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Under 16 Ladies Football
Bredagh U16 Girls beat Bosco by 2 points
Bredagh 5-7 Bosco 4-8
A gutsy dogged performance from Bredagh U16s at Cherryvale last Sunday saw them record their first win of the season. After three defeats the managers knew the girls had a mountain to climb against the on form Bosco. With the advantage of a strong wind Bosco raced into an early lead notching up three goals but the Bredagh girls showed great determination and came back strongly scoring 3 goals in reply. Bosco led by 5 points at the half way point and quickly added two further points after the restart. Bredagh then mounted a gritty fight back taking the game to Bosco and producing their best football of the year so far. The Bredagh forwards took full advantage of all scoring opportunities and reduced the deficit to a single point. Bosco were then awarded a penalty which was superbly saved by stand in keeper Rachael Goldsmith. The Bredagh girls sensed victory and deservedly scored a goal to take a 2 point lead. Bosco fought back strongly but the Bredagh defence led by Julia Hinds and Orla Downey held firm in the final minutes to secure a superb victory.
Scorers Ciara Maguire, Aoife Sheridan, Emer Murtagh, Rachel Goldsmith .
Team – Emer Murtagh, Aideen Murphy, Orla Downey, Lucy Doran, Alice McConville, Lucy Russell, Hulia Hinds, Gemma Mullan, Ciara Maguire, Katie Campbell, Aoife Seridan, Shauna Kelly, Rachel Goldsmith, Clare Mc Veigh, Emer Kane, Niamh O’ Connor, Ashling Macklin, Sarah Mc Coy and Emma Duffy.
Training Commences for U16's
Girls U16 training Starts Sunday 13th January at 11:30am sharp. Please arrive at 11:15 to be ready for 11:30.
Bredagh 2-8 Rostrevor 2-0
At last, Bredagh U16s won their first match in the All county A division against Rostrevor.
Once again Bredagh were struggling to field a team. The central spine of the defence - Emer Murtagh, Emma Guerin and Sarah Montgomery were all missing, so once more, after several phone call, a few new debutantes and shuffling players about Bredagh managed to pulled together a squad of 17 players. This was a match that had we a full squad we thought we could win, however, given the circumstances, there was slightly more hope than expectation. Not for the first time this season, this group of girls proved how good they can be. All of these girls are U16 next year again and quite a few of them are still U14. They went out against a physically bigger Rostrevor team and all 17 girls played with pride, passion and commitment against a very valiant and sporting Rostrevor team. For the onlooking supporters, this was a very exciting game of football and flowed from end to end, with the result only being confirmed when the final whistle blew.
Nicole O'Connor was awesome in goals, making some great saves and her kick outs were a tremendous asset and relief to at times an under siege Bredagh defence.
The full back line of Blathnaid Smylie, Kate O'Hara and Hannah McGale were excellent throughout, got out in front of the players to win the ball and allowed their players very little freedom.
The new and revamped half back line of Anne Guerin, Ciara McGuire and Dearbhla Rooney were superb. Anne and Ciara created a lot of attacking moves and Dearbhla never let her player touch the ball.
The new midfield pairing of Roisin and Peita McAlister proved to be a formidable pairing. Their speed, mobility and surging runs caused the physically bigger midfield of Rostrevor a lot of problems and they were not afraid to challenge their opponents at every opportunity.
A new look half forward line of Cathy Short, Cassie Moane and Catherine Murphy proved to be too much of a handful for the Rostrevor backs. Cathy was the perfect outlet on the wing for Nicole's kick outs and linked up extremely well between defence and attack. Cassie showed her Intermediate status and led the forward line with a great maturity doing the simple things very well and instigating countless numbers of attacks. as well as scoring a point. Catherine's surging runs proved to be a constant thorn in the Rostrevor defence resulting in numerous frees for Bredagh and also a well deserved point for her efforts.
Enya McCafferty, Eithne McVeigh and Nikki Pauley made up the full forward line. For the first time this season, when the ball went into the full forward line it stayed there and between them they scored 2-6. Eithne McVeigh, against a much physically bigger full back has improved in this position and won at least 50% of any of the balls that went into her. Enya McCafferty thrived in her new role, winning lots of possession and a goal was a just reward for her efforts. But what can be said about Nikki Pauley - 1 goal and 6 points - a true masterclass of a performance and she fully deserved all the plaudits that she received. Geraldine Grimley said that any senior player would have been extremely pleased with the points that she took and the Rostrevor coach was as equal in his praise.
Last but not least Alice Donaldson and Niamh Ferry both came on early in the second half and both contributed a lot to the game, Alice has also shown her versatility moving from defence into the forward line and has adjusted exceptionally well , getting in front of her marker and laying off the ball intelligently. Niamh also proved her versatility, starting off in defence and then moving up to the half forward line when Catherine Murphy went off injured. Again she won lots of possession and used it to good effect.
Overall, this was a very satisfying performance and it was no more than the girls deserved given the performances that they have put in this season.
However, bigger things can be achieved if all of the girls start coming to training for it is here that the real work begins.
Bredagh 2-4 Bryansford 3-5
The Bredagh U16s were extremely unlucky to be defeated by Bryansford at Cherryvale on Sunday afternoon.
The scoreline of Bredagh 2-4 Bryansford 3-5 did not tell the full story of a very close tussle that was only
settled when Bryansford got a goal in the last 5 minutes.
Bredagh fielded their strongest team this year despite absence through illness of Derbhla Rooney and Sarah Nugent.
Bredagh applied some early pressure against the wind but Bryansford got a point and then scored a well-worked goal to settle their nerves before Bredagh responded with a well-worked point.
There was nothing Emer Murtagh could do about the goal and her handling was rock-solid throughout the match.
