Ballyclare Ladies extend unbeaten run
Wednesday, 15 October 2008
A STRIKE by acting captain, Pamela McWhirter, against Civil Service ensured that Ballyclare Ladies' undefeated league record remained intact.
This Senior League Section 1 fixture was staged at George Avenue, where the locals had to defend in depth in the later stages, in order to secure a division of the spoils in a 1-1 draw.
Except for team captain Karen Mitchell who was on honeymoon, and Jo Reynolds who is nursing a fractured arm, Ballyclare were at full strength, and they took the game to their opponents in the opening quarter.
Diane Henry and Lyndsey Hyslop were constantly probing the Service defence, but shots were saved by the goalie who had more to do than her opposite number, Vikki Cleland, at that stage.
That changed when the city girls moved in to top gear, with Vikki being called in to action several times, while Danielle Hagan and Danielle Wilson put in some strong tackles and made vital clearances under pressure.
The only goal of the opening thirty-five minutes was netted by full back Pamela McWhirter with a reverse stick shot, following a link-up between Sarah Galbraith and Lyndsey Hyslop.
Civil Service started the second half with half a dozen penalty corners in quick succession. Vikki Cleland stood up well to these, but was glad to have Danielle Wilson make two crucial goal-line clearances.
Eventually the pressure paid off when another penalty corner produced the equaliser. In the closing stages the Ballyclare girls made a determined effort to collect full points, but Caroline Darragh was denied by the goalie following a fluent build-up.
Ballyclare Ladies: V Cleland, D Wilson, D Hagan, L Ashcroft, P McWhirter (C), L Hyslop, C Darragh, A Cooke, J Cooke, S Galbraith, D Henry, R Mills, C McGookin, S Bell, L Camlin.
The 2nd XI entertained Belfast Harlequins II on Friday evening at George Avenue where the visitors ran our clear 5-0 winners.
The 'Quins, vociferously urged on by their enthusiastic coach, built up a solid 2-0 lead at the interval, and then put the locals to the sword after the break.
At the interval home hopes were still high, but the city girls turned on the style in the second session, during which they forced upwards of a dozen penalty corners.
One positive from the game was that not one of the goals was conceded from a penalty corner, following intensive practice in this aspect of the game in recent training sessions.
Harlequins moved the ball about fluently and had the majority of possession, with Ballyclare's limited scoring chances falling to Tori Wallace and Sara Moore.
Ballyclare Ladies II: L Camlin, G McGrath, N Kempton, E Johnston, L McCracken, J Wilson, K McFarland (C), L Curley, T Wallace, S Moore, R Mills, T Gilpin.
A Helen White score earned Ballyclare III a Junior League point in a 1-1 draw with Ballymoney III at The Cloughan, where the 4th XI went down 2-0 in the local derby with Carrick IV.
This weekend the seniors have no game, and the other fixtures are: 2nd XI v North Down II, home; 3rd XI v Belfast Harlequins V, home; 4th XI v Dromore IV, away.
