Sash Girls win by ten points

Report from Kieran Dunne

First Round U14 Spring League 24-3-11.
Sarsfields 1-13         St. Laurence's 1-3
A beautiful spring evening saw last year's U13's finalists face off
against each other once more. The Larries ladies got a dream start
when they hammered a goal into the back of the net within two minutes.
Sarsfields slow to start worked the ball forward from Brooke Dunne to
Caoimhe Murphy to Shauna Kendrick who found Molly Price a quick lay
off to Ciara Morris saw the uprights being rattled.

The kick out was
won by Caoimhe Murphy who played in Ciara Morris in turn Katie English
was worked in and won a free for Molly Price to convert. The game
became more fluid with both teams vying to make the most of their
chances with Gemma Harnet and Emily Aulsberry at full pelt in the
middle of the park. Aine Dunne put through Mia Phelan for a certain
goal but Brooke Dunne at full stretch belted the ball as far off the
pitch as possible, the resulting 45' was worked in for another Larries
point. Again, the Sarsfields girls went back to basics and got the
ball up to the Larries goalmouth but another chance went by. However,
Shauna Kendrick won the kick out and put it neatly back over the St.
Lawrences bar. Caoimhe Murphy, Ciara Morris and Laura Scales worked
well for the Sash up front and Emma Lyons  was a great deterrent
across the Sash backline. The Larries girls were next to score with a
point from play and the Sash replied with their own point courtesy of
Shauna Kendrick. These were to be the last scores before half time
with the Sarsfields girls trailing by 0-4 to 1-2.

A dynamic pep talk at half time seemed to spur the Sarsfields team
into action. With Brooke Dunne winning the throw in and finding Molly
Price in space, she tore up the pitch and played in Katie English who
in turn hand passed it off to Laura Scales, Molly received the ball
back only to be thwarted at the post. The Larries didn't know where to
play the ball as the Sash backs in the form of Kellie Fisher and
Melissa O'Brien stepped up to the challenge and closed down every
route goalwards. Sarsfields goalie Niamh Hannon made a brilliant save
from a dropping ball that could have shifted the onus of the game.

The next Sash point started with Niamh as she found Melissa O' Brien,
Brooke Dunne linked in before playing in Shauna Kendrick who rocketed
the ball into the back of the net, this was the lightning bolt the
Sash girls needed to stir them into action as they succinctly hemmed
the St. Lawrence girls into their own half. Emily Aulsberry and Laura
Scales won consecutive possession to play Shauna in for two more
points and Molly Price converted two frees. Laura Scales also got her
name on the score sheet as she blasted the ball goalwards but the
Larries fullback managed to push it over for a point.

Anna Lawless won
the resulting kick out and played in Laura for another point, whilst
Shauna Kendrick stole the next ball and her resulting free was
converted by Molly Price. Good interlinking play between Caoimhe
Murphy and Ciara Morris gave Molly another free to point. The Larries
decided to throw caution to the wind and released Abbie Monaghon from
the backs up field, however it was successful once as it was the only
score the opposition got in the entire second half.

The next time
Abbie came through Brooke Dunne dispossessed her and with Gemma Harnet
on hand to support the ball was soon pointed by Molly Price. The
Lawrence's girls penned the Sash into their own half with time running
down the opposition were determined to break down the Sash rear guard
but with goalie Niamh Hannon in form, well supported by Brooke Dunne
and Emma Lyons and new face in the team Melissa O'Brien having a
superb debut, their chances were fruitless.