Dublin LGFA Division 2

Daire Walsh

SKERRIES HARPS 2-10 LUCAN SARSFIELD 0-6

ÁINE Gilmore struck 1-7 at a rain-soaked Townparks last Wednesday night as Skerries Harps recorded a comprehensive victory against Lucan Sarsfields in Dublin Ladies Adult Football League Division 2.

Coming into this contest with just one win to their name – a 1-8 to 1-4 success over Raheny on April 27 – Skerries led for the vast majority of the action and ultimately claimed the three points on offer in fine style.

The Fingal outfit also shared the spoils with Templeogue Synge Street a fortnight earlier and now find themselves fifth in the league table.

Having registered their maiden triumph of 2022 at home to Man O’War on May 11, Lucan had hoped to continue on an upward trajectory. Sinéad Daly and Marie Moynihan did their best to provide an attacking outlet for the visitors, but it wasn’t enough to halt Skerries’ march.

Despite facing into a stiff breeze, it was Lucan who opened the scoring through corner-forward Michelle Kelly’s third-minute point.

Some early balls into the Skerries full-forward line had carried too far, but the hosts eventually settled into a more familiar rhythm.

At the end of a fine run, Eve Keogh bisected the posts to get her side up and running.

While there was wayward shooting as the play progressed, Skerries created some daylight with an unanswered brace from the excellent Gilmore.

Nonetheless, Lucan were keeping themselves in the reckoning and a second score by Kelly on 14 minutes left the bare minimum between the sides. Yet this was as close as they would get to Skerries.

Following a barren spell in front of the posts, the home team bagged their fourth point of the half in the shape of another Gilmore single in the 23rd minute.

This was immediately followed by a superbly-taken goal from close range courtesy of raiding midfielder Sarah Muldon.

Skerries were beginning to play with extreme confidence and after Gilmore and her inside partner Ashling Devlin raised white flags in quick succession, they developed a commanding 1-6 to 0-2 interval buffer.

Lucan weren’t out of the running, but the worsening conditions meant chasing down a lead was an arduous task.

Rain had started to descend upon the Thomas Hand Street venue just shy of the interval, before morphing into a torrential downpour for the majority of the third quarter.

In spite of this, Skerries continued to attack in waves and another Gilmore point helped them to extend their cushion.

The dynamic number 13 subsequently rattled the post from a 38th-minute penalty, but was ultimately on hand to send the resulting rebound beyond the reach of Lucan custodian Emma McGivney.

Gilmore also knocked over two frees in succession to increase the gap to an unassailable 13 points.

To their credit, Lucan didn’t allow their heads to drop and enjoyed a strong purple patch in the closing moments.

The industrious Daly battled to the bitter end and she registered three points on the bounce – including a brace from play.

Devlin responded with her second for Skerries, before the scoring was rounded off by Lucan full-forward Moynihan in the final minute of normal time.

Now up to fifth in the league table, Skerries will be back in competitive fare against O’Dwyers in the Division 2A Cup at Bremore Park tomorrow evening (throw-in 7.30pm).

Lucan’s focus switches to a Division 2B Cup encounter with Parnell’s on June 8.

Match file

Scorers – Skerries Harps: A Gilmore 1-7 (0-3f); S Muldon 1-0; A Devlin 0-2; E Keogh 0-1. Lucan Sarsfields: S Daly 0-3 (1f); M Kelly 0-2; M Moynihan 0-1.

SKERRIES HARPS: A Griffin; M Halpin, S Kavanagh, H McLoughlin; A Calvez, K Norgrove, R Leneghan; S Muldon, E Dawson; P Ferguson, E Keogh, S Dawson; A Gilmore, N Daly, A Devlin. Subs: C Coleman, C Collins, N Devlin, E Farquharson.

LUCAN SARSFIELDS: E McGivney; R Flanagan, A Quinn, E Fallon; O McKevley, E Lacey, L Rooney; E O’Brien, E Lyons; A Lawlor, S Daly, A Bowler; A Seery, M Moynihan, M Kelly. Subs: P Shannon, O Beagan, S O’Keeffe, A Cassells.

MENTORS – Skerries Harps: G Brereton, O Parker. Lucan Sarsfields: N Daly, A McManus, N Simpson, C Gordon.

REFEREE: Derek Greene (Beann Eadair).

WIDES – Skerries Harps: 7 (7+0); Lucan Sarsfields: 11 (6+5).

CONDITIONS: Started off dry before torrential rain followed.

PLAYER OF THE MATCH: Áine Gilmore (Skerries Harps).