Ladies Championship off to a flying start this week!

Errigal Group Ladies Football Championship 

THE Ladies championship threw in on Monday night as all three grades began their group games and what a start it was to be. 

No doubt the victory for Glen over reigning senior champions Steelstown will have caught the eye. Goals from Leanne McCrystal and Breena O’Loughlin helping the home side into a 2-5 to 0-3 interval lead. Annie Ní Lochlainn who finished with 0-4, hit what was to be Glen’s only score of the second half as the reigning champions fought back with an improved second half performance. Orla McGeough hit 0-4 also while a late penalty from Emma Doherty wasn’t enough in the end. 

In the same group Ballymaguigan began with a comfortable victory over last year’s intermediate champions Ballerin. The home side got off to a blistering start with Kate and Lauren Crozier netting inside four minutes. The visitors hit back with a point and a superb Aine McAlister goal on eight minutes. However, the game soon swung back in Ballymaguigan’s favour with both Aoife McGlone and Annie Crozier dominating at midfield. The second quarter saw the home girls hit 2-13 to go in at the break leading 4-14 to 1-3. Despite a brave display there was no way back for the Ballerin girls although Rhianna Doherty did hit a second goal for the visitors. Kate Crozier finished with 3-4 to her name while Lauren Crozier hit 2-3, Nicole Nugent 1-3 and some outstanding points from Erin O’Neill saw her hit six points over the hour. 

In Group B, Ballinascreen hit seven goals as they hit the ground running to defeat Moneymore. The Screen girls were rampant from the start and had the game already wrapped up by the break as they led by 22 points. They raced 3-9 clear before the home side rattled their goal when mother and daughter Aoife and Roisin O’Neill combined. The home side tried hard in the second half to get back into the game with Anna Young netting a goal while Roisin O’Neill and Eve Diamond hit points but the visitors were impressive to run out easy winners. 

Magherafelt defeated Faughanvale on Wednesday evening as they laid the foundation for the win with a strong opening half as they built up a 1-10 to 0-3 victory. 

In the Intermediate competition, Eoghan Rua and Lavey both got off to a winning start over Limavady and Claudy respectively. Shauna Doherty was the hero for last year’s beaten finalists Eoghan Rua as she finished with a personal tally of 4-3 to her name. The sharp-shooter had three goals in the opening half as they built up a 3-3 to 1-5 lead. At the finish they came out on top 4-6 to 1-9, Louise McIntyre with her side’s other three points. 

In Lavey, dual star Carla Collins kicked a late free to edge last year’s junior champions to victory 2-14 to 4-7 in a cracking encounter. It was was her last score of an impressive haul of 2-7 for the 17-year-old. Collins netted her first goal from the penalty spot on eight minutes and with some fine points from Eilis Toner and Emma Collins along with a second goal from Carla Collins Lavey led at the break 2-7 to 1-3 with Claudy’s cause not helped by a sin bin. 

On the resumption, the visitors came roaring back in this pulsating clash and went onto out-score the home side 3-4 to 0-2 to turn the game in their favour with 10 minutes remaining, Blaithin Donnelly, Ciara White and Cait Hargen to the fore, Lavey also suffering a blow with a sin bin. Lavey finished strongly with a Maria Rafferty point levelling matters before Carla Collins won it for the home side with that late free. 

Dungiven began their junior campaign with a win in another closely fought game against Slaughtmanus. In the end, it came down to Brannagh Brolly’s goal inside the opening minute that was to be the difference, a major score was always going to be crucial in this one and it went the way of the visitors. Both teams put in a great display in what was a real championship battle. Alicia McNicholl rowed in with 0-3 to her name while Deobhona McElhinney and Megan Brown notched two a piece and Erin McKeever completed the Dungiven scores. 

On Wednesday evening Desertmartin overcame Lissan with the winners putting in a superb performance. Aslinn McElhennan, Cara Donnelly, Niamh Fullen, Caoimhe Kelly, Roisin McElhennon, Hannah Scullion, Orla Martin and Erin Kelly all getting on the scoresheet for the winners. Lissan played their part in an entertaining game with their scores coming from Caitlin Conway, Anna Loughran, Ellen McCaffrey, Jessica Falls and Lisa McGuigan. 

Results 

Errigal Group Senior Football Championship 

Glen 2-6 Steelstown 1-8 

Ballymaguigan 6-23 Ballerin 2-6

Ballinascreen 7-20 Moneymore 2-2 

Magherafelt 1-14 Faughanvale 1-4 

Errigal Group Intermediate Football Championship 

Eoghan Rua 4-6 Limavady 1-9 

Lavey 2-14 Claudy 4-7 

Errigal Group Junior Football Championship 

Dungiven 1-9 Slaughtmanus 0-8

Desertmartin 8-18 Lissan 2-5

Fixtures 

Monday 11th September 

Errigal Group Senior Football Championship

Steelstown v Ballymaguigan 

Ballerin v Glen 

Ballinascreen v Magherafelt 

Faughanvale v Moneymore 

Errigal Group Intermediate Football Championship 

Limavady v Lavey 

Claudy v Eoghan Rua 

Errigal Group Junior Football Championship

Desertmartin v Slaughtmanus 

Dungiven v Lissan