Second half power secures first league win in two years

Editorial Department • Published 18 Feb 2010 10:59 0 Comments

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Action from Fermanagh's resounding win over Roscommon.<<

Fermanagh 4-10; Roscommon 3-04;

Fermanagh ladies got their league campaign back on track last Sunday, with a convincing performance against a physically bigger Roscommon team. This victory ended a two year run of defeats for Fermanagh, in the league. Their last win came against Longford at the start of the 2008 campaign.

It was the perfect confidence booster Fermanagh needed after the previous week's defeat at the hands of Cavan.

The key to success was pretty simple for Fermanagh manager David Mee: "The girls showed a lot more willingness to work hard. They weren't going to let this game go by them. In the first half they made a few incorrect decisions and kicked a few bad wides but come the second half the shooting boots reappeared thankfully!" said David.

To secure the first league win for two years made the victory that bit more significant and given the number of new faces on the team, David hopes it will help give them confidence:

"This is a different team to last year and it's a good boost to the girls to get their first league win in two years. It's definitely nice to break that we duck" admits Mee.

This weekend Fermanagh make the long journey to Wicklow and Mee is demanding that the girls show the same hard work and consistency for this encounter: "We're going to have to fight as hard as we did against Roscommon. They (Wicklow) beat Westmeath 3-13 to 1-09 last weekend and that's no easy feat. They're not going to lie down, we'll certainly have to work very hard if we're going to get a victory," concluded Mee.

Indeed, it was Fermanagh who were first to raise the white flag, with only three minutes on the clock. Naoimhin Daly who was making her first full start for the Erne side was on target with the first point of the match. Roscommon hit back from the kick-out, half forward Jenny Higgins on hand to chip over a point for the visitors.

Minutes later the Rossies took the lead in this game. A long ball played over the top of the Fermanagh defence, to the awaiting Sharon Ryan, resulted in the first goal of the afternoon. Fermanagh created some opportunities soon after but wayward shooting and some fine goal keeping by Roscommon net minder Carol Manning kept Fermanagh at bay.

The Erne ladies finally cut through the Roscommon defence when Sharon Little made an attacking run and netted Fermanagh's first goal to level matters. Little then put them ahead in the 13th minute with a point from play, leaving the score 1-02 to 1-01.

Roscommon struck with another goal in the 14th minute. A mis-kick by corner forward Ann McCormack wrong footed Monahan in the Fermanagh nets and gave the visitors the lead once more. They extended this lead with a point from Emma Casey to leave the score 2-02 to 1-02. Eleven minutes elapsed before another score was registered, when it did come it was Sharon Little who tagged on a point before team mate Aisling Moane rounded off a fine first half display to bring Fermanagh to within a point of Roscommon.

Within minutes of the restart, Fermanagh drew level with a point from the boot of team captain, Caroline Little. However, Casey edged Roscommon ahead two minutes later. Her initial shot was well saved by Monahan but the rebound fell kindly for Casey to net a third goal for the Connacht ladies. Monahan had to make way at this stage having injured her hand and she was replaced by Donna Gilroy.

The score of the game came in the 38th minute when Fermanagh's Shauna Hamilton picked up the ball in midfield and went on a solo run, beating three defenders and playing a one-two with Naoimhin Daly before hitting a dipping shot past the Roscommon goal keeper to give Fermanagh a much needed boost.

With nothing separating the teams now it was Roscommon who edged ahead once more as Casey was on hand once again with a point. Their lead was short-lived though, Fermanagh's Imelda McGovern hitting the back of the net this time. It was just reward for the hardworking McGovern at full forward.

From this point onwards Fermanagh controlled the game and tagged on points from McGovern and substitute Mary Cunningham. The game was all but over as a contest when Caroline Little netted Fermanagh's fourth goal in the 52nd minute with an unstoppable shot to leave the score 4-07 to 3-03.

In the remaining eight minutes of the game Fermanagh added three more points from play. Caroline Little added two points to her personal tally and Mary Cunningham pointed her second of the afternoon. Roscommon could only muster a solitary score from Casey and it was too little too late as Fermanagh secured their first league points of the season.

This article appeared in Impartial Reporter 18 Feb 10

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