Donegal ladies suffer league setback with home loss Cavan in Ballyshannon

Donegal ladies suffer league setback with home loss Cavan 

Donegal 0-7

Cavan  1-6 

Donegal ladies suffered their first defeat of the Lidl Ladies NFL Division 2 campaign going down to Cavan in a low-scoring encounter at Fr. Tierney Park.

Just two points separated the sides at the finish in very windy conditions. Susanne White top-scored for the hosts with four points before she was substituted late on. 

Ciara McGarvey, Katie Dowds and Eva Gallagher were the other point-scorers for the locals.

Niamh Keeneghan led the Cavan scoring charge with a goal and a point, while team captain Aisling Sheridan, as well as Eilis Sheridan and Katie May Fay also raised white flags for the Breffni Blues.

Cavan, who played against the strong wind in the first-half, got off to a dream start with the game’s only goal inside two minutes.  

Wing forward Keeneghan scored the goal when she stole in behind the Donegal last line of defence to take a pop pass and give Claire Friel no chance.

Donegal did respond to the Cavan green flag with two quick points from White and Dowds inside four minutes.

But with Cavan playing a controlled and patient possession game, Donegal did not score again for all of close on 20 minutes which, with the advantage of the elements, was simply not good enough.

In between, Keeneghan popped over Cavan’s only point of the half to go two up again before Dowds pulled a point back and, in injury time, White levelled the game from a close-in free. 

Level at the changeover, 1-1 to 0-4, Donegal faced a mammoth task against the strong wind and a well-organised Cavan in the second period.

White temporarily gave Donegal the lead within a minute of the restart with a well-taken point. 

But with substitute Ulitah Boyle sinbinned for a front block shortly after entering the fray, Cavan took advantage of the extra player. 

And by the three-quarter mark, they were back in front thanks to points from Keri McCormack and Katie Mae Fay to lead 1-3 to 0-5. 

White levelled it once more from a close-in free but Cavan’s tails were up and Aisling and Eilis Sheridan restored their two-point advantage at 1-5 to 0-6 with ten minutes of normal time remaining.

Eva Gallagher from a free, kept the game alive while Dowds from play also kept the home side in with a chance of a share of the points. 

Another Gallagher free was flicked over in a crowded goalmouth but was ruled out for a square infringement. 

And from the kickout, Cavan broke and captain Sheridan posted the clincher with literally the last kick of the game. 

Donegal scorers: Susanne White 0-4,2f, Ciara McGarvey, Katie Dowds 0-1 each; Eva Gallagher 0-1,1f.

Cavan scorers: Niamh Keeneghan 1-1, Aisling Sheridan 0-2, Eilis Sheridan, Katie May Fay, Eilis Sheridan 0-1 each. 

Donegal: Claire Friel, Niamh Carr, Evelyn McGinley, Sophie McFeely, Tara Hegarty, Feena McManamon, Ava Caulfield, Clodagh Brennan, Roisin Rodgers, Bláthnaid McLaughlin, Katie Dowds, Niamh Boyle, Susanne White, Nicole Gordon, Ciara McGarvey. 

Subs: Ultiah Boyle for Brennan (41), Shauna McFadden and Mia Bennett for Gordon and McLaughlin (44, Eva Gallagher for White (52), Abigail Temple Asokuh for McFeely (55), Jodie McFadden, Cait Gillespie and Rhiana McColgan for McGarvey, Caulfield and Hegarty (61).

Cavan: Evelyn Baugh, Zara Fay, Sinead Kelly, Lucy Crowe, Emma McIntyre, Christina Charters, Deirbhile Lynch, Micaela Fitzpatrick, Keri McCormack, Catherine Dolan, Ella Sheridan, Niamh Keenaghan, Ciara Lynch, Aisling Sheridan, Katie Mai Reilly.

Subs: Aislong Doughty for Keenaghan (47), Rebecca McLoughlin for Ciara Lynch (52), Ellyanna Madden for Deirbhile Lynch (64).

Referee: David Hurson (Monaghan).