Home advantage and a great team effort helped Cappagh ladies see off the challenge of Donegal Champions, Malin, on Saturday. The ladies had room to spare with a dominant 7-10 to 2-10 win…
A windy Ballinamullan was the venue for the Ulster Junior Championship semi final clash between the Tyrone Champions, Cappagh and the Donegal Champions, Malin.
The game started off as an even contest, with both teams scoring early goals, the girls from Malin then went into a one point lead before great play from the Sweeney sisters Michelle and Kathryn set up Clodagh Poyntz for a well taken score to draw the Tyrone champions level. The girls from Cappagh from this point on never lost the lead. The first half ended with the Cappagh girls going in leading 3-02 to 1-5 the goals coming from Poyntz, McCusker and Michelle Sweeney.
As the second half began the Cappagh girls with the wind at there backs went further ahead with great scores from Aisling Porter, Teri McCusker and Clodagh Poyntz. As the half went on it was clear to see that the girls from Cappagh were on top all over the field with Sinead Kelly, Emma Wallace, Lenice McAleer and Naomi McAnualla playing well in defence and Tracy Wallace driving forward from Mid-Field. Then mid-way through the second half Kathryn Sweeney took the ball from beyond the mid-field and drove forward to score a fanastic goal, at this point there was to be no come back by the Donegal champions as further points came from McCusker and Porter to put Cappagh further ahead. Malin did fight hard and tagged on some good points. Further goals in the second half came from corner back Sinead Kelly, Clodagh Poytz and Aisling Porter.
As the half drew to a close Malin took a quick free kick which ended in the Cappagh net but at this stage it was only a consolation goal.
Team: P Quinn, S Kelly (1-0), N McAnualla, E Wallace, A Nugent, L McAleer, C McAleer, A O’Neill, T Wallace, K Sweeney (1-0), G McGread, T McCusker (1-03), M Sweeney (1-1), C Poyntz (2-2), A Porter (1-3) Subs used: S McGinn for G McGread, M Martin (0-1) for A Nugent and C McCusker for S Kelly.
Earlier in the day Corduff caused a major upset when they defeated hot favorites Ardtrea 2-9 to 2-8.
Overall the girls from Cappagh were brilliant with great performances all over the field, they and coach Ciaran Carland can now look forward to an Ulster Final in Clones on 24 October (where they will meet Corduff, of Monaghan) and will have their sights firmly set on coming home to Cappagh with the cup.
