Roscommon ladies turn the tables to reach knockout stages of intermediate championship
Caoimhe Lennon and her Roscommon team-mates enjoyed a superb victory against Down in Enfield on Sunday afternoon. Picture: Michelle Hughes Walsh
The Roscommon intermediate ladies’ team lifted some of the deflation around the county to record a terrific four-point victory against Down in Enfield and reach the quarter-finals of this year’s championship.
Two early goals, the return of Laura Mannion, and a fine defensive performance were the key ingredients in the team’s biggest result of the season.
There had been shoots of encouragement in the narrow loss against Cavan two weeks ago, and they were watered further in the West Roscommon sunshine to catapult Finbar Egan’s side into the knockout stages of the championship.
The home side made a superb start, with Laura Mannion — making her first competitive start of the season — netting inside a minute.
Aisling Feely added a free before a precise pass from Abby Curran found Caoimhe Lennon, and the Clann na nGael forward cut inside to grab her side’s second goal in the tenth minute.
Down tried to get their running game going, and it took a couple of excellent blocks from Áine McGrath to keep them at bay.
But the visitors were able to win frees, which the accurate Eimear Fitzpatrick was able to convert.
The Burren full-forward hit five of them, while Eva Hicks added a point.
But a couple of Aisling Feely frees kept the scoreboard ticking over from a Roscommon perspective as they led by 2-3 to 0-6 at the interval.
A massive defensive shift continued to limit Down to the majority of their scores from frees.
A two-point free from Aisling Feely gave Roscommon further encouragement, and even though substitute Cristin Brown goaled for Down to leave a point between the teams, the home side responded again through late points from Feely and Lennon to secure a famous four-point win.
Roscommon scorers: Aisling Feely (0-9, one 0-2 free, six frees), Caoimhe Lennon (1-1), Laura Mannion (1-0), Niamh Feeney (0-2), Abby Curran (0-1).
