Cross’ girls are champs

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News Item added:22-06-2010

CROSSMOLINA 5-05 WESTPORT 3-06
AFTER an excellent first half display in which they scored four of their five goals, Crossmolina were in an ideal position to take home the silverware, and they managed to hold out in the second half against a rapidly improving Westport side in this eight-goal thriller.

Crossmolina may have been in charge for much of the first half, but it was Westport’s Becky Gavin who opened the scoring with a free in the first minute. Crossmolina’s attacking prowess soon became apparent though, and they were awarded a penalty after five minutes when Rachel Kearns was taken down by Jessica Mellotte, who picked up an injury in the process. Having won the penalty, it was Kearns herself who took it, only to be denied by an excellent save from Briony Quinn.

The Deelsiders took the lead shortly afterwards, as a threeminute spell yielded a point and two goals to put a six-point gap between the sides. Rebecca Maughan’s point had levelled proceedings, and two Sinead Mulhern goals in the 11th and 12th minutes, the first after some great work by Avril Noone, and the second created by a long ball from Cailín Barrett which fell kindly to Mulhern, who was left with an easy finish from close range.

Conceding two goals in as many minutes was a cruel blow for the Coveys, who had been very competitive in the early stages, but they wasted no time in their response, and points from Kirsten Walshe and Janette O’Malley closed the gap to four as they approached halftime.

Westport midfielder Lauren Bourke reduced the margin to a single point with a goal after 28 minutes, firing across the face of goal and in at the far post.

There were plenty of stoppages during this intense, physical first half, and Crossmolina made the most of this extended period of injury time to re-establish a healthy lead. Cailín Barrett, who had been outstanding for the entire half, was rewarded with a goal when she collected Rebecca Maughan’s long ball and hit the back of the net with a confident strike. Maughan added a point before scoring a goal of her own, a whole seven minutes into added time. After an incredible 40 minutes of football, the referee finally blew the half-time whistle, with the scores at 4-3 to 1-5 in Crossmolina’s favour.