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Greencastle girls batter Moville in local derby
Inishowen Ladies League 04.06.08

Greencastle women settle historic first match

Moville Celtic...1
(McGettigan 10)

Greencastle...8
(Melarkey 12, C Hegarty 28, 65 & 72, N McLaughlin 50, N Hegarty 60, 70 & 73)


by Simon McGeady, Inishowen Independent, in Glencrow

A LARGE crowd ranging from committed to the curious turned up at the new home of Moville Celtic in Glencrow last Thursday night for the first ever meeting in ladies football of Moville Celtic and Greencastle.
Given that around half of the home side played for Greencastle last year, these friends reunited were sure to have the odd point to prove to one another. And with the political football having been kicked between these sides throughout the spring it was now time to see who fared better with the real thing at their feet.
One Greencastle spectator predicted 7-1 at the start of the match, but at the end of the first half it looked like the Chapel Lane ladies would struggle to get near, much less exceed his expectations.
Moville started nervously and were soon on the back foot. In the opening ten minutes Greencastle forwards Ciara Hegarty and Niamh McLaughlin shot over from decent positions.
Then, against the run of play, Colin Doherty and Graham Norris’ girls opened the scoring when former Greencastle midfielder Maressa McGettigan hit a powerful high shot from outside the area that was too hot for Evelyn Dougal to handle.
The Moville girls’ joy was short-lived, however. Two minutes later, after a short corner between Loirin Melarkey and Danielle Barr, the former curled in a right-footed shot from the left over Emma Cavanagh.
McGettigan and Karen Henry missed chances for Moville and Greencastle respectively before Paddy Hannon’s side took the lead just shy of the half hour.
A poor Moville clearance presented Ciara Hegarty with the ball on the left wing 35 yards out and she darted forward and cut inside Gemma Faulkner before poking low past Emma Cavanagh.
The visitors pressed for a third before the break but couldn’t find a way through.
Moville had a good chance to equalise at the start of the second half when McGettigan and Stacy Cavanagh worked an opening for Marie Kelly, but under pressure from the advancing Greencastle net-minder, Kelly scuffed her shot wide.
Following that move Greencastle, with Annette McLaughlin revelling in the role of midfield disrupter, kept the ball away from Dougal’s goal
for virtually the entire half.
On 50 minutes Greencastle added a third goal through the impressive Niamh McLaughlin and ten minutes later the slick McLaughlin turned provider, playing a fine through ball to Niamh Hegarty who passed past Cavanagh for 4-1.
Then the floodgates opened.
With fifteen minutes left Ciara Hegarty’s powerful shot deflected off of Katie Norris past Cavanagh for Greencastle’s fifth.
On 70 minutes, with the girls on orange and navy blue wilting, Niamh Hegarty burst through with pace and power to claim her second.
Ciara Hegarty wasn’t finished yet either and two minutes later she got on the end of a fine Shauna Kelly cross from the right wing to loop a header over Cavanagh into the top left corner for her hat-trick.
Before Moville had a chance to draw breath they were 8-1 behind when Loirin Melarkey, whose deft passing makes her a key component in this Greencastle outfit, played in Niamh Hegarty for her third and Greencastle’s last goal of an emphatic win.
Moville substitute Majella Doherty had a few decent runs late on but Greencastle’s Niamh Hannon was in no mood to let her through, tackling Doherty on two occasions.
For the most part it was handshakes and hugs between the former team mates after Liam Porter blew the final whistle. Local bragging rights, in this newest of Inishowen derby matches, until they meet again at least, deservedly go to Greencastle.

Moville Celtic
Emma Cavanagh, Leanne Dockery, Aine Havlin, Claire Doherty, Gemma Faulkner, Maressa McGettian, Marie Kelly, Shauna Faulkner, Stacy Cavanagh, Katie Norris, Jenny Craig.
Subs: Majella Doherty for Dockery (53), Helena Gillen for Shauna Faulkner (59)

Greencastle
Evelyn Dougal, Niamh Hannon, Katriona Cavanagh, Geraldine Harkin, Danielle Barr, Loirin Melarky, Shauna McLaughlin, Annette McLaughlin, Ciara Hegarty, Karen Henry, Niamh McLaughlin.
Subs: Niamh Hegarty for Shauna McLaughlin (HT), Shauna Kelly for Katriona Cavanagh (55), Laura Canning for Niamh McLaughlin (71).


For full coverage of all your weekend sport, read the Inishowen Independent.
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