Gradually the Bredagh defence came to terms with their attackers and the full back line of Blathnaid Smylie, Emma Guerin and Hannah McGale were very steady throughout and also made themselves available for kick-outs which were intelligently worked by Emer Murtagh.
Bryansford had some strong runners from midfield and on a number of occasions a failure to track back put serious pressure on the Bredagh defence. The half-back line of Roisin McAllister, Sarah Montgomery and
Cathy Short coped well with the pressure, cutting out danger as it arose but a failure to track-back cost Bredagh another goal when the defence was outnumbered by overlapping Bryansford players.
Despite the Bryansford pressure the Bredagh girls started to put together some dangerous attacks against the wind. Nicole O'Connor and Meabh McGourty battled hard in the full-forward line and got their just rewards with a Bredagh goal just before half-time.
Half-Time Score: Bredagh 1-1 Bryansford 2-2
In the second half Bryansford added another 2 points to their tally but there was a lot of football still to be played. Ciara McGuire switched into midfield and the Bredagh midfield of Peita McAllister and Ciara
McGuire started to dominate possession, tackling like warriors and reading the game to their advantage. This pressure provided a platform for the forward line and Bredagh started to put together some good interchanges with Cassie Moane and Catherine Murphy looking dangerous in attack. Jenny Gallagher came on to provide fresh legs and all the forwards stepped up their work-rate in terms of tackling,
running into space and marking for Bryansford kick-outs, especially Nicky Pauley and Enya McCafferty. This work-rate enabled Bredagh to dominate possession for 15 minutes of the second-half with Bryansford struggling to get the ball out of their half. Bredagh scored 1-3 within that period with Nicole O'Connor scoring an excellent goal after great Bredagh approach work put her through on goal.
The defence, very good in the first half stepped up to a new level and Ann Guerin proved as reliable in defence as Blathnaid had been. Sarah Montgomery began to dominate her opponent and Roisin McAllister and Cathy Short continued on their work from the first half.
At this stage Bredagh were only a point in arrears and had all the momentum. However the breakthrough score would not come and Bredagh missed a number of chances to level the match.
In a heart-breaking finish Bryansford came forward on the counter-attack and a missed catch presented them with a goal opportunity which they duly availed off.
Final Score: Bredagh 2-4 Bryansford 3-5
This is a young team with loads of potential and footballing ability. However the gap between winning and losing is very small and if everyone on the squad can improve their attendance and application at training, the results will come.
Training: Wed evening and Saturday morning
Team: Emer Murtagh, Blathnaid Smylie, Emma Guerin, Hannah McGale, Roisin McAllister, Sarah Montgomery, Cathy Short, Peita McAllister, Catherine Murphy, Cassie Moane (C), Ciara McGuire, Enya McCafferty, Meadbh McGourty, Nicole O'Connor, Nicky Pauley, Jenny Gallagher, Ann Guerin
Coaches: Cillian Short, Maura McArdle, Geraldine Grimley
Minor League
Minor Girls Football League Fixtures/Results
Sunday, September 10th - Saval P Bredagh P
Saturday, September 16th - Bredagh P Bright P
Sunday, September 24th - Bredagh lost to Burren
Sunday, October 8th - Downpatrick beat Bredagh
Sunday, October 15th - Bredagh 1-7 Bryansford 2-15
Sunday, October 22nd - Carryduff 5-13 Bredagh 3-9
Sunday, October 29th - Ardglass v Bredagh - TBC
Bredagh 1-7 Bryansford 2-15
Minor Girls Football League, Sunday October 15th - This is a story of one half and two quarters. The scoreline at half time read Bredagh 0-2 Bryansford 2-8. Playing with a slight breeze behind their backs and a renewed determination and pride, the Bredagh girls came out with all guns blazing for the third quarter and scored 1-5 to no score and reduced the deficit to four points. But once again a few injuries and tired legs stopped the Bredagh revival and Bryansford finished the match stronger, scoring seven points without reply in the final quarter. Despite what seems to be a heavy defeat, this was a very spirited and battling performance against a very strong and talented Bryansford team. Having conceded eleven goals in the two previous matches, the Bredagh girls were asked to stop conceding goals and this they did. Unfortunately, they met a Bryansford team who could score points from long range and there was not a lot that could be done about that. There are still a lot of lessons to be learnt - basic handling and passing skills contributed to at least 1-4 and these were all conceded in the first half. If you take that away, plus the ability to sustain a performance over 60 minutes, then these girls should be competing with the best.
DEFENCE
Anna McAlinney was once again outstanding in goals making some point blank saves and she could do nothing about the goals. Peita McAllister, Lisa Kelly and Aine Hannity fought valiantly in the full back line. Lisa led by example and won every ball that came in between her and the full forward. Peita showed all the attributes that has made her stand out at U-14 and U-16 level and was switched out to the half back line. She is very much one to watch for the future. Aine, as usual, read everything that came her way and made some huge interceptions. Jamie Willighan, Hannah Murray and Aislinn McCloskey battled very hard in the half back line. Unfortunately, Jamie's injury is still lingering but she battled on until the end and did very well when switched with Peita. Hannah curbed the effect of a very dangerous centre half forward and got better as the game went on. Aislinn won her personal battle and as usual was the effective target for a lot of our kick-outs.
MIDFIELD
Polly Moane and Grainne Hughes were the midfield partnership. Up against a very good midfield pairing, they performed heroically. They excelled themselves in that third quarter, providing all of the link play and Polly got her just rewards by scoring a point. It also has to be noted that Grainne was very unfortunate not to score a point in the first half at the end of one her amazing runs.
