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Cockhill women brush aside Moville
Inishowen Ladies Football League 30.05.08

League newcomers battle hard to keep the score down

Cockhill Celtic...4
(McGlynn 8, McCallion 37, Porter 48 & 72)

Moville Celtic...0


by Simon McGeady, Inishowen Independent, at Cockhill Park

ALTHOUGH they never threatened to take anything from this game, Inishowen Ladies League newcomers Moville Celtic showed on Thursday evening that they will be no pushovers in their debut season.
Colin Doherty and Graham Norris’ outfit were well organized and battled hard against one of the favourites to lift the league trophy come August.
The Moville defence, in front of the sure-handed Katie Norris were given a stiff examination, such was the calibre of Cockhill’s forwards, but led by the impressively composed Gemma Faulkner they performed admirably. And in her central defensive partner Claire Doherty the Glencrow girls had, arguably, the player of the game.
The uncompromising centre-half had the thankless task of marking the peerless Louise Porter and although the pace and movement of the Cockhill striker was, on occasion, too much for her, Doherty never gave up the fight and made a number of telling tackles over the 80 minutes.
Nevertheless, it would be wrong to suggest that this was anything other than a cruise for Cockhill, who should have won by more and would have done had Porter and Co. shown a little more composure in front of goal, especially in the second half.
Cockhill’s pace on the counter attack was too much for Moville to handle and after eight minutes they were in front.
Tracy Ryan broke up a Moville move just inside her own half, fed the ball up to Porter who laid it perfectly into strike-partner Niamh McGlynn’s path and she tore thought the Moville defence to beat Norris.
Moville came into the game more after going behind and following a scramble in the Cockhill box, Claire Doherty poked the ball tamely at Caroline Donaghey in the home net.
Moville, spurred on by skillful forward Marie Kelly, came forward again on 27 minutes when a good passing move from Shauna Faulkner to Sharon McDermott to Kelly ended with Leanne Doherty being barged to the ground just outside the Cockhill penalty box.
Kelly stepped up and curled a left-footer over the wall and just beyond the far post.
Cockhill continued to carry the greater threat and Norris saved well from Ellen McLaughlin after she carried the ball in on goal from deep.
Three minutes before the break Cockhill doubled their lead. Not for the first time they found space down the right side of the pitch. On this occasion Christina McCallion’s sweetly struck shot from 20 yards was too hot for Norris to handle.
Cockhill brought on Barbara Doherty for Aisling Gillespie at half time and started the second half on the front foot. Porter went close again, before she eventually took one of the chances that came her way on 48 minutes, beating the advancing Norris to the ball to poke home as Claire Doherty tried in vain to shield the ball from her.
At the other end, despite Kelly’s best efforts, Moville could find no way around the well-organised Cockhill defence who were well worth their clean sheet,
The home side spurned a some decent chances to increase the score, Christina McCallion, for one, unable to find the net when well positioned, and it wasn’t until eight minutes from time that Jim Gillespie’s side scored a fourth, the pacy Porter latching on to McGlynn’s pass over the top to race clear and lash the ball in off Norris.
Moville’s search for their first league win of the season goes on, although they already have a cup victory over Quigley’s Point.
For Cockhill, who defeated Culdaff 6-0 last week, tougher challenges await, but few would bet against last year’s cup winners being in the shake up for silverware again in 2008.

Cockhill Celtic
Caroline Donaghey, Aisling Henderson, Rosemarie Porter, Michelle Kelly, Tracy Doherty, Aisling Gillespie, Ellen McLaughlin, Christina McCallion, Niamh McGlynn, Alana McConalogue.
Subs: Barbara Doherty for Gillespie (HT).

Moville Celtic
Katie Norris, Kerry Gillespie, Gemma Faulkner, Claire Doherty, Rebecca Ryan, Amanda McGonagle, Sharon McDermott, Shauna Faulkner, Marie Kelly, Majella Doherty, Leanne Doherty.
Subs: Helena Gillen for McGonagle (50).


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