuliffe (Strokestown), Bronagh McHugh (Strokestown), Sorcha Bruen (Shannon Gaels), Laura Fleming (St. Ciaran's, 0-1), Joanne Cregg (Michael Glaveys, 0-1), Caroline Gunning (Oran), Meabh Holmes (St. Barry's, 0-1), Laura McLoone (St. Faithleach's, 1-0), Kayleigh Dunning (Clann na nGael), Caoileann Beirne (St. Mary's, 1-0pen), Laura Brudell (Strokestown, 1-3).

Subs used: Saffron Cull (Ballinameen, 0-1), Honor Ennis (St. Ciaran's), Emma Jones (St. Mary's), Ciara O’Murchada Flynn (Padraig Pearses), Lisa Flynn (Western Gaels).

Other subs: Ciara Brennan(St. Ciaran's), Sorcha Dowd (Western Gaels), Judy McDermott (Strokestown), Katie McLoughlin (Strokestown), Rochelle Mullaney (Kilbride), Gillian Wall (Clann na nGael), Natalie McHugh (Kilglass Gaels), Deirdre Regan (Oran).