‘Two evenly-matched teams’ was the verdict here from one of our Kildress Ladies stalwarts and never were truer words spoken as Kildress and Moortown contested a wonderful 3-11 to 1-17 draw down on the Loughshore on yet another brilliant summer evening in one of Gaelic Tyrone’s finest settings.
Saturday evening’s draw maintained Kildress’ good League run and produced, from both teams, that powerful contribution of excitement and good quality football. At half-time Kildress led by a point, by the second water break Moortown had pushed two points ahead but by full-time it was back to all-square. Ann Marie Lennon’s two goals and Shannon Crilly’s 1-3 saw them share the top-scorer billing but just as important was Charleen Quinn’s third-quarter penalty save. The Tones’ 3-11 was eye-catching but the team’s defensive play was just as important in this one, much of it yet again built around the pivotal and always classy Aoife O’Connor. At mid-field Sinead Daly put on a fine display and Kildress will also be pleased with the fact that they had six different scorers over the hour.
Kildress: Charleen Quinn | Donna Hagan, Cathy Connolly, Cara Loughran | Tasha O’Neill, Aoife O’Connor, Rachel McKenna | Sinead Daly, Ann-Marie Lennon (2-0) | Eilis Keenan (0-3), Chloe Tracey (0-3), Nicole Keenan (0-1) | Caoimhe Gilmore (1-0), Shannon Crilly (0-1), Stacy Boone (0-1) | Niamh Brannigan, Bronagh McAleer, Eimear McAleer, Emma McKernan, Donna Mullin, Sinead Slane |
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Kildress Reserves mean-while went safely through to the next round of the LCC GROUP Intermediate Reserve Championship with a good 2-14 to 2-6 win over Stewartstown at Mullaghmoyle on Friday evening. Ryan Conway’s (1-1) goal in the opening minutes, followed by a great double save from Nathan McKernan, gave the Tones a grip on this one that they never loosened and but for two late Harps penalties their victory would have been even more comprehensive. Aidan McAleer’s (1-3) goal saw Kildress ahead by 2-6 to 0-5 at the break and on the re-start they just kept pulling farther ahead, with Adam Connolly’s five points a handsome contribution. Kildress’ other scorers were Shay Loughran, Caolan Mullin (both 0-2), and Niall Connolly (0-1).
