Oak Leaf dreams dashed by New York
All Ireland Ladies’ Football JFC semi-final
Derry 1-5
New York 5-12
By Daire Walsh
BALLYMAGUIGAN duo Alisha McGuigan and Rachael Walls finished with a combined tally of 1-3 at Donaghmore/Ashbourne on Sunday afternoon, but it wasn’t enough to halt the charge of New York in the penultimate round of the All-Ireland Ladies Junior Football Championship.
The Big Apple outfit took their time to settle into the proceedings, but with captain Linda McKeon and lethal full-forward Mary ‘Molly’ O’Rourke contributing two goals apiece, they were worthy victors in the end.
This emphatic reversal means that the Oak Leaf County’s wait for a maiden Junior title continues, and speaking in the direct aftermath of the game, Derry mentor Michael Crilly revealed how difficult it was to prepare for their meeting with an overseas opponent.
“Yeah, it’s a massive disappointment now. We were really up for it. It just didn’t click on the day. The thing was, we didn’t know anything about New York. We couldn’t have known what they were like,” Crilly stated.
“We heard bits and pieces, but it’s very hard to prepare for a team that you know absolutely nothing about. Looking back, maybe we should have done more work, but we didn’t have the contacts.”
While the final scoreline might suggest that it was one-way traffic in New York’s favour, it was actually Derry who enjoyed the more productive opening to the contest. Quick movement inside enemy territory enabled half-forward Mary Murphy to angle a shot towards the posts, and when her effort dropped short, Walls was in the right place to palm past New York’s Nora Kilkenny.
This presented Derry with an early psychological boost, but as the half wore on, the 2011 finalists began to find their rhythm. Cavan native Emma Clarke was a constant menace throughout, and her 0-3 haul helped to level matters 13 minutes in.
The influential McKeon was also becoming a driving force from midfield, and after receiving a delightful cross-field pass from Clarke, she dispatched an unstoppable drive into the top left-hand corner of Breigeen Cassidy’s goal.
This major helped to galvanise the New York challenge, and with five scores in succession following from Clarke (two), O’Rourke (two) and Kelly Donohoe, an eight-point cushion was opened up.
A fine point from the pacey Wilkinson eventually disrupted this scoring sequence, but when O’Rourke’s first major of the game was supplemented by McKeon’s second from the penalty spot, Derry were left in a very ominous position.
Wilkinson added to her side’s total during first-half stoppage-time, but there was cause for concern when a serious-looking injury to Watty Graham Glen midfielder Danielle Kivlehan required lengthy treatment on the field.
After a delay of six minutes, the play eventually resumed, but Kivlehan had to be replaced by Steelstown’s Katy Holly. Though there was a lot of football still to be played, 12 points (3-8 to 1-2) was a sizeable deficit for Derry to be facing into, and Clarke re-asserted New York’s authority with a point from the second period’s opening attack.
Back-to-back scores via Dania Donnelly (free) and Murphy did offer Derry a glimmer of hope, but thanks to the stop-start nature of the tie, it was almost impossible for them to build any sort of sustained momentum.
Wilkinson’s third score of the day arrived on 51 minutes, but despite narrowly missing the target with a later attempt, this proved to be Derry’s final score of the outing. With a date in Croke Park now on the horizon, New York were always going to keep the Oak Leaf rearguard on the back-foot, and after much persistence, a fifth and final goal was secured by Clarke during an astonishing 12 minutes of injury-time.
A loss of this manner is hard to take, but considering the attention that was given to the stricken Kivlehan, and the recent problems that his club-mate Kevin McCloy has encountered, it is perfectly understandable that Crilly’s main focus is on the welfare of his player.
“It was just a bad start (to the game). Even losing our midfielder (Danielle Kivlehan) at half-time. That was a blow. She was through on goal, and she’s badly injured now.
“Despite the result, I’d be more worried about her. I’m from the same club as Kevin McCloy, so any sort of stoppages like that now are scary,” added Crilly.
The Stats
New York scorers: Emma Clarke 1-8 (0-4f), Mary ‘Molly’ O’Rourke 2-2, Linda McKeon 2-0 (1-0 pen), Kelly Donohoe 0-2.
Derry scorers: Alisha Wilkinson 0-3, Rachael Walls 1-0, Dania Donnelly 0-1f, Mary Murphy 0-1.
NEW YORK: Nora Kilkenny; Aoife O’Rourke, Jen Moran, Caitlin Hynes; Caitriona Rafferty, Stephanie Tierney, Ciara Scally; Linda McKeon, Laura Lee McCullagh; Kelly Donohoe, Courtney Treanor, Alisha Jordan; Brianna Tierney, Mary ‘Molly’ O’Rourke, Emma Clarke.
Subs: Maeve Redmond for Treanor (41), Shannon Spillane for Rafferty (60+1), Imelda Mullarkey for Hynes (60+5), Caitlin Slattery for Donohoe (60+8), Rosie O’Reilly Broderick for B Tierney (60+11).
DERRY: Breigeen Cassidy; Roisin Conway, Ciara McGurk, Nuala Browne; Dervla McMaster, Ashelene Groogan, Emma Doherty; Danielle Kivlehan, Dania Donnelly; Alisha Wilkinson, Sinead Cassidy, Mary Murphy; Catherine Donaghy, Ciara Moore, Rachael Walls.
Subs: Katy Holly for Kivlehan (30+7), Louise Murphy for Donaghy (33), Caitriona Ledgewood for Browne (41), Noeleen Murphy for Doherty (47), Annemarie Kitchener for McGurk (53), Tomasina McGovern for Walls (60+2).
Referee: Stephen McNulty (Wicklow).