LADIES SFC GROUP A

FOXROCK/CABINTEELY….4-7
KILMACUD CROKES……0-11

Daire Walsh

ANDREA Murphy and Katie McNally struck two goals apiece at Kilbogget Park last Wednesday to get the seven in-a-row chasing Foxrock/Cabinteely off to a perfect start in the Dublin Senior Ladies Football Championship.

Facing Kilmacud Crokes – who they have overcome in the past two county finals – Fox/Cab found themselves on level terms at the end of a fiercely-contested opening half. The champions’ knack for scoring goals at crucial intervals ultimately gave the hosts an edge, however, and they are now firm favourites to finish top of Group A.

Despite the absence of Dublin defender Sinead Goldrick and former inter-county star Amy Connolly, Fox/Cab were able to call on several players with big-time experience. In addition to Jackies stalwart Niamh Collins, recent All-Ireland winners Fiona Claffey (Westmeath) and Lorna Fusciardi (Wicklow) were backed up by the likes of Aisling Tarpey (Mayo), Sarah Quinn (Louth) and the aforementioned Murphy (Kerry).

Kilmacud had four county representatives of their own on the field in the shape of Lauren Magee, Aoife Kane, Laura Kane and Eabha Rutledge. The latter was one of her side’s better performers on the night and, despite this set-back, the Stillorgan outfit are expected to feature at the business end of the competition.

Seven days on from claiming last year’s Leinster senior club title, Fox/Cab hit the ground running with points courtesy of Niamh Ryan and Jodie Egan (free). Yet Crokes quickly settled with back-to-back scores of their own from Kate McDaid (sister of Dublin men’s footballer Robbie) and full-forward Kate Murray.

The visitors built further momentum through Julia Buckley and Rutledge and while Fox/Cab eventually fired back with a Hannah O’Neill point, Murray converted a second free to give Crokes a two-point lead at the first water break. However, their cushion was wiped out when the action resumed as Murphy released McNally for a palmed finish at the end of a fast-paced move.

A Cassie Sultan point on 19 minutes subsequently levelled matters (0-6 to 1-3), but – somewhat surprisingly – this was to be the final score of the opening period. Both sides were close to rattling the net before the break, with Buckley forcing a fine stop out of Tarpey.

In the 27th-minute, Fox/Cab suffered a set-back when Collins departed the scenes through injury. Although Fusciardi received on-field treatment at the same time as her fellow defender, she soldiered on for the remainder of the contest.

In the absence of Collins, Fox/Cab continued to find that Crokes were a tough nut to crack. Despite Egan firing over a brace of frees, Murray, Buckley and Rutledge all found the target to ensure Paddy O’Donoghue’s charges were in the ascendancy on the stroke of 40 minutes.

Unfortunately for them, this was Fox/Cab’s cue to go straight for the jugular. After breaking up the wing, Murphy smashed home to the bottom left-hand corner of the Crokes net.

A short while later, McNally gathered a wayward opposition kick-out and proceeded to fire past Rachael Fleming in clinical style. Sarah O’Leary went on to register a 49th-minute point as Fox/Cab established a firm foothold on the play.

Crokes inside duo Murray and Amy Conroy dissected the uprights either side of an Egan point to offer the challengers to the throne a glimmer of hope, but Fox/Cab wrapped up the game with two minutes of normal time left. When an Egan free from an awkward angle dropped short, Murphy was ideally-placed to supply the finishing touches and thus record her second goal of the evening.

Next up for Fox/Cab is an away trip to Clontarf on Sunday (throw-in 3pm, St Anne’s No 34). Kilmacud, on the other hand, are back in harness tomorrow evening at Bray Emmet’s GAA (throw-in 8.30pm) against Na Fianna – who were idle on the opening day of a five-team group.

Matchfile

Scorers – Foxrock/Cabinteely: A Murphy, K McNally 2-0 each, J Egan 0-4 (3f), N Ryan, H O’Neill, S O’Leary 0-1 each.
Kilmacud Crokes: K Murray 0-4 (4f), E Rutledge, J Buckley 0-2 each, K McDaid, C Sultan, A Conroy 0-1 each.

FOXROCK/CABINTEELY: A Tarpey, N Collins, S Quinn, A Murray; L Fusciardi, T O’Sullivan, F O’Connell Bell; N Ryan, F Claffey; H O’Neill, C O’Riordan, S O’Leary; A Murphy, J Egan, K McNally.
Subs: S Delahunty for Collins (27), M Egan for O’Leary (38).

KILMACUD CROKES: R Fleming; P Greene, E Sweeney, C Regan; A Kane, M Lamb, L Kane; K McDaid, L Magee; G Kos, E Rutledge, C Sultan; J Buckley, K Murray, A Conroy.
Subs: S O’Donoghue for Sultan (34), H Power for Regan (46), S Buckley for L Kane (56).

MENTORS – Foxrock/Cabinteely: Alan McNally, John Nolan, Daithi McCabe, Maureen King, Colm Kearney.
Kilmacud Crokes: Paddy O’Donoghue, Imelda Callaghan, Terry Jennings, Noel O’Leary, Eamonn Prenter, Eoin Moran.

REFEREE: Seamus Farrelly (Ballinteer St John’s).

WIDES – Foxrock/Cabinteely: 5 (3+2). Kilmacud Crokes: 10 (6+4).

CONDITIONS: Remained dry throughout the game.

PLAYER OF THE MATCH: Andrea Murphy (Foxrock/Cabinteely).