Harlequins Ladies Hockey Match Report
Harlequins(3) 3 - Mallow 0
Munster Division 3
Wednesday 9th February 2005
Scorers: Norma Brady, Pamela Deacon, and Claire Power
by David Egner
Quins began this game on the back of three straight defeats, while Mallow
had just qualified for the semi-final of the May Costley Cup last weekend
and were flying high. Both teams were missing a few players, but players
brought in certainly didn't put on a bad show for the few spectators who
braved the Arctic conditions that is Harlequin Park in the evening.
The match hit of and despite Quins' early possession Mallow had the better
chances of the opening 10 mins and won a few short corners. Yet, the Quins
back five proved their salt and with Mary Jermyn and Orla Higgins quick off
the line, to break down the corners and set the counter attack underway,
Quins survived.
With the addition to Norma Brady into left midfield (replacing Aoife Turner
who then rotated with the forwards to give them a well earned rest) and
Claire Power putting in her best display of the season (so far) driving down
the right side of the pitch, combining very well with Mary and Eleanor
Flood, Quins gained confidence and began to dominate and take control of the
game. Superb 1-2 passing and weighted balls to space help pry-apart the
solid Mallow back four and provide Quins with good position to get in
crosses. It is from one such cross that a penalty corner was awarded and
Norma Brady scored with a strike from the top after the initial shot from
Eileen Collins was saved.
Norma was to turn provider for the second goal; after a neat run down the
left she cut inside to the top of the D and played a pass to Pamela Deacon
who clinically finished the ball with a first time shot on the run, despite
some tight marking from Mallow. This goal really fired up Quins and wave
after wave of attack followed with Aoife, Pam, Eileen and Eleanor,
especially, reaking havoc in the Mallow defensive 25.
Mallow however hadn?t given up the fight and if it wasn?t for some superb
defending from Yvonne Slyne, stepping up and sweeping in front of the back
four Mallow could have been back into the match. Actually Yvonne turned out
to be not only the defensive general but a lot of the Quins counter attacks
came from her, spreading the ball out wide to Claire, Norma, Eleanor and
Pam.
Half Time Score: Quins 2 Mallow 0
Once the second half got underway Quins began where they left off, endlessly
attacking Mallows circle, and the third and final goal came towards the end,
when after a good passing move down the right Quins were awarded a free hit.
Claire Power got on the end of the free hit deflecting the ball into the
net, to score her first ever goal for the club.
During the second half Mallow began to regain a bit more control over the
game, as the effort from the Quins girls in the first half began to take its
toll despite the rolling substitutes. Nevertheless Karen Olden (GK) kept a
clean sheet as the back four displayed excellent communication and awareness
to keep the Mallow forwards at bay. Communication between the defenders
showed a vast improvement of the last few weeks displays were by sloppy
defensive errors were punished.
When the ball did get past Orla (CM) and the sweeper Yvonne, good no
non-sense defending by Mary O'Leary, Mary Jermyn and Nicky Jackson kept
Quins in the game. Communication skills and positional awareness were a vast
improvement of previous weeks, especially Nicky who commanded the left back
area, and Mary O'Leary who had the common sense to break it down if needed
outside the circle.
The final chances of the match fell to Quins who narrowly missed out a forth
goal when a great cross across the circle was just inches away from finding
the backboard when Pamela connected at the back post.
Overall this was a great spectacle of hockey, with the umpires rarely having
to use their whistles, and a great boost for the Quins girls ahead of their
League match with Ashton at the weekend. It just goes to show, that
regardless of the umpires, opposition and players missing, that when those
present on the day are focused on the job at hand a great performance can be
revealed.
Final Score: Quins 3 Mallow 0
Team: Karen Olden, Mary Jermyn, Yvonne Slyne, Mary O?Leary, Nicky Jackson,
Claire Power, Orla Higgins, Norma Brady, Aoife Turner, Pamela Deacon, Eileen
Collins, Eleanor Flood.
Coach: David Egner
Best Newcomer: Norma Brady
Best Goal: Pamela Deacon
Best Improvement: Claire Power and Nicky Jackson
Players of the Match:
| - For Effort | = Orlal Higgins |
| - For Skill | = Norma Brady |
| - For Awareness | = Yvonne Slyne |
| - For Communication | = Nicky Jackson |
| - For Running at Defenders | = Eleanor Flood |
| - For Tracking Back | = Pamela Deacon |
| - For being in right place at right time | = Pamela Deacon |
Overall Woman of the Match: Eleanor Flood
PS: Great fun was had by all as the girls retired to the bar for a few
cocktails and a snack!
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