Dungloe ladies see off Carrickmore in Ulster MFC opener

Dungloe got their Ulster LGFA Minor Championship campaign up and running with a hard-fought win over Tyrone standard-bearers Carrickmore on Sunday afternoon.

The five-in-a-row Donegal champions had four points to spare at the finish, but it took a late scoring flourish from the locals to clinch the win and a place in the last four of the championship.

In a high-octane game of football played on the new pitch at Rosses Park, this was a ding-dong battle from the first whistle to the final blow of referee Shane McGoldrick's whistle.

The Tyrone ladies played with the advantage of the bitingly cold Arctic wind at their backs. However, they had to be content with a share of the points as the sides headed off at half-time.

Dungloe 1-5 Carrickmore 1-5 was the half-time score.

Kirsti Boyle was the Dungloe goalscorer, while Mia O'Donnell (2), Kirstie Boyle, Ruby McGee and Emma Wallace posted the Dungloe points.

Grace Donnelly scored the Carrickmore goal, with Katie Marley (4) and Roise McCallan registering the points for the Tyrone champions.

Mia O'Donnell, with a close-in free, edged Dungloe ahead on the resumption. But the side managed by Joe Boyle were rocked three minutes later when Marley cracked home Carrickmore's second goal.

All of a sudden, the visitors were ahead 2-5 to 1-6 with just four minutes gone in the new half.

O'Donnell and Toni Boyle responded to tie up the game at 1-8 to 2-5 by the 40-minute mark.

O'Donnell added a second Dungloe goal shortly after to propel the locals back into a three-point lead, 2-8 to 2-5, with a quarter of an hour left on the clock.

Marley, who ended the game with a personal tally of 1-7, knocked over two quick-fire points to trim the Dungloe lead to a single point.

O'Donnell and Marley, along with Emma Wallace, exchanged points, with Dungloe clinging to a two-point advantage as the clock ticked towards the hour mark.

But despite losing full-forward Roisie McCallan for ten minutes in the sin bin, Carrickmore refused to roll over.

The sides were level courtesy of two more Marley pointed frees with just one minute of normal time remaining.

However, with three minutes of additional time indicated, Dungloe dug deep. Emma Wallace stepped up to edge the home side back in front before Rachael Wallace sealed the win with the locals' third green flag.

With time almost up, the skipper's attempt at an insurance point dropped short under the crossbar, over the goalkeeper's head and into the net.

It was relief all round for the local supporters in the sizeable crowd who witnessed a cracking game of football.

Dungloe scorers: Mia O'Donnell 1-5, 3f, Emma Wallace 1-1, Kirsti Boyle 1-1, Rachael Wallace 0-2, Ruby McGee and Elisha Boyle 0-1 each.

Carrickmore scorers: Katie Marley 1-7, 6f, Grace Donnelly 1-0, Aodha Kerr, Roisie Kerr and Saoira Loughran 0-1 each.

Dungloe: Aine Walsh; Caoimhe Gallagher, Aoibheann McCann, Caoimhe McGonagle; Aoife McGonagle, Elisha Boyle, Caoimhe Glackin; Toni Boyle, Nicola Bonner Gillespie; Rachael Wallace, Emma Wallace, Ruby McGee; Mia O'Donnell, Dayna Clerkin, Kirstie Boyle.

Subs: Shorah Ward for N. Gillespie (51).

Carrickmore: Minnie McCallan; Connie Coyle, Aoibheann Haughey, Brid Sweeney; Annie Kate Marley, Saoira Loughran, Me McCallan; Ciara Rose Marley, Jenna McClean; Ava Marley, Grainne Donnelly, Katie Marley; Aoibhe Kerr, Roise McCallan, Ciara McCall.

Referee: Shane McGoldrick (Fermanagh).