FORWARDS
Claire Byrne, Katie Campbell and Amy Cunningham started off as the half forward line. All three battled very hard for the entire game - Katie was moved into the full forward line, switching with Kathryn Quinn. Katie proved to be very effective as a target player winning lots of ball and setting up several opportunities for Bredagh. Claire scored 1-4 and caused untold problems when she ran at the Bryansford defence. Amy - not quite the mature or vintage performance wine yet (that takes several years) - but is getting close to a champagne performance. Given the freedom to play, she played with aggression and skill, scoring two lovely points from play and chasing right back into defence, proving to be an inspiration to the team.
FULL FORWARDS
Kate Hollywood, Kathryn Quinn and Sarah McGourty were the full forward line. What is a game without a Kathryn Quinn goal - well this is the first one that I can remember for a long time. However, Kathryn was switched out to centre half forward during the first half and is proving to be more of an all round player, showing her adaptability in performing a play maker role as opposed to a play scoring role. Sarah battled hard, made very intelligent runs and provided good link-up play to the other forwards. Kate is beginning to show the talent that she is capable of, getting out in front of defenders, laying the ball off intelligently, looking to get scores and tackling back as all good forwards should do.
SUMMARY
Overall, a very good and passionate performance from the team. The scoreline does not do justice do their efforts. If the basic mistakes are eliminated then the victories will happen.
NEXT
Training on Saturday morning at 10.00 and a local derby on Sunday at Carryduff. It may be arranged for early in the morning because of the Senior Mens replay. Keep checking here for confirmation of the time.
Minor League
Two games and two defeats for Bredagh U-18 girls footballers - High hopes and high expectations in the inaugural Down Minor League been dashed with two comprehensive and heavy defeats against Burren and Downpatrick. Two seasons ago, a young and fledgling Bredagh U-16 team took the Down League by storm, beating the likes of Burren and Downpatrick, finishing runners-up in the league and reaching the semi-finals of the championship. Two seasons later and most of these girls helped Bredagh win the Junior League and have also represented Bredagh at Intermediate and Senior level - some of these girls will now receive Senior League medals.
So it was with great hope, anticipation and expectation that these very talented footballers would make a considerable impact at minor level. Sadly, this is not the case. Work and other (social, academic, other sports .....) commitments have had serious implications for the squad. The management team rearranged both matches (at considerable expense in terms of phone calls, time and also taking girls to their work) to earlier times to try and accommodate these commitments, but sadly to no avail. In both matches, Bredagh had only 15 players with no substitutes.
There are four more matches scheduled in the League, including Bryansford on Sunday October 15th at 12.30pm at home, Carryduff on Sunday October 22nd at 12.30pm in Carryduff. The Saval and Bright matches have to be rearranged as they were postponed from earlier in the season. Every attempt will be made to rearrange these matches to facilitate as many of the girls as possible, but no guarantees can be made.
Bredagh v Burren - This was a very strong and well organised Burren team and most of these girls had been playing all season together in the Intermediate league. Bredagh, on the other hand, fielded 15 players and although most of them had played for the Intermediate or Senior team at some stage during the season, it was obvious that they had not played together nor trained together as a team. For the first 15-20 minutes, Bredagh competed very well, created several chances and played some very good football and then disaster struck - Jamie Willighan, who was probably Bredagh's best player at that stage went off injured and Bredagh were reduced to 14 players. A couple of soft goals were conceded - one due to a lack of communication in the full back line and another one were the ball was blocked down. It is a sad, but simple fact that whereas mistakes can go unpunished further out the field, a mistake in or around the goals will invariably lead to a score from the opposition. At half time, Bredagh were only four points down and still very much in the game. In the second half, Burren deployed their extra player as a sweeper, effectively leaving the Bredagh full forward line with an impossible job. Tired legs and bodies started to have their effect and when Lisa Kelly had to leave with approximately ten minutes remaining - Bredagh were reduced to 13 players and the game was over as a contest.
On a more positive note all 15 girls played with tremendous pride, passion and commitment. They worked tirelessly for each other and never stopped until the final whistle. There was some resolute defending and also some great passages of football and great teamwork, but there is still a sense of disappointment, because I truly believe that had the girls trained a bit more together and stopped making some basic mistakes, then the result would have been a lot closer. Anna McAlinney was outstanding in goals. Her shot stopping was excellent and proved an inspiration to the team. Most of her kick outs found a Bredagh player and she showed that she can kick comfortably with either foot. Apart from growing another two foot, then there was very little that Anna could do about any of the goals.
Louise Fitzpatrick, Lisa Kelly and Aine Hannity fought valiantly in the full back line. As individuals, they fought very hard for every ball that came their way, but a lack of communication amongst them cost us one goal and could have cost us more. They also need to be more aggressive in going for the ball and when they do win it, they need to be more forceful in coming out with it. These may sound harsh words, because overall they dealt very well with everything that came their way - it is only that extra 10-20% that needs to be improved upon.
Jamie Willighan, Hannah Murray (later moved to midfield) and Aislinn McCloskey were superb in the half back line. Jamie was probably Bredagh's best player until she got injured. Hannah was a rock in the centre of defence and drove forward at every opportunity. Aislinn's speed is amazing - she won every ball that came her way and always made herself available for Anna's kick outs. Aislinn is a tremendous potential BUT needs to come to training to work on her kicking skills and also to learn to play with the other players in the team.
Polly Moane and Amy Cunningham were the midfield maestros. Polly was her usual inimitable self, covering every blade of grass on the pitch, making herself available for every kick out and carrying the ball into the attack. Absolutely superb and ran herself into the ground. Amy, Amy, Amy - has all the talent and potential at her disposal. Showed glimpses of that potential during the match and I am delighted to see her beginning to produce what we all know she is truly capable of. However, that potential was only shown in patches during the match and as the season progresses, I would expect her performances to be more consistent and for Amy to get fitter.
