Integrated College Dungannon 10-05

St. Patrick's College Dungannon 8-07

Integrated College Dungannon recorded their first win in the U-14 Ulster Schools' League with a win over near neighbours St. Patrick's College last week.

Played in windy conditions at St. Patrick's College, ICD were slow to start as St. Patrick's made use of the wind advantage and went ahead with 2 goals and a point early in the half. ICD finally made a break when Hayley Kelly made a fantastic run and hit a sublime pass into Laura Roberts. Roberts did not hesitate to fire into the net. St. Patrick's response was swift as they went straight down the field and fired into the net to restore their seven point lead.

Hayley Kelly had a great game at midfield and was rewarded with a fine point after some good possession for ICD. This spell was short-lived however, as St. Patrick's fired home another 1-01 to go into a ten point lead. Hayley Kelly finished off a great move for ICD, with ten minutes to go, with a well taken goal but this would be their last score of the half as St. Patrick's put tremendous pressure on their defence.

St. Patrick's made attack after attack but, instead of caving in, Cara Loughran, Kirsty O'Toole and Nualagh Coleman kept goal chances to a minimum with tenacious defending. Courtney Campbell made two fantastic point blank saves to keep ICD hopes alive while Taillte Mallon overcame her pre-match nerves to put in a fine display.

While ICD repelled goal chances, St. Patrick's fired over four excellent points to increase their lead. In the final minute, St. Patrick's finally got the break they needed and fired in a goal to end the half fourteen points ahead.

HT: Integrated College 2-01 (7), St. Patrick's College 5-06 (21)

With the wind now behind ICD, it was now a matter of whether the girls had the heart and determination to overturn the commanding lead built up by St. Patrick's in the first half.

ICD started brightest as Emma McCann fired over a long range effort as the visitors employed the route one tactic. Another high ball in led to a goal mouth scramble and young Year 8, Oren O'Neill, earned her first score for ICD, a goal! While ICD looked to be getting on top, with the deficit cut to ten points, St. Patrick's showed that they would not be easily beaten and hit a goal to go thirteen points ahead again.

Instead of dropping their heads, ICD immediately put St. Patrick's under pressure with Tess McKenna and, county U-13, Emma Cummings turning defence into attack. The younger players like Megan Loughran and Seana McCann also showed great maturity on the ball and their passing was exceptional. ICD got two quick goals, with Emma McCann and Laura Roberts finding the net within a minute and, although St. Patrick's responded with a goal, ICD looked sharp and determined. In a five minute spell, ICD brought themselves right back into contention as they attacked the St. Patrick's goal relentlessly. Emma Cummings made a superb solo run and fired into the net before Emma McCann left the opposition thunderstruck as she hit 1-01 in three minutes. With only three points in it, Emma McCann got onto the end of a perfect Laura Roberts pass and rattled the net with a blistering equalising goal.

St. Patrick's still weren't beaten and, while ICD were still euphoric from their equaliser and fantastic comeback, they went up the field and hammered in a goal. However, cometh the hour and cometh the girl as Laura Roberts, who unbelievably has only played Gaelic Football since last year and has never played club football, led the charge for ICD. Roberts fired home an equalising goal from nowhere and then put ICD ahead with a sublime long range point. She then took on two St. Patrick's defenders before giving the goalkeeper no chance and fired in her fourth goal to put ICD four points ahead. ICD may have suffered with the withdrawal of Megan Loughran, with sprained fingers, but her replacement, Jade Meneely, impressed in her Gaelic Football debut.

In a tense finish, St. Patrick's fired over a point to cut the deficit to three but this was matched by Hayley Kelly, who fired over a superb point to restore the four point lead and seal a famous victory for the Integrated College. Team coaches Mr. Liam O' Manachain and Cecilia O'Hagan are extremely pleased with the girls' progress and of the numbers of new girls taking up girls' Gaelic in the college. The team, coaches and college also wish to thank Mr. F. McCann, for donating water bottles to the team.

FT: Integrated College 10-05, St. Patrick's College 8-07

ICD: Kirsty O'Toole (Capt.), Nualagh Coleman, Taillte Mallon, Rhea Loughran, Cara Loughran, Tess McKenna, Laura Roberts (4-01), Hayley Kelly (1-02), Emma Cummings (1-00), Oren O'Neill (1-00), Courtney Campbell, Megan Loughran, Jade Meneely, Emma McCann (3-02), Sena McCann, Carrie Shortt, Rachel Geraghty, Sophie Lee and Aoife McVeigh