Araglen Desmonds Emerge Victorious With Late Scores
June 08, 2022
Two late Araglen Desmonds goals swung this North Cork League tie in the visitors’ favour, much to the disappointment of a valiant Killavullen team.
Araglen Desmonds scored an early point, but the hosts led the tie from the fifth minute when Orla O’Regan rattled the net, after good approach play by Niamh Buckley and Niamh O’Gorman. Shortly afterwards, Olivia Cahill and Emma Taylor snuffed out a chance for the Duhallow side and the ball was moved quickly forward with Evelyn Buckley setting up Caoimhe O’Riordan for another goal.
Niamh O’Regan, Ciara Jones and Emma Nagle too were all playing their part at providing strong cover for Clara Walsh, who played well in goals. Erica O’Connell and Siobhan Sheehan worked hard at midfield all through, and they were central to many team moves from deep. One such move led to Niamh O’Gorman kicking over a great point in the tenth minute and Killavullen moved into a six point lead.
Araglen Desmonds ensured that Killavullen didn’t slip out of sight with a pointed free. A point from Andrea Fresh, ably assisted by Claire Nagle, was answered with two further points from Araglen Desmonds, before Niamh O’Regan, in typical fashion, turned over the ball in the half back line and it was worked to her sister, Orla, who coolly slotted over the bar.
It looked like Killavullen had steadied to ship, but then came a sucker punch just before the short whistle, when Araglen Desmonds broke through for a goal. It was to prove a foretaste of the late second half drama, but this time Killavullen remained two points to the good.
There was no doubting the Killavullen application all through and a number of substitutions at the break only served to energise the team further. Edwina Dingivan, Clare Brennan, Ellie Coughlan and Hannah Martin all made a big impact. Niamh O’Gorman stretched our lead with a point and even when Araglen Desmonds added a point to their tally, it was immediately cancelled out by Orla O’Regan. A point from Caoimhe O’Riordan and two from Ellie Coughlan meant Killavullen had a commanding six point lead entering the home straight.
In the final five minutes, however, fortunes changed. A high ball in to the square somehow found its way to the net. Worse was to follow when two late attacks for Araglen Desmonds yielded a point and another goal.
Killavullen tried desperately to engineer a score that would earn at least a deserved draw, but it was not to be and the final whistle left us rueing missed chances and the concession of those late scores. Frustrating for sure, but the overall effort and performance was very encouraging.
Clara Walsh, Ciara Jones, Olivia Cahill, Emma Taylor, Evelyn Buckley, Niamh O’Regan (captain), Emma Nagle, Erica O’Connell, Siobhan Sheehan, Claire Nagle, Caoimhe O’Riordan 1-1, Andrea Fresh 0-1, Orla O’Regan 1-2, Niamh O’Gorman 0-2, Niamh Buckley, Edwina Dingivan, Clare Brennan, Ellie Coughlan 0-2, Hannah Martin.