Claire Byrne, Katie Campbell and Laura McClorey were the half forward line. All three battled very hard for the entire game. Laura proved her versatility once again by playing in the half forward line, when she has been more accustomed to playing in defence for the U-16s. Katie Campbell was awesome demonstrating her high fielding ability and strength in going forward. Claire Byrne is coming back to her old form. She demonstrated her commitment to the team, by travelling down from Derry on the morning of the match and carried this commitment through onto the pitch. All three of them were able to function as forwards in the first half and were very effective in the half forward line. In the second half, however, they were forced to come deeper into their own half to get possession of the ball, through no fault of their own, thus negating their overall influence.
The full forward line of Sarah McGourty, Kathryn Quinn and Lisa Gilmore had never played together before as a unit and again all three never stopped trying the whole game. Kathryn proved to be a very effective target player and as well as getting her usual scores, laid the ball off intelligently to onrunning players. Sarah McGourty won some vital posession and set up some good scores. Lisa Gilmore, more accustomed to playing in defence, showed her versatility and scored a couple of points herself. With Burren deploying a sweeper in the second half, and with our half forwards being forced deeper into our defence, they were starved of quality ball, but they never stopped trying.
Downpatrick v Bredagh - Once again, another story of what might have been or what could have been. 15 girls - five new faces and four positional changes - saw another depleted Bredagh team travel to Downpatrick to face the mighty Kyla Trainor and company. At 10.30 on the Sunday morning, Bredagh had 13 players and then Sarah Montgomery agreed to play and Kate Hollywood eventually arrived. Missing our full back, centre half back, a midfielder and our centre half forward from the previous match, could we seriously expect to compete with a Downpatrick team that included the great Kyla Trainor and whom had narrowly lost to Burren by a point? Cometh the hour and cometh the woman - in steps Captain Grainne Hughes and for 30 minutes, Bredagh were in serious contention. Grainne was inspirational, led by example and inspired the rest of the Bredagh team. If these performances continue, Grainne will be pushing for a place on the county panel. In the previous game, the loss of Jamie Willighan proved to be the turning point - in this game the loss of Grainne Hughes (who had to go to work) at half time proved to be the turning point. Downpatrick, leading by a point at half time and now playing with the breeze turned the second half into the Kyla Trainor show where they notched up several goals and points to no score from Bredagh.
The What-Ifs - What if Lisa Kelly, Hannah Murray, Polly Moane, Katie Campbell to name but a few had been available? What if Grainne Hughes had been able to play for the rest of the match? What if Jamie Willighan had been fully match fit and did not have to go off injured? What if some of the younger stars - Nicole O'Connor, Cathy Short, Cassie Moane, Peita McAllister, Nikki Pauley, Ciara McGuire - had been available? What If? What If? What If? We could go through the what if scenarios, but unfortunately life is full of what ifs so there is no point in dwelling upon it.
The Goalkeeper - Anna McAlinney has proved herself once again to be a goalkeeper par excellence. Her shot stopping kept Bredagh in contention during the first half and her kick outs invariably found Aislinn McCloskey on the wings. Unfortunately Anna did not grow the required two feet in the last two weeks and could not do anything about the shots that went past her. If Paddy has a stretching rack at home, then maybe we could put Anna into it, or else we could buy springs for her boots!
The Revamped Full back line - Louise Fitzpatrick, Aine Hannity and Lisa Gilmore played very well and were constantly under pressure during this game, but they did not give up. Time and time again they dealt with wave after wave of attack and did all that asked of them. Being in the full back line is an area where mistakes cannot be made - it requires a lot of aggression both in terms of tackling but also in coming out with the ball when possession is won, it also requires a lot of communication in terms of who is going for the ball and a lot of commitment and certainty when going for the ball. Some of these areas can be improved upon, but this really needs to be practised on the training pitch. On a lighter note, it was good to see Lisa Gilmore keeping up her scoring record (albeit an own point!).
The Half backs - Laura McClorey restored to a more traditional role, ran, chased and harried and played her heart out. Jamie Willighan was injured coming into the match and was even more injured and had to be replaced in the second half. Despite this, she never stopped trying and made some great blocks, timely interceptions and good runs up the pitch. Aislinn McCloskey put in another top notch performance. Has very little need to tackle her opponent because she is always out in front. Always made herself available for the kick outs and on a few occasions started making use of the kick pass. come to training Aislinn and you will be even better!
The Midfield - Grainne Hughes was immense. Was inspirational and led by example for the 30 minutes that she was on the pitch. High fielding, surging runs and strong in the tackle - she was a joy to watch. Her absence in the second half had a devastating impact.
Amy Cunningham is like a fine wine that is getting better as the season goes on. Scored a beautiful point in the first half, made some fantastic runs throughout the match and chased and tackled back whenever she could. Had a great understanding with Grainne and this midfield partnership won it in the first half.
The Half forwards - Kate Hollywood, Sarah Nugent and Claire Byrne. It is good to see Claire Byrne playing the football that she is capable of. She tormented the Downpatrick defence, scored three points and contributed to the team enormously. Has definitely more of an impact when driving forward, but unfortunately had to come very deep to win possession in the second half which negates her as a scoring threat - but that is not her fault. Kate showed glimpses of what she is capable of and set up Bredagh's goal - but unfortunately it was only in glimpses. An undoubted talent and a joy to watch when running with the ball but alas the concentration didn't appear to hold for 60 minutes (probably too tired from the sleepover!). Sarah Nugent was thrown in at the deep end at Centre Half forward and again showed glimpses of what she is capable of. Was up against a very good marker and on occasions forgot to track back after her. However, put in 100% and made some telling contributions during the game.
