A Serious Injury Forced The Abandonment Of The Clanna Gael Fontenoy And Donaghmore Ashbourne Quarter Final
Donaghmore Ashbourne 1-08
Clanna Gael Fontenoy 2-05
Clanna Gael Fontenoy And Donaghmore Ashbourne will have to meet again after their Leinster club championship quarter final was abandoned due to a serious injury to one of the Donaghmore players.
With only minutes left in the game and the sides level after a keenly contested encounter their was concern after the home sides number 3 Áine Ní Mhealóid went down feeling unwell and an Ambulance was required.
With the Donaghmore Ashbourne player unable to be moved from the pitch the referee had no choice but to call a halt to the proceedings and both sides will have to meet again. With the semi finals pencilled in for next weekend the likelihood is that game will take place midweek under lights.
Despite the dreadful weather conditions both teams played their part in a tight competitive game of ladies club championship football.
After a couple of early wides from both sides the first score of the game came in the fifth minute. Clanna Gael Fontenoy worked the ball through the lines with some smart interplay and accurate foot passing, the final pass found Rebecca McDonnell who clinically finished the ball to the net.
The Donaghmore Ashbourne response was swift and decisive, the home side swept straight down the other end and Aoibhin Cleary swung the ball over the bar.
Two more points followed in as many minutes, Abbie Timmons struck a well taken free and Emma McCarney scores hit first of the day to bring the sides level.
Good defending from both sides limited the scoring opportunities but a six minute barren spell was ended with a fine point for Clanna Gael Fontenoy from Lisa Curtin to retake the lead.
Donaghmore Ashbourne we’re getting on plenty of ball and were driven forward by the impressive Marie O’Shaughnessy. Two points in a row from Aoibhin Cleary and Claire Mullen gave the home side the lead for the first time in the contest.
But Clanna Gael Fontenoy hit a purple patch and their domination of possession was rewarded with three points in a row, two from the ever dangerous Rebecca McDonnell and a nice point from the industrious Kate McKenna.
Just before the half time break Donaghmore Ashbourne pulled a point back scored by Aoife Toner to leave the bare minimum between the sides at the short whistle with the score 1-04 to 0-06.
The rain increased at the start of the second half but it didn’t deter Donaghmore Ashbourne turning the game on its head inside two minutes of the resumption.
Donaghmore won the throw-in and worked the ball inside to Emma McCarney who split the posts to draw the teams level. Moments later and the side from Ashbourne thrilled their supporters with a brilliantly taken goal from Abbie Timmons to lead by three.
But the ever worsening conditions and pressurised defending from both sides contributed to a ten minute spell without a score for either team.
Clanna Gael needed a response and they got it in the shape Sinead O’Sullivan, having turned over the ball in their own defence a couple of kick passes put the ball in O’Sullivans hands, a quick turn inside opened up the space and Sinead hit a shot from about thirty metres out the dipped over the finger tips of Sarah O’Connor in the Donaghmore goal and nestled in the net.
Aoibhin Cleary scores her third point of the game in 46th minute to give the Ashbourne side a one point advantage, but Rebecca McDonnell hit a fine effort of her own to once again bring parity between the teams with ten minutes remaining.
That as it turned out was the last score of the game as with five minutes left on the clock the game had to be abandoned due to the serious injury to the Donaghmore Ashbourne full back.
Donaghmore Ashbourne Scorers:
15. Abbie Timmons 1-01 (1f)
6. Aoibhin Cleary 0-03
26. Emma McCarney 0-02
9. Claire Mullen 0-01
10. Aoife Toner 0-01
Clanna Gael Fontenoy Scorers:
10. Rebecca McDonnell 1-03
14. Sinead O’Sullivan 1-00
13. Lisa Curtin 0-01
8. Kate McKenna 0-01
Donaghmore Ashbourne:
1. Sarah O’Connor
2. Aoísle Lawlor
3. Áine Ní Mhealóid
4. Marie Heffernan
5. Síofra Clery
6. Aoibhín Cleary
27. Ciara Menton
8. Eva McNeilis
9. Claire Mullen
10. Aoife Toner
11. Marie O’Shaughnessy
26. Emma McCarney
13. Aoife O’Rourke
14. Aisling Doherty
15. Abbie Timmons
Donaghmore Ashbourne Substitutions:
24. Maggie Randall for 14. Aisling Doherty (43)
12. Sophia Geoghagan for 26. Emma McCarney (53)
17. Katie Carragher for 3. Aine Ni Mhealoid (56)
Clanna Gael Fontenoy:
1. Serena Hannon
2. Laura Goonan
3. Jenny Mannion
4. Aoife Quinn
5. Susan Vaughan
6. Marie Twomey
7. Linda Walsh
8. Kate McKenna
9. Anne O’Donovan
10. Rebecca McDonnell
11. Aisling Leonard
12. Racheal Byrne
13. Lisa Curtin
14. Sinéad O’Sullivan
15. Niamh McKiernan
Clanna Gael Fontenoy Substitutions:
23. Ella Thirroueiz for 7. Linda Walsh (15)
18. Kim Flood for 2. Laura Goonan (42)