Saul’s Ulster run comes to an end against dominant Carrickmacross

6 November 2024

A GLORIOUS year for Saul ladies ended in defeat on Sunday afternoon.

What a year they have had – from winning their league title, to securing the Down Intermediate Championship and making it into the semi-finals of the Ulster Intermediate Championship.

Ahead of Sunday’s game, Saul were crowned Club of the

Year at the Down LGFA awards night, rightly recognising their outstanding achievements this year.

Saul were very much the underdogs against Carrickmacross, who had a resounding 28-point win over Tempo in their quarter-final.

But it was Saul who got the scoreboard ticking first when a great ball from Catherine Byrne found Ella Rourke, who took her point well.

Carrickmacross responded two minutes later when Laura Grimes punched the ball over the bar.

Saul recaptured the lead when Cora Byrne-Convery confidently pointed a free. Carrickmacross levelled again and in the 11th minute Bronagh put Saul back in front with a shot which could have gone into the net.

Byrne-Convery added another point from a free in the 16th minute and soon added another after she was tackled high and a free was given.

The remaining eight minutes belonged very much to Carrickmacross, with Hughes getting a pointed free from range and Sarah Capaldi adding another from play before Hughes scored a goal a minute before half time to give the Monaghan visitors a 1-6 to 0-5 lead at the break.

Capaldi starting the second half as she finished the first half with a point from play.

Saul showed true determination seven minutes into the second half, when Catherine Byrne passed to Byrne-Convery, who rounded her marker and slotted a low shot into the net to reduce the deficit to four points.

The second half was more physically challenging and there was plenty of pressure on Saul’s back line of Cara Fitzsimons, Laura Edgar and Carla Dorrian, with support needed from Emma Savage, Maddie Crawford and Erin Sands.

Into the last ten minutes of the game, Saul were down

by five points. Cora Swail, Molly Sharvin, Byrne-Convery tried everything to break through, but the game was wrapped up six minutes from time

when a tackle on Caoimhe Carolan inside the square resulted in a penalty which was converted for Carrickmacross’s second goal.

Despite their defeat, Saul should be extremely proud of their achievements this year.

Saul: O Carson, C Fitzsimons, L Edgar, C Dorrian, E Sands, M Crawford, E Savage, E Rourke (C), L Lundy, B McErlean, C Byrne, C Burke, C Gallagher, C Byrne-Convery, C Swail.

Subs: M Sharvin, C Kerr, G Surginor, M Higgins, M Enright.

Carrickmacross: A O’Rourke, G Connolly, S Corr, C Gilroy, A Loughman, K Duffy (C), A Scotson, C Larney, E Carolan, A MacAuliffe, L Grimes, L McGeown, S Capaldi, O Kelly, S Hughes. Subs: C Carolan, R Lupar, N Kieran, M Ward, K Marron.

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