Cavan defeat ladies footballers in league
 
14.02.10 | Cavan 0-13 Longford 0-3 | Thomas Kelly reporting from Emmet Park
 
After their promising start last Sunday with the defeat of Roscommon, Longford fell to a much stronger Cavan outfit by ten points. It was a game Longford struggled from the off, with their neighbours looking very promising.

Even when Cavan were reduced to fourteen players on two occasions, Longford couldn’t capitalise. Outstanding performances from Aisling Doonan, Claire Murtagh and player of the match Donna English propelled Cavan to a convincing win.
 
Longford opened the scoring in a low scoring half which produced just six scores, Denise Murtagh tapping over a close range free after three minutes, Sharon Tracey impeded on route to goal.

Cavan hit back with their first score of the game after five minutes, Roisin Crowe and Catriona Smith ripping open the Longford rearguard before playing in Claire Murtagh, who made no mistake when firing over an excellent score on the run.
 
Longford hit back with ten minutes on the clock to take the lead once again, Denise Murtagh on target with a close range free, Orla Noonan fouled this time when bearing down on goal.

Cavan wasted little time in responding, just two minutes in fact, when Aisling Doonan slotted over her first point from a close range free, bringing the sides level for the second time.
 
Seven minutes lapsed without a score before Cavan took the lead for the first time, Aisling Doonan firing over a neat point on the turn following a breaking ball around the Longford goal.

And Cavan managed to register the final score of the half with thirty minutes on the clock, powerful midfielder Claire Murtagh again breaking forward to raise the white flag, leaving the half time score reading 0-4 to 0-2 in favour of Cavan.
 
With Cavan reduced to fourteen players following the sin binning of centre back Ailish Corcoran two minutes before the half time break, Longford had a chance to exploit some space. However, that’s not the way it worked out as Cavan made all the running in the early stages and this was rewarded when they got a dubious penalty with two minutes gone.

Longford were let off the hook though when Lorraine McCloughrey made a diving save to her left to keep out Bronagh Sheridan’s penalty.
 
That save seemed to spur Longford on to try and make and impact on the game and they so nearly did this with thirty five minutes gone, but Sharon Tracey had her point blank goal bound effort cleared off the line by the tracking corner back Claire Keirns.

The first score of the second half soon followed with seven minutes gone when Catriona Smith set herself free from two Longford tackles before smashing over the back spot for a fine individual score. 
 
Cavan began to pick up some momentum now they were back to the full complement with chance upon chance being created. They got their second point on the trot through Aisling Doonan, which widened the gap to four points. Cavan then had their third point in quick succession, Bronagh Sheridan picking up on a loose ball before tapping over from close range.
 
Lively Cavan substitute Roisin O’Keeffe was next on the scoresheet, the nippy forward landing an excellent point on the run, meaning the scoreline read 0-8 to 0-2.

Longford finally got their first score of the half with fourteen minutes gone, Denise Murtagh again on target with a close range free, which was to be their last of the game while also failing to register from play throughout the sixty minutes.
 
Cavan replied with Aisling Doonan landing a superb long range free from just inside the forty five while five minutes after that and Claire Murtagh had her third point of the contest with a rasping effort which just fizzed over the bar.

Cavan closed out the game with scores from Doonan, Roisin O’Keeffe and Catriona Smith, leaving the margin at the end ten points, 0-13 to 0-3.
 
CAVAN: Karen Baxter; Ciara Reilly, Donna English, Claire Keirns; Rachel Jordan, Ailish Corcoran, Sheena Kiernan; Roisin Crowe, Claire Murtagh (0-3); Catriona Smith (0-2), Bronagh Sheridan (0-1), Pamela Crowe; Brige Boylan, Clara Reilly, Aisling Doonan (0-5, two frees).

SUBS USED:- Roisin O’Keeffe (0-2) for Clara Reilly and Reene Murphy for R. Jordan (both 36 mins); Grainne Smith for B. Boylan (44 mins); Una Flynn (Clonguish) for D. Murtagh (53 mins).
 
LONGFORD: Lorraine McCloughrey (Carrickedmond); Adrianna Melia (Rathcline), Yvonne Barden (Clonguish), Mairead Moore (Clonguish); Marie Brady (Clonguish) (Carrickedmond), Sinead Farrell (Rathcline); Elizabeth Brady (Killoe), Jacinta Brady (Killoe); Orlaith Doherty (Clonguish), Edel Quinn (Killoe), Siobhan McGowan (Clonguish); Orla Noonan (St. Helen’s), Sharon Tracey (Killoe), Denise Murtagh (St. Helen’s, 0-3, all frees).

SUBS USED:- Alice Magan (Clonguish) for E. Quinn (half time); Mary Kiernan (Ballymore) for O. Doherty (36 mins); Antoinette Brady (Killoe) for M. Brady (40 mins).
 
REFEREE: Vivin Hardiman (Roscommon).

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