Derry Ladies begin with defeat at Celtic Park

Lidl National League Division Four

Derry 2-5

Carlow 3-7

It was a story of what might have been for Derry as they began Division 4 with defeat to a determined Carlow side at Celtic Park.

For the management team of DD McCaffrey and Paddy O’Brien, this was their first opportunity to see their team in competitive action, and they will have seen plenty to work on, especially an impressive first half, which showed the potential of a team which boasts both individual and collective talent.

The first half was one of both encouragement and frustration for Derry, who had the better of the game for the majority of the first 30 minutes, but it wasn’t reflected in the scoreline. After a poor start from the home side, they got into their stride, with attacking play which was too swift, and too clever for their opponents, but time and time again they were let down by their finishing, with five wides, seven overall, not reflecting the story of the game.

Only for the accuracy of Steelstown’s Orla McGeough, who scored four frees to drag Derry back level, the home side would have gone in behind at half time in a game they should have been leading comfortably.

That said, Derry’s attacking was built on some solid defending at the other end, and in the moments that Carlow threatened, and there were enough, Aoife McGough and Joanne Corr in particular were rocks at the back, throwing their bodies in the way at crucial moments.

And but for a disappointing second half, Derry might well have got something from this game, the key moment coming when Cara Donnelly fired the Oakleafers into the lead for the first time in the game. But that goal preceded disaster as Carlow hit back immediately with 1-1, and there was no way back for Derry from there.

Slow start

The first 10 minutes were forgettable from a Derry point of view, and they found themselves four points behind before they registered their first score. Carlow had the ball in the net with their first real attack when Cliodhna N’She’s free kick dropped short but goalkeeper Ellie Conway could only palm it down and Maeve O’Neill reacted quickest to palm the ball into the net.

The visitors could well have had a second goal within 60 seconds as the dangerous N’She set Bronagh Nolan through on goal, who attempted to place it low past Conway, but the ball trickled right across the face of goal and wide.

N’She was pulling all the strings for Carlow and she added a free to stretch the lead to four points before Derry finally got off the mark 10 minutes in, McGeough with her first free.

And with that Derry started to play, putting passes together and putting Carlow under pressure for the first time, Devine shooting just wide at the end of an excellent move, before she added her second free from close range to eat further into the Carlow lead.

At this stage of the game, Derry were getting into their stride, with only their finishing letting them down, intricate and clever passing play opening up shooting opportunities, but Emma Doherty, Megan Devine and Cara Donnelly were all off target.

But Derry finished strongly, and although their wide tally crept up to five, McGeough was on target with successive frees to ensure that her team went into the break all level.

Half Time 0-4, 1-1

Carlow started brightly and, but for a shocking miss from N’She, would have been back in the lead. The forward soon made amends however with a free and Derry, slow out of the blocks again, had work to do.

Again, 10 minutes passed before the home side made an impression, but they did so emphatically, thanks to a brilliant finish from Donnelly, who hammered the ball into the net after being set free by Devine.

But it quickly went downhill from there. Within two minutes Carlow were back into the lead, thanks to a point from  Sara Doyle and a powerful finish from the powerful N’She, who blasted into the het from close range.

Clodagh Moore managed an important point to make it a one-point game as the final 10 minutes approached, but as Derry pushed forward and legs grew tired, the Carlow girls found a second wind. The difference in fitness was exposed in those final minutes as N’She added another free before several Carlow players attacked as a wave to set up substitute Fia Murphy for her team’s third goal, a strike that ended Derry hopes of any comeback.

There could well have been a frantic finale but for a great save from Carlow goalkeeper Nicole Harvey to deny Orla McGeough a goal, tipping the ball onto the post at a crucial moment in the game. 

Derry were fading, but they were determined and they kept a slim hope alive when Erin Doherty took advantage of a mistake from Harkey to scrape the ball into the net from close range to make it a one-goal game at 2-5, 3-5.

That was as close as the home side got however as Murphy and Savage added late points for Carlow to ensure an opening day victory. For Derry, who head to Limerick on Saturday, this was a game they can take a lot of positives from in yet another new chapter for the Ladies team.

Teams and Scorers

Derry: Ellie Conway, Hannah Mullan, Aoife McGough, Joanne Corr, Annie Crozier, Ciara McGurk, Megan Devine, Ciara Scullion, Blaithin Donnelly, Orla McGeough (0-4, 4f), Emma Doherty, Anna Martin, Erin Doherty (1-0), Cara Donnelly (1-0), Clodagh Moore (0-1).

Subs: Annie Ni Lochlainn for Ciara McGurk 40’, Sarah Heron for Annie Crozier 49’), Sarah Doyle for Joanne Corr 50’, Anna Young for Anna Martin 50’.

Carlow: Nicole Harley, Aoife Carroll, Annie Roche, Sinead McCullagh, Ruth Berningham, Katie Tunstead, Niamh Forde, Megan Townsend, Rosin Bailey, Edel Hayden, Bronagh Nolan, Sara Doyle (0-1), Rachel Savage (0-2), Maeve O’Neill (1-0), Cliodhna N’She (1-3, 3f).

Subs: Tara Lyons for Ruth Berningham 40’, Ella Molloy for Megan Townsend 40’, Fia Murphy for Edel Hayden 50’.

Yellow: Roisin Bailey 60’

Referee: Ciara Kilroy (Down)