The Full forwards - Enya McCafferty, Kathryn Quinn and Sarah Montgomery. Once more Enya McCafferty stepped into the breach. An U-14 player who rose to the occasion and fought for every ball that came her way. Was involved in a couple of the scores and is definitely part of this U-18 squad. Kathryn Quinn - what is a game without a Kathryn Quinn goal? But Kathryn has added considerably more to her game than that - she is always trying to get out in front, always competes for high balls and looks to lay the ball off to supporting players. And if she doesn't win possession she now forms the first line of defence and tackles back. These are the elements of the game where Kathryn has improved and will improve even more. Sarah Montgomery - another U-14 who stepped into the breach. Normally a defender, she played the corner forward role without complaint. Won a lot of possession when it came her way and was involved in a couple of the scores. Has shown great versatility and is also another one who has earned her place on this squad on a permanent basis.
Where to from here - Firstly - training is on Saturday mornings at 10 O'Clock. There is no more midweek training due to Cherryvale closing earlier in the evenings. Secondly - ALL of the girls mentioned in these reports should be at training and any more that any of you can think of - it is not an exclusive club. Thirdly - we all want the football to be fun, but we also want to play to our true ability and with as many girls as we possibly can. My mobile number is 07802 233269. I would appreciate it if all the girls can contact me with their whereabouts this weekend and for the next few weekends (work shifts, etc). This will give me a better idea when it comes to rearranging matches (if I can). If anybody cannot make training, then please let me know as well. Thank you, Cillian.
All Ireland Winner
Bredagh's All Ireland Champion!
Bredagh girls footballer Polly Moane won an All Ireland medal on Saturday, September 16th with Down in their U-16 B Championship Final defeat of Roscommon in Navan by 5-7 to 2-13 (22 to 19). Polly played at midfield on what is the first ever Down girls football team to win an All Ireland title. However, they had to endure seven excruciating minutes of injury-time before celebrating victory. Co-manager John McCarthy said: "this is a great day for girls football in Down. Our supporters filled the stand and never stopped shouting throughout the game".
Bryansford bt Bredagh
Championship, Monday June 26th
Bredagh 3-2 Downpatrick 0-4
Championship, Saturday May 27th - although the scoreline gives Bredagh a seven point winning margin, the number of scores - Bredagh 5 Downpatrick 4 - is probably a more accurate assessment of the closeness of this game. Not for the first time this year, Bredagh were struggling to field a team. Out of the normal starting 15 were Anna McAlinney, Lisa Gilmore, Kate Hollywood and Kathryn Quinn, so once again the U-14s were raided and Enya McCafferty who had played earlier in the day against Caryduff responded to the eleventh hour call to make the Bredagh 15 complete. At least there were no selection problems or worries about what substitutes to keep happy - the major worries were what players would last the full hour for this was an epic battle against a physically bigger Downpatrick team. This was a Bredagh team made up of nine U-14 players (three of whom played U-12 football last year) and to hear the chairman of the club describing it as the best Bredagh performance by any team this year is a testament itself. The referee also said that this Bredagh team could set an example to any Men's or Ladies Senior teams in the way that they fought for each other, supported each other and resurrected one of the finer arts of the game - blocking a ball. I cannot remember a game where the ball was blocked down so many times. In a typical game you may see 4 or 5 blocks by each team and Downpatrick managed that, if not more. Bredagh, on the other hand made 15-20 blocks at least, ranging from close-in blocks to full-length diving blocks, boldly putting their heads and hands in places that nobody else would go and at one stage they made three kick blocks in-a-row. This feature of the game itself was an absolute joy to watch.
Bizarre Incident - one of the most bizarre incidents ever to take place on a football pitch happened at the start. Bredagh were out on the pitch warming up and the referee arrived just before the throw-in time of 7 O'Clock. The referee was adamant that the match was going to start as close to 7 O'Clock as possible and as soon as Downpatrick arrived onto the pitch (just before 7.05pm), the referee said that he was going to throw the ball in. The ball was thrown in with no Downpatrick players in their positions, Bredagh were confused about this as well, but they moved the ball forward and a pass was made to Nikki Pauley. With the Downpatrick players rushing towards the goal, Nikki shot and as happened in the Ulster Senior Football Championship this year, a 'point' was given when it looked wide. The management team of Cillian Short and Raymond Gormley were totally unsighted at the time and therefore could not comment on the incident. One of the Downpatrick mentors then had a 'friendly' exchange with the referee, at which stage the referee then walked off the pitch. About 20 minutes later, the referee returned and the game resumed with a kick-out to Downpatrick with the score Bredagh 0-1 Downpatrick 0-0. Once play resumed, everything settled down and the battle began. The referee, to his credit, let the game flow as much as possible and handled the game very well. From this point on the epic battle began, the game see-sawed from end to end during the first half and for periods of the second half it was akin to the siege of The Alamo with Downpatrick throwing everything at Bredagh - the difference being that the Bredagh defence did not collapse.
The Goalkeeper -Nicole O'Connor, normally a star player out the field, was forced to play in goals with Anna McAlinney being absent. Nicole was the last line of the defence and she dealt with everything that came her way - high balls, low balls, point-blank saves. Downpatrick had their chances and although they breached through the full-back line on a few occasions, Nicole was on hand to ensure that they did not pass her. Strong and commanding, she totally dominated the goal mouth and her clearances and kick-outs provided welcome relief to a besieged defence.
The Full-Back Line - Meabh Hollywood, Aine Hannity and Laura McClorey provided the wall of resistance that Downpatrick could only breach on a few occasions. Meabh Hollywood was on one wing, getting out in front of her player and clearing her lines at all times. Superb. Laura was on the other wing and again got out in front of her player and cleared her lines effectively and intelligently. On several occasions she also provided cover for Aine Hannity as Aine was being pulled out of position. Again Superb. Aine Hannity at full back, is getting better as the season goes on - she is very assured under the high ball, making some wonderful catches and reads the game very well, anticipating danger and getting into good positions before her opponent. Aine is also deceptively fast getting a hand in or blocking the ball when least expected. Excellent.
