DCU 3-5
Mary Immaculate College 2-11
February 18th, 2016
The DCU ladies Gaelic football team was knocked out of this year’s Giles Cup following a 2-11 to 3-5 loss at the hands of Mary Immaculate College of Limerick in the second round of the competition.
In a thoroughly entertaining game that saw five goals, two of which were spectacularly worked efforts from DCU that lobbed MIC’s goalkeeper from distance, the home side always appeared just out of reach of toppling the visitors on a freezing cold night at the DCU Sports Grounds.
Phases of MIC domination that would see long scoreless spells from DCU would cost the hosts dearly in the latter stages of the game. This despite DCU taking the game’s lead with a well-worked exchange between Amy Gleeson and Aoife Norris before a quick hand pass on the turn saw Nicky Feery slide the ball over the bar.
Aoife Nic an Bhaird registered MIC’s first score of the game before a deadly looping pass from DCU forward Gleeson, diverting the entire opposition defence, landed neatly in the arms of Laura Fleming who dispatched the ball past MIC goalkeeper Karen O’Dwyer and into the bottom left hand corner.
Further tit-for-tat scores for both sides preceded DCU enduring a barren period that saw Mary’s register seven scores without reply, including Aileen Buckley’s magnificent goal off the underside of the crossbar, which brought the halftime scoreline to DCU 3-2, Mary’s 1-10.
DCU began the second half brightly. A half-time tactical switch saw them counter MIC’s persistent first half points tally with brazen and successful closing down of any and all scoring opportunities with herds of bodies throwing themselves at the opposition forwards, howling in raucous intimidation.
This however would wear thin as Mary’s claimed their second goal of the night less than two minutes into the second half. Aileen Buckley forwarded the ball onto corner forward Nic an Bhaird who swept the ball cleanly into the back of the DCU net.
The second period would see DCU sure up its own defence but at the same time register only three points in the final 30 minutes. This moved the pulling power into the visitors’ favour as a final score for MIC again from Aoife Nic an Bhaird followed a lightning break that saw the ball scramble into her possession inside the DCU square for her to tap over from close range.
DCU pushed late on for the crucial goal that would bring the scores level, but earlier misses combined with an eagerness to go for the killer goal too early when the taking of one’s points would have kept the meter running, saw them bow out of this year’s Giles Cup as Mary’s earned a deserving 2-11 to 3-5 victory.
Aaron Gallagher
Image credit: Sportsfile
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