News
ATU Mayo V TUS Midlands News: results
| Posted On | 13th Oct 2022 |
|---|---|
| Posted By | Ladies Football [Mayo campus] |
| Author | Nigel Jennings (Development Officer) |
ATU Mayo 3-9 v 3-6 TUS Midlands
As is their habit The Ladies Gaelic Football team wrote another page in the history book last night …..
First team to represent ATU Mayo in a competitive fixture in any sport.
The venue was TUS Midlands, the conditions were perfect, and the challenge was immense, as not only had they lost the spine of their League and Championship winning team of last year but because of last season’s success they had moved up a division to play in a higher tier.
Donning the new ATU Colours the mood was good and confidence high and when Tara Lawless, prior to this known primarily as a Camogie player, opened the scoring in spectacular fashion the first lines of the new Chapter were written.
As the plot twists and changes, well known and loved characters will move on and while they will be remembered others will have to rise up and take their place and make the impact that will see us continue to grow. One of the key roles in any team is that of the Goalkeeper and having had a custodian of the standard of Emily McGrory for the last five years it was always going to be the hardest and most vital job of the management team to replace her.
Great Credit to Orlaith Moloney who volunteered to take on the daunting challenge and her heart must have slumped when, in only the second minute, a speculative long ball drifted over her head and into the net to give the Midlander’s the early lead. Orlaith never doubted herself and was rock solid for the rest of the game and while Athlone tacked on two more quick points to give themselves an early 4-point lead Orlaith’s kickouts were to be become the basis of a comeback and turnaround that had the girls firmly in control by half time.
One of those kickouts found Lucy Tuohy, who was a revelation at wing back, who put on her famous afterburners for a scorching solo run leaving a bemused wing forward trailing in her wake before setting up Emma Halton for a wonderful point. Emma and Anna Tuohy shared the scoring duties for the rest of the half but that belies the truth that it was a great team performance built from the back where Sophie Devanney anchored the defence from her customary role in full back with a leaders performance which steadied those around her. Vivienne ward – who found herself in the unfamiliar position of corner back - put in a stellar performance with some spectacular full-length blocks and an assured performance, despite the fact that she had prior to this always been a forward, and has firmly put her name on the defenders jersey is she has a mind to keep it.
Karen Cosgrove is another great addition to the ranks and the Carnacon girl put in an excellent showing in her first game in the pivotal centre back berth and is someone we will be hearing much more of in the years to come. Saoirse Tunney and Shona Hickey picked up where they left off last year but unfortunately Shona, wearing the captain’s armband in a proud moment for the limerick girl who has given so much to the college and the team over the last 4 years, picked up an injury that put an end to her evening although she was ably replaced by Lauren O’Neill who gave an assured performance in her first game for the college.
Anna Tuohy showed yet again what a scoring threat she is and what a great asset she is to the team. She followed up a lovely long-range point, having linked nicely with Tara and Lauren O’Reilly, with a thunderous shot that came back off the crossbar. That disappointment was forgotten moments later when she latched on to a long ball from Lucy, who again broke at pace from defence, to turn her marker and drill the ball past the stranded keeper.
There followed a goalmouth scramble almost impossible to believe: Emma Halton tried to finish off a great move -with clever inter passing with Ciara Moran, Sinead Kearney and Niamh Welby -with a low hard drive that cannoned off the post travelled directly across the goal to hit the other post and bounce back into play , Cheyenne McHale used all her soccer skills to react first, brush the defender aside and poke the ball neatly towards the corner only to see the keeper make an incredible full length save to tip the ball to safety. Its fair to say the keeper won’t be getting any Christmas cards from Cheyenne as moments later she matched her acrobatic heroics with an equal display of bravery as she threw herself onto Cheyenne’s boot and make an excellent smothering save as she looked odds on to find the net.
Despite those two disappointments Cheyenne was to play a key role in the two moves that left the girls in such a commanding position at the interval. Taking possession with her back to goal she held off extreme pressure before delivering identical delicate pop passes, first for Anna and then for Emma who both lashed the ball to the net to send the Girls in 3-5 V 1-3 up at the break.
The second half was a much more even affair as both teams traded points in the early stages but as the Midlander’s didn’t make any significant inroads the management decided to make wholesale changes resting some of their senior players and giving a chance for the new girls to show what they could do – a chance that Saoirse Horan, Hannah Hughes and Sarah Byrne took happily. In a day for finding new talent and looking to build for the future special mention must go to Ciara Moran, she put in an incredible shift in the middle of the field where her tenacious tackling, nonstop running and her selflessness as she anchored the middle – allowing Emma the freedom to roam to such great affect – was one of the highlights of a great evening.
All the changes to personnel and shape eventually took their toll and Athlone gradually played themselves back into contention. Orlaith again proved her worth with some outstanding saves as the pressure began to mount and although the defence was breached twice , she was desperately unlucky for one, (deflected a great shot onto the post only to see it rebound to the net) there was nothing she could do for the other but ultimately it didn’t matter – the platform had been set and a much changed team saw the game out in style to mark a first victory for an ATU Mayo side in competitive sport and more importantly a successful start to the league campaign which set the girls up nicely for their next outing – another historic event in our first ATU derby as the girls from Sligo make the trip to Castlebar in a game that will take place in Castlebar Mitchels on Wednesday October 26th @ 7.30 P.M.
Create your account today
Explore everything that ATU Galway-Mayo Clubs & Socs has to offer.