The Half-Back Line - Superb, Superb, Superb. Block, block, block. Attack, attack attack!!! Ciara McGuire, Sarah Montgomery and Cathy Short, all of whom are Under-14, formed the bedrock of this victory. They blocked balls, chased and harried their opponents and set up Bredagh attacks whenever they could. Ciara McGuire was as her usual industrious self, throwing herself into every tackle, blocking balls, chasing everything that moved and carrying the ball from defence into attack. She became one of the walking wounded but persisted until the end. Sarah Montgomery was dominant at centre-half-back - very little got past her, she too blocked balls, chased and harried. Her overall reading of the game was excellent as she made some timely interceptions and very quickly turned defence into attack. Cathy Short, at left-half-back made some fantastic blocks and little nudges against the opposition to put them off their stride. Again her reading of the game is also excellent, not only in thwarting the numerous Downpatrick attacks but also in providing an outlet for the defence. And where will you see a sweeter left foot - time and time again Cathy won the ball on the left hand side and always made intelligent use of it - great vision and maturity for one so young.
The Midfield General and The Dynamo (or is that Dynamite) - Polly 'Magic' Moane is the captain and the general of this team. She truly played the Captain's role, leading by example all over the pitch. Was there an area of the pitch that she didn't cover? Once again, she gave an exhibition of high fielding, solo running, passing, tackling and blocking. Anybody who has witnessed her playing at U-16, Intermediate, Senior, Down U-16, Down U-18 and Schools levels can only sit back in awe and admiration at such a talented individual. She runs up and down the pitch constantly, linking defence and attack, and seems to do it so effortlessly and gracefully. She too became one of the walking wounded, getting badly winded, but like the true leader that she is - she just kept on going. It is very difficult to find someone that could complement Polly Moane at this level, but in Peita McAllister, Bredagh seems to have found that person. Peita is still U-14 and has only been playing football for about a year now, but her previous rugby training and all round fitness really stands to her. She was like a terrier, snapping at peoples ankles, running, chasing, hassling and blocking physically bigger players than her. Realising that she was smaller than everybody else in midfield, she intelligently went up to break the high ball against the taller opposition and this she did to great effect. She showed no fear, didn't shirk out of any challenge and in fact won several balls that should not have been hers in the first place. Peita is also demonstrating her footballing skills as well, passing the ball intelligently (short fist passing and kick passing) and is improving with every game. Her attitude and commitment is an example to everybody - another one to watch for the future.
Into the Lion's Den - a completely revamped half forward line of Enya McCafferty, Sarah Nugent and Jessica Wylie. Enya once again came to the rescue of the U-16s and each time she has done exceptionally well. In the first half Enya was winning lots of possession on her sideline and was setting up good attacks, however the threat of Downpatrick's other wing half back forced a tactical change. Enya's switched wings and she was now being marked by an older and physically bigger player and her role was to become more defensive as opposed to offensive. Enya adopted to the task admirably, chasing and harrying and when given the opportunity setting up Bredagh attacks. Even though this was Enya's second match that day and playing with players she hasn't been training with, she did not look out of place and is definitely another one to watch out for. Jessica Wylie played on the other wing and this was probably Jessica's first full game in a Bredagh jersey and was a real baptism of fire playing in a position that she had never played before. Jessica did not put a foot wrong. She marked and chased back her player and as the game wore on Jessica's confidence started to grow. She started to win balls that were being launched out of the Bredagh defence. She held onto the ball and waited for the supporting players and then laid off the ball intelligently and didn't waste possession. All in all Jessica must be very pleased with the improvements that she has made this season and with the confidence that she is gaining all the time. Sarah Nugent, centre half forward. It is a joy to watch Sarah Nugent gaining possession of a football and making surging runs through the heart of the opposition's defence. It amazes the crowd, inspires her team mates and demoralises the opposition. This is what Sarah Nugent does best and Sarah did it to devastating effect on. Two goals either side of half time and both of them trademark surging runs really lifted the spirits of this Bredagh team and really brought the team together. At the critical times in the game Sarah led the forward line, either by scoring goals or by winning vital possession that relieved the pressure on the Bredagh defence. Most certainly another star for the future.
The full-forward line - Sarah McGourty, Cassie Moane and Nikki Pauley. This was probably Sarah's first full game in a Bredagh jersey and again she can be very proud of what she achieved. She fought for every ball and as she got more and more into the game she started to win more and more possession. She had a hand in setting up the first goal, providing a hand pass to Nikki Pauley who in turn cheekily lobbed the ball onto the on-running Sarah Nugent and the rest was history. Sarah's involvement did not stop there and she kept on looking for, winning possession and using it wisely right to the final whistle. Cassie Moane was played out of position and was handed the full forward jersey. She was marked by a player who looked twice her size, but this did not seem to daunt Cassie. Where Polly has the high fielding, solo running and passing - Cassie provides the ability to make space for those long passes, will always pass the ball unselfishly to other players, can always turn a defender who is breathing down her neck and will generally always score. Cassie demonstrated all of these qualities again and scored Bredagh's first goal, by doing what she does best, putting defenders under pressure, waiting for the mistake to happen and then punishing it ruthlessly. Cassie is most effective in the full forward line but due to the pressure that was being put on the Bredagh defence she had to come further out the field to win possession, which meant that she could not get back into her natural scoring positions. However needs must and Cassie was needed out the field during those times. Another excellent performance. Nikki Pauley - this is another player who has a sweet left foot. Nikki 'scored' the first point of the game and then scored a pressure free during the first half. She has great vision and set up Sarah Nugent with an exquisite pass to score the first goal. Time and time again Nikki won possession in front of her defender, relieving the pressure on the Bredagh defence. Unfortunately it was not always in the position where Nikki is most dangerous, in front of the goals. However, there will be other matches for that. Nikki's vision and distribution is amazing and on several occasions she deftly lifted the ball over a defender's head and into the arms of an on running Bredagh player. Again another excellent performance.
