Northern Ireland Women's Football Association

Match Report

Limavady Ladies 11
Portaferry 0

On a night when there would be no let up from the home side competing in the NIWFA Davisons Frudles Division 1 match, Limavady Ladies showed their intentions early on, when straight from the kick-off, Louise McAllister found herself slotting the ball past the Portaferry goalkeeper.

Ten minutes into the first half Limavady’s left back, Amy Lee McIvor drove forward through the middle of the pitch, letting the ball fly, smashing against the crossbar. The rebound fell to Orlagh Cooke, who with one touch steadied the ball and with the second drilled it into the roof of the net for 2-0. Minutes later Limavady created a near carbon copy of that goal, when Allison McKeegan’s 25 yard strike struck the crossbar bouncing back into play.

This time Louise McAllister was quickest to react, heading the ball past the stranded Portaferry goalkeeper. After an intense opening twenty minutes Portaferry started to find their way and began some neat passing and closed in on Limavady’s Goal.

Limavady’s defence held strong to the attacks keeping the Portaferry strikers at bay. Late in the half, Limavady began to add pressure to Portaferry when centre back, Karen McAllister, rose for a corner to see her header flash inches over the crossbar.

Limavady continued to press up field and five minutes before half-time, some quick passing and moving from midfielders Carole Cooke and Allison McKeegan set up Rebekah McMullan to score the fourth goal of the night.
The second half began just as the first had for Limavady when Louise McAllister’s solo run saw her rounding the keeper to complete her third hat-trick of the season.

Strike partner McMullan got in on the act on the hour when her solo run from deep in her own half was too quick for Portaferry’s tiring defence and ended with her getting her second goal of the night and Limavady’s sixth.

With an increasing cushion of goals building up Limavady seemed to lose their shape and Portaferry took advantage finding their way back into the match. Portaferry’s midfield began to push forward but Limavady’s back four of Karen McAllister, Karen Haslett, Nicola Curry and Amy Lee McIvor remained strong enough to keep control of the game.

Portaferry, in search of a goal, began throwing more players forward, a risk capitalised by Limavady. As one of Portaferry’s attacks was broken down by the defence the ball was sent forward immediately on the counter attack to Louise McAllister who sprinted towards goal and having arrived at angle, comfortably placed the ball into the far corner of the net – 7-0.

Limavady won a corner on 70 minutes. Taken by Orla Boyle, the cross became a shot as it curled towards goal deceiving the Portaferry defence and ending up resting in the back of the net.

Although eight goals down, Portaferry continued to contest their opposition and again pressed forward with their strikers getting shots in at goal, calling Limavady’s goalkeeper, Sarah Lemon, into action. It was from Lemon’s quick throw out that Limavady scored their ninth as Rebekah McMullan went on another run with the ball, cutting into the box and firing home from close range to complete her hat-trick.

Left-back Amy Lee McIvor had been running up and down the wing all night, so it was no surprise when she found the ball at her feet on the edge of the opposition’s box. McIvor managed to get height on her shot before dipping it enough to find the back of the net for Limavady to reach 10 goals.

With only minutes remaining Limavady had one more goal in them, scored by McMullan, when in a crowded box she pounced on a lose ball to make it 11-0, crowning off an impressive, all round, team display by the home side.

Go back to Davisons Frudles Division 1 League