Poor start proves costly as Cooley Ladies beaten in Leinster

Leinster Ladies Intermediate Football Semi Final

Cooley Kickhams 3-8 Skryne (Meath) 3-16

A slow start proved fatal for Cooley Kickhams as they exited the Leinster championship at the hands of a talented and free flowing Skryne.

The hosts grabbed three goals in the opening 15 minutes of action, helping them build a huge cushion that stood at 15 points at one stage. But a brace of goals just before half time from Lauren Boyle and Niamh Rice ate into this lead, giving them some hope at half time.

Lisa Maguire’s side kept pushing the Meath champions, even grabbing another three pointer not long after the restart, via substitute Laura Traynor.

Yet as much as they tried to fight back, launching numerous attempts long in the search of more goals, in the end the gap proved too big with Skryne marching on as deserving winners by eight points.

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The early exchanges saw the sides trading scores, Ciara Smith getting the first of her almost unbelievable final tally of 2-7, all from play, within seconds of the throw in.

In reply, a lovely solo run from Niamh Rice helped get the ball into enemy territory, allowing Lauren Boyle to blast it over nicely from the corner. However, soon after a costly error would see the home team go on a scoring spree that essentially won them the game.

A Smith effort would drop short of the goals but was missed by Cooley keeper Sinead Rice. The ball duly hit the post and ricocheted into the back of the net. For the next 15 minutes, Skryne outscored the girls from the Penninsula 3-4 to 0-1.

It was just wave after of endless attacks, as Cooley failed to win possession from five of their own kickouts in the first half. The Girls in Blue used this to push up hard on their opponents, patiently going through the phases and doing all they could to get Smith on the ball as much as possible.

Cooley weren’t fouling very often, and their tackling wasn’t poor, it was just they couldn't deal with Skryne’s movement. And coupled with the home side having a large wind advantage, they also had a long ball weapon to call upon.

The second goal came after just 11 minutes. Elizabeth Morland started off the move with a lovely solo from midfield. In what was a well worked team move, Morland ended up providing the final pass for Elie Murphy who from close range took no prisoners.

The third goal came just two minutes later, and it was another well worked team goal. Having stretched the Cooley defence, it was Morland who once more provided the assist, fisting it into the path of Smith who soccer style blasted it home.

Having grabbed three more points versus just the one from Cooley (via Boyle), the Louth Champions were now in deep trouble as they trailed by 12 points.

The problems were everywhere for Cooley. Around midfield they were getting turned over all the time, with Aine O’Dowd, Cathriona Keogan and Morland ploughing through tackles with ease.

Even when getting forward, they were under pressure and were relying on Niamh Rice to be the lynchpin of their attack. Anytime she could get on the ball and solo it forward, chances fell her team’s way. But she was well marked throughout, negating the presence she could have.

Lucy Whyte was someone who stepped up to the plate and took advantage of the space left by Skryne concentrating their defence on Rice. Her pacey diagonal runs would set up many attacks, usually finished off by an in-form Lauren Boyle. The duo linked up for a rare Cooley point on 18 minutes.

Mistakes were sadly a big factor in the Peninsula girls’ game and any loose pass was leading to scores down the other end. Four more scores followed for the home side, as they increased their lead to 15 points after just 26 minutes.

Weaker teams would have buckled at this point, but not Cooley. They had a rare spell on top around the middle, gaining turnovers from Skryne kickouts. They made this purple patch count, grabbing 2-2 before the end of the half.

The first goal came on 29 minutes. Boyle did well to gain possession from a low kick pass into her path and duly left two defenders in her waste before teeing up an awaiting Niamh Rice. From a tight angle she slotted home nicely.

Two minutes later Siobhan McCarthy intercepted a loose Skryne kickout. She quickly palmed it down for Whyte who started a lovely team move that ended with Boyle rattling the net. This brace of goals, coupled with two points from Boyle left Cooley trailing by seven, 3-9 to 2-5 at the break.

To have any hope of comeback, the Louth Senior champions needed to get out of the traps fast. Yet it was the home side that added to their lead with two early points from Smith and Morland. In between those effort Cooley were let off the hook as a powerful Smith effort hit the crossbar.

The whole second half encompassed Kickhams searching for goals, and they did negate the early Skryne brace when substitute Laura Traynor raised a green flag. She was teed up via a long range free from Patsi Boland, her powerful strike going just above the keeper Rachel Whelan.

The home side were lacklustre at this stage, never looking to have much bite in them going forward, having built up a cushion they probably thought was enough to see the game out. In comparison Cooley were hungry for every ball and drawing fouls.

But with the deficit so large they needed goals and despite putting the Skryne goals under siege throughout the half, the defenders were largely coming out on top and clearing their lines. All the while their forwards grabbed the odd score, despite being outplayed in the final quarter.

These odds scores were enough to see the tie out, as those goals never came. But Cooley can be proud of their effort. Their never say die attitude is commendable and they will no doubt learn plenty from this defeat as they look to push on in 2023.

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Skryne: Rachel Whelan; Ciara Crowley, Samantha Clarke, Alana Cooney; Nicola O’Reilly, Lisa Browne, Niamh O’Brien; Cathriona Keogan, Elizabeth Morland (0-1); Steffi Finnegan, Amy O’Dowd (0-1), Fiona O’Rourke (0-1); Ellie Murphy (1-4), Ciara Smith (2-7), Roisin McManus (0-2). Subs: Laura Managan for Finnegan (60).

Cooley Kickhams: Sinead Rice; Lisa McCarragher, Claire Donnelly, Hazel Malone; Shannon Walker, Patsi Boland, Roisin McDaid, Renee McGlynn; Chloe McCarragher, Niamh Rice (1-2, 0-1 free), Lucy Whyte; Lauren Boyle (1-5, 0-1 free), Eibhlin Rice, Siobhan McCarthy. Subs: Laura Traynor (1-1) for McGlynn (HT), Megan Ferguson for E Rice (62).

REFEREE: Finbarr Shanahan (Dublin)