Portaferry Ladies 0 v Armagh City Ladies 9
Portaferry ladies suffered another heavy defeat at the hands of title chasers Armagh City.
With Portaferry finding it hard to get a team together due to injuries and other commitments and not having been able to field the same team twice all season it was left to a very strong Armagh side to prove why they are currently chasing Champions elect Derry City.
With Portaferry winning the toss and choosing to play with a very strong wind in the first half Armagh were made to keep the ball on the ground and show their technical abilities. Portaferry tried hard and indeed had chances but Megan Cinnamond and Viv Gilkinson weren’t in any mood to let them score.
The breakthrough for Armagh came after 5 minutes when current top scorer Megan Bothwell pulled the Portaferry centre half Melissa Cleary out of position and then beat her for pace to put through Katie Boylan to score the opener. You could near hear the sighs of the Portaferry players as they appeared to resign themselves to yet another defeat.
Five minutes later and the same again only this time it was Megan Bothwell who took the plaudits. Steph Sands and Sarah Blayney were holding the Armagh wide players but with man of the match Lindsay Henning pulling the strings in midfield and allowing others to push forward at times the Portaferry back pairing of Mel Cleary and Bridgeen Fitzsimmons looked overrun. The next twenty minutes saw Dannielle McKeating in the Ports goal have to make save after save to keep them in the match but on the 27th minute Megan Bothwell again popped up to pick up her second.
Not to be out done in what was maybe the move of the match Fiona Smyth made a dazzling run from the halfway line beating 3 defenders before being fouled and earning her defence a well earned break; but it was to be Megan Bothwell grabbing her hat trick before half time.
At half time and a rousing team talk from the two John’s Portaferry took to the field in the second half with renewed confidence and indeed were awarded a penalty within two minutes of the restart. With the Armagh keeper rooted to the spot it was agonising as young Amy McCarthy’s shot came back of the crossbar. Portaferry continued to press and without some outstanding defending and well timed tackles from Cinnamond may well have scored.
But, as the saying goes when you are the foot of the table you couldn’t buy a goal and luck doesn’t go for you and this was proved when from a corner the ball deflected of Steph Sands foot into her own net after 14 mins. This appeared to inspire Armagh again and within a minute Megan Cinnamond got her just rewards with a headed goal (her first of the season). Portaferry again contained Armagh and had excellent bursts of play but with the injured Claire McKenna hardly able to run and Dannielle McCarthy loosing steam it was Henning and Claire Taylor with support from Joanne Grover in control.
And with a last burst of ten minutes Armagh netted 3 goals through Charlene Troughton,
Megan Cinnamond and probably the goal of the game from a stunning free kick from Claire Taylor.
Well done to Armagh and indeed it was clear to see why they are title contenders, but scoreboards often don’t reflect what happens in a game and whilst Armagh were dominate throughout most of the game for a period of 15 minutes in the second half Portaferry showed why they are in Division One football, if only that penalty would have went in I think we could have seen a different second half.
I also feel that I must congratulate the players and managers of Portaferry who compete against adverse odds each week to field a team and yet endeavour to continue to play high quality football, although it looks very much like relegation for them this year, maybe a season in Division two will reinvigorate them and bring them back to Division One a stronger side.
Team – Portaferry Ladies
Dannielle McKeating , Steph Sands (og), Melissa Cleary, Bridgeen Fitzsimmons, Sarah Blayney, Dannielle Conlon, Fiona Smyth, Amy McCarthy, Claire McKenna, Rebecca Thompson and Kate Young.
Team – Armagh City Ladies
Wendy Craig, Pamela Starrett, Lindsay Henning, Viv Gilkinson, Charlene Troughton (1), Claire Taylor (1), Megan Bothwell (3), Joanne Groover, Natalie Toal, Katie Boylan(1), Megan Cinnamond (2). Subs Shauna O’Hare (for Charlene Troughton) Carline Andrews (for Claire Taylor)
Reporter – A. Freethinker
