Northern Ireland Women's Football Association

Match Report

Limavady Ladies 9
Tollymore 1

After a cup exit two nights before, Limavady set their sights firmly on the league with this impressive display against Tollymore in Mallusk. The match began brightly for both sides, firstly Limavady’s Amy Lee McIvor hit the woodwork from thirty yards before Tullymore’s striker forced a save from goalkeeper Orlagh Cooke. Limavady began to apply more pressure going forward with Louise McAllister looking threatening from every move and could have given Limavady the lead numerous times, but for some great saves from Tollymore’s goalkeeper. The goal did arrive on 20 minutes when Louise McAllister was picked out by her sister Karen McAllister from a perfectly delivered free kick. Limavady’s forward ran on to the ball before slotting it into the back of the net. The score line was doubled within thirty seconds of the restart when Rebekah McMullan darted into the box and volleyed home from close range. Limavady continued to press forward and were denied a third goal, when Louise McAllister’s free kick was tipped over the bar. From the resulting corner, Karen McAllister arrived in the box to power in her first goal of the season to make it 3-0. A solid display by Rhonda Curry in the heart of Limavady’s midfield kept the ball moving towards Tollymore’s penalty box and they had their goalkeeper to thank for keeping the score down as Limavady laid siege to their goal for the rest of the half. Half time 3-0 to Limavady Ladies
The second half saw Limavady’s number nine Rebekah McMullan come close to scoring but for the quick reflexes of Tollymore’s goalkeeper to smother the shot. McMullan was relentless in her attacking and soon after crossed the ball into McAllister whose shot was saved by the goalkeeper but she could not hold it and with a mistimed punch, hit the ball into her own net to make it 4-0. Just over an hour played and Limavady’s right back, Nicola Curry, beat two players and carried the ball into Tollymore’s half before releasing a superbly weighted ball to McMullan who first had her shot saved and then watched on as McAllister hit the post from the rebound. Limavady enjoyed the possession of the ball and created some accurate passing and movement in the midfield from Rhonda Curry, whilst winger Carole Cooke was finding some space to deliver crosses deep into the box. With twenty minutes left to play, Limavady found the back of the net, two times in as many minutes. Firstly through McAllister and then from her striker partner, McMullan after being set up by Karen Haslett. Tullymore did find a consolation goal when their striker drove home a shot from a wide angle with fifteen minutes left to play, making the score 6-1. Louise McAllister grabbed her hat-trick soon after when she received the ball on the edge of the box. She turned quickly before finding the bottom corner of the net. Another hat-trick was sealed soon after, when Limavady’s, Rebekah McMullan dribbled the ball into the box and after taking the ball wide, dragged her shot past the goalkeeper for 8-1. Limavady’s defence held strong for the final quarter of an hour, with Nicola Curry finding a second wind and defended her goal right to the end. It was in the dying minutes of the match when Karen Haslet popped up in the box to connect with a volley to make the score 9-1 and complete a resounding victory for Limavady Ladies. Division One has served up some great competitive football this summer and as a testament to this, with two weeks of the season remaining and only two points the difference between this league’s top three teams of Banbridge, Downpatrick and Limavady, the final run in of fixtures promises to be a tense affair. Especially as Limavady face both their title rivals in their final two games.

Report -: Karen McAllister Limavady Ladies

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