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Malin miss out on promotion 23.10.08
Donegal Women’s Junior Football League – play-off final

Malin...2-7
(Zoe Doherty 1-4; Bernie McLaughlin 1-0; Emma Donaghey 0-1; Roisin McDonald 0-1; Carolina Kelly 0-1)

Glenties...5-8:
(Lorinne Molloy 1-4; Grainne McLoone 2-0; Alana McDermott 1-1; Nicola Gallagher 1-1; Lucie Byrne 0-2)

by Jonathan Downey, Inishowen Independent, in Burt

THE MALIN Senior Ladies lost out on promotion to the Intermediate division on Sunday afternoon to a talented Glenties side.
Malin, whose effort and commitment have brought impressive improvements since reforming last year, hoped to attain promotion after an impressive league campaign which included victory over their play-off opponents. They held on for most of the first half until Glenties hit the back of the net three times before half-time.
The Inishowen girls were 11 points down at the break but they just couldn’t get past the blanket defence and quick counter-attacking from this youthful and athletic Glenties outfit.
Malin started the match playing against a very strong wind but they got off to a dream start. Zoe Doherty opened the scoring in the first minute with a point which was followed a minute later with Bernie McLaughlin gathering the ball on the 20 metre line and knocking it high past the keeper and into the net.
But there was no time to build on their early confidence builder as Glenties attacked straight from the kick-out and scored a three pointer of their own through Alana McDermott. Lorraine Molloy and Alana McDermott added two points for Glenties before five minutes had past to take a lead they wouldn’t relinquish for the remainder of the match.
Malin were pushing hard to get the ball up the field but a combination of tight marking and the stiff wind kept play centred in the Malin half. For a period even Malin’s own kick-outs put themselves right back under pressure.
Lorraine Molloy pointed Glenties further ahead in the 12th minute and again two minutes later. Malin scored points either side of Lorraine Molloy’s third point. A superb run from Anne Marie Byrne set up Zoe Doherty which was surpassed two minutes later when Carolina Kelly got up the field to collect the ball and point it from a tight angle.
With a point in the game Malin were defending well but a five minute spell from Glenties left Malin with an uphill battle for the rest of the match. Glenties’ powerful full-forward Lorraine Molloy got the first of their three goals in the 22nd minute after a superb solo run. Grainne McLoone then hit two in
succession which were set up by Lorraine Molloy and Alana McDermott. Lorraine Molloy hit a well-taken point in the 27th minute to wrap up a half Malin were glad to see the back of.
Both teams made a couple of substitutions at the break and it was Malin who made the best start. Glenties sub Nicola Gallagher opened the scoring in the 31st minute but Malin hit 1-3 over the next eight minutes. Zoe Doherty continued her precise shooting from the first half by hitting a brace of points. Roisin McDonald, who moved to midfield at half-time, wriggled through the defence and pointed.
Malin got their just rewards for their pressure in the 39th minute with a goal from Zoe Doherty through the keeper’s legs. That left just two scores between the sides but just like the first half, Glenties attacked from a quick kick-out and scored their fifth goal of the game, this time through Nicola Gallagher.
Glenties were more than able for any Malin onslaught and threw back numbers to hold their lead. Anne Marie Byrne, Marie Houten and Ciara Walsh did their best to restrain Glenties’ attacking threat of Alana McDermott and Lorraine Molloy and give Carolina Kelly and Roisin McDonald possession to attack from defence. However almost any and every ball was swallowed up by the Glenties defence with the superb Natalie Hegarty play-making from her own half.
There was very little scoring in the final quarter of the game with Emma Donaghey and Lucie Byrne trading scores in the 45th and 48th minutes for Malin and Glenties respectively. Both teams made changes with Maria McLaughlin and Breda McDaid coming on for Eamon Ryan’s Malin side.
However Malin could just not create the goal opportunities they needed. In the final ten minutes they created space on the flanks but they overshot a number of times looking for that final ball.
Lucie Byrne hit the final point of the game for the team from Iniskeel in the 58th minute but Malin battled until the final whistle. Malin may have missed out this time, but considering the exertion and experience they have taken aboard in two years, there’s little that can hinder their chances next year.

Malin: Marie Houten; Eimear Lafferty, Marion O’Donnell; Dereena Houten; Carolina Kelly, Anne Marie Kelly, Maureen Collins; Ciara Walsh, Linda McColgan; Bernie McLaughlin, Grainne Byrne, Roisin McDonald; Emma Donaghey, Zoe Doherty, Michelle Doherty. Subs: Una McLaughlin for Bernie McLaughlin and Denise McCarron for Eimear Lafferty (both half-time); Maria McLaughlin for Linda McColgan (53mins); Lorna Harkin for Maureen Collins (53mins); Breda McDaid for Emma Donaghey (58mins).

Glenties: Michelle Boyle; Amy McGettigan, Fiona Molloy, Martina Quinn; Natalie Hegarty, Aoife McDermott, Alana Molloy; Emily Thompson, Roisin Bonner; Lucie Byrne, Alana McDermott, Noelle O’Donnell; Grainne McLoone, Lorraine Molloy, Michelle Hanne. Subs: Nicola Gallagher for Noelle O’Donnell and Emma Bonner for Martina Quinn (both half-time); Mairead McDevitt for Grainne McLoone (47mins).

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