Northern Ireland Women's Football Association

Match Report

Limavady Ladies 8
Armagh City 1

Armagh were the visitors at the Limavady Showgrounds on a wet and windy Wednesday night. And it was the visitors that started the brightest, forcing two good saves from Limavady’s goalkeeper, Sarah Lemon. Limavady replied in a similar fashion, when with just six minutes on the clock, Louise McAllister opened the scoring, pouncing on a loose ball just inside the penalty area, 1-0.

Armagh tested Lemon again from a 25 yard free-kick, but the goalkeeper was equal to the shot. Limavady striker, Rebekah McMullan found space at the other end of the pitch forcing Armagh’s goalkeeper into action, saving the shot with her legs. 12 minutes played and Limavady doubled their lead, through Amy Lee McIvor. After Armagh broke down a Limavady attack, the clearance only got as far as McIvor who curled her left footed shot into the top corner, 2-0.

Limavady continued the pressure when McMullan’s close range shot was punched over the bar. However, McMullan did find the back of the net 2 minutes later. McAllister played a perfect through ball behind Armagh’s back four. McMullan latched on to it and slotted the ball past the goalkeeper for 3-0. Straight from Armagh’s kick off,

Limavady gained possession and their strikers were racing towards goal once again. McMullan repaid her strike partner with a fizzing cross that the goalkeeper misjudged, letting McAllister in to score from a snap-shot. 4-0 after only 20 minutes. 25 minutes gone and Armagh pressed forward to win a corner. From the cross Armagh’s striker managed to redirect the ball into the back of the net, 4-1.

Limavady’s defence of Karen McAllister, Kim Middleton, Amy Lee McIvor and Nicola Curry, upped their game after the goal, making sure to shut out any attack that came their way, summed up with a perfectly timed, last-minute tackle from Middleton to deny Armagh a shot at goal.

Armagh’s goalkeeper made a great save from McMullan late in the half, but there was little she could do about the next attack. Great passing and movement down Limavady’s left wing from Orla Boyle saw her release McAllister. Armagh defended well but the ball found its way back to Boyle. This time she picked out McMullan with a deep cross, for her to tap in to make it 5-1 at half time.

Limavady started the second half with a hunger for more goals, with both forwards hunting down any stray passes and loose balls. For all their effort it was centre back Karen McAllister that would be the immediate threat. After coming forward for a corner McAllister won the ball and after some neat footwork on the edge of the box, she saw her low drive deflected for another corner.

Limavady gave no let up in attack and winger Karen Haslett came within inches of scoring after some fine passing to set her up. Haslett got her name on the score sheet in the next attack. She powered forward into the box and from a narrowing angle let fly an unstoppable shot into the far corner, 6-1.

Although the deficit in the score was increasing Armagh’s heads did not drop and they began to pass the ball about trying to find a goal for themselves. However Limavady’s centre-backs remained solid and made it difficult for any attack to form due to Karen McAllister and Kim Middleton’s awareness to cut out Armagh’s final ball.

In the last 20 minutes as the rain fell heavier and the wind blew stronger, Limavady’s attackers began to make a voice for themselves again. First Orla Boyle’s shot was saved by Armagh’s goalkeeper at full stretch, before shot after shot bombarded Armagh’s goal. With 15 minutes to go, that seventh goal was beginning to look elusive before Louise McAllister turned on the wing and sped towards goal. After taking on and beating another defender, she opted to shoot past an advancing keeper for 7-1.

Limavady’s eighth goal of the night was scored in style. After a Limavady attack was cleared it fell to substitute Orlagh Cooke on the left wing, 25 yards out from goal. She spotted the goalkeeper off her line and with a thunderous strike, lobbed her to make it 8-1.

Despite the score line Armagh put up a brave contest and fought for every ball for the full match.

It was unfortunate that they came up against an in-form Limavady team with first place firmly in their sites and based on this performance, well within their grasp.

Report : Karen McAllister Lmavady Ladies

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