Goals win games as Donegal camogs lose out to Louth

A clinical Louth side showed that goals win games as they defeated Donegal in the third round of matches in Division 3B of the National Camogie League in Fr Tierney Park.

Four first-half goals from Aoife Malone, Claire Ward, and two from Caoimhe Cunningham gave the visitors a strong lead, with Sarah Lambe’s two frees all Donegal got in the first period in Ballyshannon.

And while St Eunan's woman Lambe added another five points in the second half, two goals from Gemma Murray ensured the Wee County would come away with their first win of the campaign.

Louth had a dream start as they hit the net inside a minute as Aoife Malone’s shot was aved by Hannah McDermott, but Caoimhe Cunningham was there to fire in the rebound.

And two minutes later, they got their second as a shot from Lucy Sheridan dropped short, but Malone was there to pick up the scraps and find the net.

Donegal got their first score on ten minutes as Sarah Lambe converted a free won by Faragh Campbell, but Louth got a third major as a long-range effort from Claire Ward dropped short, but evaded McDermott.

A great effort from Cunningham found the top corner for her second goal, while Louth defended well to clear an effort off the line from a Lambe free.

Lambe got her second score from a close-range free, and Louth almost had a fifth goal with the last play of the half as Malone’s effort hit the crossbar, and McDermott made a great save to deny Aoife McCabe with the rebound.

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But they started the second half in similar form to how they played in the first, hitting a goal inside three minutes of the restart as Gemma Murray picked up a loose ball at close range, and she found the bottom right corner.

Donegal tagged on two more points from Lambe, the first from a free and the second from 35 metres, as they kept battling.

But Louth got a sixth goal as Malone’s shot was saved but as the sliotar came out towards Murray, she leathered a brilliant effort into the top right corner.

Eunan O’Donnell’s side weren’t giving up, and Lambe added further scores, two from frees and one last one from play.

But Louth finished the scoring with their first point of the game as Malone fired over from a placed ball for a deserved win.

Donegal scorers: Sarah Lambe 0-7,5f.

Louth scorers: Caoimhe Cunningham and Gemma Murray 2-0 each; Aoife Malone 1-1; Claire Ward 1-0.

Donegal: Hannah McDermott; Sinead McIntyre, Jane Kelly, Jessica Martin; Teagan Duffy; Zoe Whoriskey, Faragh Campbell; Sinead Flood, Paige Rushe; Sarah Jane Hartnett, Alex Elaurza, Alannah Curran; Sarah Lambe, Ciara Coulter, Siubhán O’Donnell.

Subs: Aoibhinn Taylor for Campbell (ht), Kara O’Neill for Flood (36), Wendy Patterson for Coulter (46), Dairine Rushe for O’Donnell (48), Rebecca Whyte for Hartnett (50), Ella-Kate Gillespie for Martin (52), Laura Doherty for Curran (54).

Louth: Mairead McMahon, Louise O’Connell, Clodagh Fennell, Claragh Cunningham; Carol Ann Logue, Ellen McCarthy, Lily Carter; Katie Matthews, Lorraine McNicholl; Lucy Sheridan, Gemma Murray, Claire Ward; Caoimhe Cunningham, Aoife Malone, Aoife McCabe.

Subs: Aoibhin Killen and Róisin Caraher for Sheridan and McCabe (42), Paula Lohan for Caoimhe Cunningham (50), Julie Guinan for Matthews (52), Chloe Kelly and Rebecca Kirwan for McNicholl and O’Connell (58).

Ciaran Groome (Offaly)