O'Mahonys' young guns too strong for Na Fianna

Colin O'Brien

Navan O’Mahonys' young charges proved too strong (1-16 to 1-3) for Na Fianna’s second string in the opening round of the ICC, played in dry conditions in Baconstown on Wednesday evening.

Quick off the mark, Isobel O’Connor won the throw-in and passed the ball to Cara Ratty who split the posts on the first time of asking. Na Fianna added two points in response in the following two minutes, giving them a slight edge.

O’Connor levelled things before Jorja Keogh gave her side the lead in the sixth minute, which Navan O’Mahonys held until the final whistle. The Na Fianna net-minder made an impressive save in the twelfth minute, her first of many throughout the game.

A Ratty point and a Na Fianna free kept the scoreboard ticking over before Lauren Woods added her name to the score-sheet for the first time. Allanah Brady converted a free with five minutes remaining in the half. Woods won the resulting puck-out and made no mistake in splitting the posts.

The final few minutes of the half saw Navan O’Mahonys push themselves into a comfortable position at half time with Keogh scoring twice before Izzy Kinsella raised two white flags in injury time, leaving the visitors in control at the break.

Navan O’Mahony’s 0-11 Na Fianna 0-03

With the light fading in the second half, Navan O’Mahonys just needed to hold onto the lead they had built in the first. A number of balls were dropped short into the square where they were safely cleared by the Na Fianna defence.

A four minute period early on in the half extended Navan O’Mahonys lead to twelve points, with four scores in this time. These came from Keogh, Woods and substitute Mia McNally. O’Connor tagged on another in the twelfth minute.

Navan O’Mahonys were well served in the backs also, led by strong performances from Saoirse O’Regan, Alannah Brady, Aoibhín McKenny, Megan Kinsella. Rebecca Coen and Róisín Tobin.

Ten scoreless minutes passed before Na Fianna eventually broke through Navan O’Mahonys defence to find the net. Quick to respond, Ratty hit a point within ninety seconds. After a number of wides and short balls, Ratty and McNally combined to score a goal for the visitors, which proved to be the final score of the game.

Trim await in Round 2 on Sunday at 6.30pm

Navan O’Mahonys - Mags Tompkins, Megan Kinsella , Saoirse O’Regan, Aoibhín McKenny, Rebecca Coen, Alannah Brady (0-01), Róisín Tobin, Isobel O’Connor (0-02), Tara Fay, Jorja Keogh (0-04), Izzy Kinsella (0-02), Lilly Dwyer, Lauren Woods (0-04), Cara Ratty (0-03), Annie Hogan

Mia McNally (1-01) for Hogan, Anna Gardener for Dwyer, Doireann Mellett for Tobin, Muireann Corkery for Woods, Emma Byrne for McKenny