Glenealy prove too strong for depleted Donard-The Glen

Donard-The The Glen 0-1

As the scoreline would suggest, Glenealy had a more than comfortable victory over visitors Donard-The Glen when they lined out in their Senior camogie league encounter at Glenealy on Tuesday evening, April 23.

The western side were in trouble from the very beginning and could only muster thirteen players to start the game.

Glenealy began with 15 but did even up the numbers by removing two players once the game was underway. In addition to their shortage in numbers, Donard-The Glen were also minus a number of their regulars and were fighting an uphill battle straight from the beginning.

Glenealy’s Laura Smyth had the home side up by two points after five minutes with a pointed free and a score from play.

The west Wicklow side were defending stoutly in the early stages with Katie Daynes, Nora Brennan in goal and Aoife Grace hard to get past. Brennan was unfortunate after seven minutes when she saved a point only to see the alert Aoife Weir tap home the rebound to the net.

Two further points from centre forward Vicky Coen, two Laura Smyth scores from a free and a 45 plus another point from Aoife Weir left Glenealy 1-7 to the good with the first quarter gone.

Casey Kelly and Kelly O’Neill were battling strong in the middle third for Donard-The Glen but Glenealy’s Charlotte Cullen, Naoise O’Neill, Grace Drumgoole, Kelly O’Neill, Ria Gregory, Laura Smyth, Vicky Coen and Erynn O’Brien were all playing very much on song and scores kept coming.

Kelly O’Neill and Vicky Coen had two points from play and Laura Smyth scored four frees on the trot in the final ten minutes of the half (one was a 45).

The only success for Donard-The Glen was a left-handed point from Kelly O’Neill five minutes before the break.

Glenealy led by 1-13 to 0-1 at half-time.

The tempo of the game dropped off considerably in the second half and Donard-The Glen came more into the game. They began to enjoy more possession but were unable to make any headway past a solid home defence where Lisa Hogan at full-back and goalkeeper Jess Driver dealt capably with anything coming their way.

Glenealy seemed content to keep Donard-The Glen in check, but they added an Aoife Weir goal and further point from a Laura Manley free to bring their tally to 2-14 midway through the second half.

Neither side added any score in the final quarter. Glenealy emptied their bench, and the game ran out to its inevitable conclusion. Final score: 2-14 to 0-1.

Glenealy: Jess Driver; Naoimi Kennedy, Lisa Hogan, Nicole Souster; Naoise O’Neill, Charlotte Cullen, Grace Drumgoole; Kelly O’Neil (0-1), Ria Gregory; Laura Smyth (0-9, 8f), Vicky Coen (0-3), Erynn O’Brien; Aine Fitzgibbon, Aoife Weir (2-1) Leanne O’Neill. Subs: Ailbhe Dowling, Rebecca Murphy, Ciara Jameson, Sinead Gaffney, Meave Shorten.

Donard-The Glen: Nora Brennan; Rose O’Hara, Katie Daynes, Niamh Darker, Aoife Grace, Tara Grace, Casey Kelly, Aisling Molloy, Jade Manley, Leila Darcy; Clare Grace, Kelly O’Neil (0-1). Cara Mooney.

Referee: Martin Molloy (Annacurra)