Two goals from Holly Murphy gives Ballyfin their second win
Ballyfin's Holly Murphy goes on the attack in their Ladies IFC win over St Paul's Photo: David Maher
LGFA IFC Rd 3
Ballyfin 3-9
St Paul’s 1-11
BALLYFIN clinched their second win of their campaign after overcoming St Paul’s in Ballyfin on Friday night. The victors withstood a late comeback from St Paul’s to run out four-point winners. Holly Murphy and Michelle Lynch were on top form to lead Ballyfin to victory.
Ballyfin opened up the scoring with a point from Lynch, but it could have well been a goal only from a great save from the St Paul’s goalkeeper.
Aoife Langford would level matters, but Ballyfin responded with points from Chloe Scanlan and Lynch. St Paul’s would level matters yet again with points from Clodagh Brogan and Shannon Costello as there wasn’t much between the side’s early doors.
Ballyfin then clicked into gear and would go onto hit the next 2-3 with the goals coming from Niamh O’Rourke and Holly Murphy to give their side a commanding lead.
Isabelle O’Toole fired over the last score of the half for St Paul’s to leave the scores at 2-6 to 0-4 to the home side.
St Paul’s got off to the better start in the second half with two quick points from Aoibhin Maher and Brogan to reduce the gap to six points.
Chloe Scanlan did add a point for Ballyfin, but St Paul’s started to dominate around the middle of the field with Isabelle O’Toole taking over midfield.
Both sides would trade points through Michelle Lynch and Brogan free. In the next attack it was game over. In a great move from the home side, they worked it from their own defence with four quick passes which ended up with Holly Murphy who hit the net for her second goal and Ballyfin’s third to give St Paul’s a mountain to climb.
Sophie Cullinan added a point for Ballyfin with ten minutes to go and it was to be their last score of the game.
St Paul’s came storming back but left it too late. They would kick the next three points through from Kerri Costello, Brogan and Ava Murphy to reduce the gap to seven.
They then went in search of goals and got one through Shannon Costello to bring the game back to four points 3-9 to 1-11.
St Paul’s threw everything at the home side in the last three minutes, but Ballyfin withstood the pressure to get their second win of the championship Scorers:
Ballyfin: Holly Murphy 2-0, Michelle Lynch 0-4, Niamh O’Rourke 1-1, Chloe Scanlan, Sophie Cullinan 0-2 each.
St Paul’s: Clodagh Brogan 0-5, Shannon Costello 1-1, Aoife Langford, Isabelle O’Toole, Aoibhinn Maher, Kerri Costello, Ava Murphy 0-1 each.
BALLYFIN: Laura McEvoy; Kate Maher, Aine Seale, Aine O’Rourke; Rachel Wheeler, Eva Cullinan, Aoibheann O’Rourke; Niamh O’Rourke, Liadan C-Fennell; Sophie Cullinan, Sinead O’Rourke, Ella Dunphy; Holly Murphy, Chloe Scanlan, Michelle Lynch.
Subs: Dearbhla C-Fennell for Dunphy (21m), Rachel Walsh for L C-Fennell (48m) Molly Kelly for S Cullinan (49m).
ST PAUL’S: Abi Scott; Caoimhe Dooley, Kelly Hogan, Zoe Keegan; Kayla Lawlor, Louise O’Halloran, Lisa Kirwan; Mary Kate Moore, Isabelle O’Toole; Aoife Langford, Shannon Costello, Aoibhin Maher; Clodagh Brogan, Sinead O’Rourke, Kerri Costello.
Sub: Ava Murphy for Maher (48m).