Next Game - 15 heroines on the night, a performance that they should look back on and take great pride in. Now onwards to the next battle - Burren or Bryansford on Wednesday 28th June at 7.00pm. Training continues on Saturdays at 10am.
County Star
Bredagh U-16 captain Polly Moane was in the Down squad that won the Ulster B Championship on Saturday May 6th in Irvinestown by beating Fermanagh 4-14 to 5-5.
Fixtures & Results
League
Sunday, February 19 - Carryduff 5-9 Bredagh 0-1
Sunday, March 5 - Bredagh P Castlewellan P
Sunday, March 12 - Bredagh P Bryansford P
Sunday, March 19 - Aughlisnafin 0-1 Bredagh 8-6
Sunday, March 26 - Bright 1-4 Bredagh 3-20
Monday, April 3 - Bredagh 3-6 Downpatrick 0-6
Sunday, April 9 - Bredagh 0-3 Bryansford 6-9
Saturday, April 15 - Bredagh P Castlewellan P
Championship
Saturday May 27 - Bredagh 3-4 Downpatrick 0-2
Monday June 26 - Bryansford bt Bredagh
Blitzes
Sunday May 7 - Postponed
Sunday July 23
List of Players 2006
Meghan Deery, Anna-Maria McAlinney, Kathryn Quinn, Aine Hannity, Laura McClorey, Deirdre Canavan, Chloe Dougan, Claire McKenna, Sarah Nugent, Kate Hollywood, Polly Moane, Mary Flannigan, Sarah McGourty, Lisa Gilmore, Jessica Wylie – 15
Bredagh 3-6 Downpatrick 0-6
League, Monday April 3, 2006 - three late goals made it three wins in-a-row for the girls after a tough and close encounter. Sarah Nugent, Kathryn Quinn and Ciara McGuire got the goals that eventually killed off Downpatrick and warmed the large crowd of home supporters in a cool Cherryvale. Both defences had been on top for most of the match with Aine Hannity imperious at full-back and well-supported by the likes of Lisa Gilmore and Nicole O'Connor. Bredagh had held a narrow lead at the break but when Downpatrick scored two points in quick succession and laid siege to the Bredagh goal, it looked like the visitors were going to take the points. However, the home side showed their mettle by finishing the stronger. Full-forward Kathryn Quinn typified the spirit in the team by refusing to come off injured despite hurting her back. Minutes later, she scored one goal and made another for livewire midfielder Ciara McGuire.
Summary - this mainly young team had other stars in the likes of Cathy Short and Kate Hollywood but everyone in the squad deserved the applause at the end and the congratulatory words of proud coaches on the night, Raymond Gormley and Brendan O'Connell. They have recovered from a heavy first day loss at Carryduff to put together three victories and in doing so they have accumulated 14-32 and only conceded 1-11. Player of the Match was Aine Hannity.
Bright 1-4 Bredagh 3-20
League, March 26th, 2006 - although the clocks had changed to supposedly indicate the arrival of Spring/Summer, the weather certainly hadn't. On an extremely wet and windy Winter's day Bredagh recorded their second victory of the season, serving up a feast of football that warmed the cockles of the heart and provided a perfect Mother's Day present!
From the very outset and playing with the wind, the Bredagh girls played beautiful football intermixing a short passing game with long balls into the full forward line. The running, support play and work rate of the girls was a joy to watch. Players were always on hand to receive passes and very rarely did a pass go astray. New coach Raymond Gormley's shooting drills are also paying off huge dividends (who needs Paddy Finnegan?!) as the Bredagh girls racked up 0-19 to 0-0 by half-time. Kathryn Quinn (0-6), Nikki Pauley (0-5), Kate Hollywood (0-3), Cathy Short (0-2), Cassie Moane (0-2) and Polly 'Magic' Moane (0-1) were the scorers in the first half. Playing against the breeze in the second half Bredagh knew their backs would be against the wall and despite some intense Bright pressure, the defence performed heroically. Bredagh conceded an early goal and a couple of points, but once they adjusted to the conditions the free-flowing football resumed once again. Working the ball from defence into attack with some lovely interpassing and support play, Bredagh scored an additional three goals through Nikki Pauley, Kate Hollywood and Cathy Short, as well as another point from Kathryn Quinn. Bright continued battling throughout the second half and worried the Bredagh defence on several occasions, and all of their scores were justly deserved. There will be more testing games for this very young Bredagh team, but if they continue to play and support each other, as they have been doing, then they may cause a few upsets along the way. Anna McAlinney, despite having an injured foot, dealt with everything that came her way. The full back line of Aine Hannity, Nicole O'Connor, Laura McClorey and Jessica Wylie (who came on half-time) performed heroically in the second half and fought for every ball that came into them. Lisa Gilmore and Sarah Montgomery were superb in the half back line, cleaning up everything behind the midfield and they were the springboard for a lot of the attacks. Peita McAllister is improving with every game, she works non-stop, fights for every ball as if her life depended on it and is proving to be an extremely good partner to Captain Marvellous Polly Moane who is just a joy to watch and provides the inspiration for all of the other players around her. Cathy Short, Kate Hollywood and Sarah Nugent were excellent in the half forward line, with Cathy and Sarah always providing an outlet pass for the defence and doing all of the link-up work with the midfield and full forward line. This week it was Cathy's turn to get on the scoring sheet. Kate Hollywood played a more forward role feeding off the full forward line and she is clearly revelling and enjoying this role. The full-forward line of Nikki Pauley, Kathryn Quinn and Cassie Moane, as well as Sarah McGourty who came on at half-time, not only amassed a total of 2-14 between them, which speaks volumes in itself, but also unselfishly laid the ball off to other players to set them up for scores as well, which is very pleasing to see. Ciara McGuire, despite having injured fingers was originally going to start this match but wisdom prevailed and it was decided not to play her. However, it is pleasing to see this committment from her and all of the other players. For her workrate, determination and overall contribution to the game, Peita McAllister gets this week's Player of the Match.
Aughlisnafin 0-1 Bredagh 8-6
League, Sunday, March 19th, 2006 - the girls played really well to claim their first win of the year. Delighted coaches Cillian Short and Raymond Gormley said "they are beginning to play as a team and there were some great moves". With most of the regulars back on board - only Nicole O'Connor, Sarah Montgomery and Anisha O'Reilly were missing - the Bredagh girls began to play the football that we know that they are capable of. Their passing and support play in the middle third of the field was a joy to watch and the direct ball into the full-forward line paid huge dividends. Playing against the breeze in the first half, Bredagh dominated the game from the outset. Polly Moane at midfield and Cathy Short at right-half-forward were always on hand to receive Bredagh passes out of defence and were both instrumental in setting up most of the attacks. After some missed chances and some good saves by the Aughlisnafin goalkeeper, Kate Hollywood opened the scoring for Bredagh with a well-taken goal. Cassie Moane followed up with another goal through sheer determination by running in and blocking the goalkeepers' kick-out. Nikki Pauley added another goal, followed by a Sarah Nugent blockbuster, picking the ball up from the halfway line and soloing through the defence before shooting to the net. Enya McCafferty was rewarded with a point for her battling efforts, before Nikki Pauley finished off the half with a superbly taken goal and a point. Half-time: Aughlisnafin 0-0 Bredagh 5-2.
Second-half - the first twenty minutes was more of the same and became the 'Kathryn Quinn and Cassie Moane Show', with Kathryn scoring 1-2 and Cassie 2-2. The Bredagh girls visibly tired in the last ten minutes, allowing Aughlisnafin to put some pressure on the defence. They scored 0-1 for their efforts, but it could have been more only for some good defending.
Summary - all of the team deserve credit for this performance - Anna McAlinney in goals had one of her quieter days. The full-back-line of Meabh Hollywood, Aine Hannity and Laura McClorey dealt with everything that came their way, with Laura making some great bursts out of defence. Lisa Gilmore, Sarah Nugent and Ciara McGuire were superb in the half-back line, stopping everything that came at them, working the ball well out of defence and providing good link up play with the forwards. Polly Moane was her usual inimitable self, covering every blade of grass on the pitch, always on hand to receive a Bredagh pass and she set up lots of attacks as well as getting in some superb blocks. Peita McAllister was another revelation at midfield, fighting for every ball and working tirlessly throughout the game. Cathy Short is the 'Polly Moane' of the half-forwards, always providing an outlet for a Bredagh player to pass to, rarely wasting possession and always providng a link from defence to the full-forward line. Kate Hollywood is now clearly revelling in her new role at centre-half-forward - she scored one goal, but only for some good saves, she could have had more. Enya McCafferty is getting better with each game, she doesn't stop working and was justly rewarded with a point in the first-half. The full-forward line of Nikki Pauley, Kathryn Quinn and Cassie Moane were excellent. Between them they scored 6-5, but there was a lot more to them than that - they won lots of possession and unselfishly passed it on to other on-running players, and Cassie Moane's determination in chasing the ball, blocking it down and always putting their defence under pressure earns her this week's Player of the Match. Jessica Wylie and Sarah McGourty were introduced at half time and both of them slotted in to their positions very naturally and they did very well.
2005 REVIEW
2005 was a transitional season as a large group of girls moved out of the age-group, leaving a very young and small squad. This was compounded by the structure of the Down League which started at short notice in February and ran only until April, leaving very little preparation time and resulting in a huge part of the season devoid of competitive fixtures. The League started with a single-point loss to Carryduff, despite playing great football. This was followed by a loss to a strong Castlewellan team, where the team showed a lot of spirit, and the girls efforts were then rewarded by good victories against Bright and Aughlisnafin. The lack of football opportunities (just four League matches in total) was alleviated through the organising of two Bredagh blitzes, involving three other teams. The Bredagh girls got to the final of the second blitz before losing out to Carryduff. In the championship, the girls were further depleted by illness and absence, which meant they could only field 14 players against the same strong Castlewellan side, though the girls showed great heart in this match when they played for each other really well. There are a number of players with a bright future at this age-group and will undoubtedly progress to senior ranks if they keep playing.
Results
February 27th - Bredagh 2-2 Carryduff 3-1 (L)
March 13th - Castlewellan 3-7 Bredagh 0-1 (L)
March 20th - Bryansford w/o Bredagh (L)
April 3rd - Bredagh 4-14 Aughlisnafin 1-4 (L)
April 10th - Bredagh 3-4 Bright 1-8 (L)
May 29th - Castlewellan 3-9 Bredagh 0-6 (C)
Mini-Tournaments
May 21st, Cherryvale - 3 games played
June 19th, Cherryvale - 4 games played
Coaches: Marty Hannity, Jerome Quinn, Cillian Short.
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Bredagh U16 Girls beat Bosco by 2 points
Training Commences for U16's
Bredagh 2-8 Rostrevor 2-0
Bredagh 2-4 Bryansford 3-5
Minor League
Bredagh 1-7 Bryansford 2-15
Minor League
All Ireland Winner
Bryansford bt Bredagh
Bredagh 3-2 Downpatrick 0-4
County Star
Fixtures & Results
List of Players 2006
Bredagh 3-6 Downpatrick 0-6
Bright 1-4 Bredagh 3-20
Aughlisnafin 0-1 Bredagh 8-6
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