Senior League 3
Saturday saw another match against a top of the table team for the 1XI of Donaghadee Ladies Hockey Club and another top performance from the Dee players. Right from the start it was an entertaining end to end match, with both teams showing full commitment to the cause, with the visitors having a slight edge as both teams did their best to assert their superiority.

Some great defending at both ends kept circles to a low level, with Jodie Ingham and Kathryn Cunningham commanding the Donaghadee circle and keep Dee keeper Nicola Patton out of the action. In fact the first shot on target only arrived after the 13th minute and unfortunately a scramble in front of goal resulted in the lead for the visitors.

Donaghadee were quick to rally with the midfield area seeing much more of the ball as they looked to counter. One moved started with Captain Jan Morrow in the right back position finding a ball inside to Kerry Kennedy. A quick pass off to Carolyn Scott – dropping deep to provide the link from back to front – saw the next ball back out to the wing just evading the outstretched stick of Jordan McWilliams as she looked to take the pass at full pace.

The quality of hockey from both teams was top notch, and with more belief from Donaghadee, they started to threaten the visitors’ circle more often: twice getting shots in, with one from Kerrie Turtle being very well saved by their keeper. Half time and still 1-0 to the visitors.

It seems that the third quarter is either very poor or very good and Saturday was definitely the latter. Donaghadee dominated possession and attacking play, with Row Moore and Helen Hooks driving forward at every opportunity in support of the forwards on the left, and Jess Moore causing all sorts of trouble with her penetrating runs to the byline on the right, but despite 3 shots (all off target) and a couple of penalty corners – one well saved – they just couldn’t get the goal that their play deserved.

Into the final quarter and more of the same, although with the visitors dropping deeper and deeper into defence and keeping most of the attempts outside the circle, it too a moment of brilliance from Kerry as the match approached the hour mark. A run into the right side of the circle and a ball smashed high into the net gave the keeper no hope, but plenty of joy to the Dee supporters on the sideline!

The defending from both sides was frantic yet efficient with Coach Willie McAdam being particularly pleased that his side stopped the visitors from getting any shots at all in the second half!

Final whistle and a 1-1 draw for Donaghadee against the Senior 3 leaders, and another excellent team performance, which the team will look to build on away to Enniskillen on Saturday, pass back at Fivemiletown 2.30pm.

Junior League 9A: DLHC 2XI 3-0 Castle
The Second XI were delighted to be back at home for the first time in three weeks, and their enthusiasm showed from the start, dominating the first quarter with their attacking play. The pace of Molly McKee on the left wing caused problems for the Castle defence from the off, and the Dee were unlucky not to take an early lead when one of her superb runs took her to the baseline and a ferocious cross just evaded the outstretched sticks of both Emily Morris and Abbie Brown who were forward in support. 

A series of long corners gave Vicky O’Neill frequent opportunities to attack, and both Floss Patton and Lisa Higgins were enjoying the freedom to push up from defence and put a number of passes into the circle, but for all their efforts, the Dee could not get the ball in the net.

The second quarter told a different story.  A tactical change saw Castle leaving their forwards high and forcing Donaghadee to defend much deeper. Having only reached the Dee’s 23 once in the whole of the first quarter, they were there four times in the first four minutes! The defence held firm, however, and by half-time Castle still hadn’t managed a shot from open play. 

As the Dee team settled back into their rhythm, a great tackle by this week’s Star Player Caroline Davison turned the ball over in midfield and she set Molly away on another great run down the left.  Having done all the hard work once more, Molly fired the ball across the front of the goal and sister Katie McKee was at the back post for a tap in, giving Donaghadee a well-deserved lead at half-time.

Quarter 3 was largely played out in the middle of the pitch, with some strong work in both attack and defence from the midfield Dee trio of Laura Hamilton, Lauren Niblock and Johneena Brown. Unable to add to the score line, the Dee found themselves under increasing pressure from a series of Castle penalty corners and it took two great saves, including one impressive dive, from keeper Nicola Patton to keep the score at 1-0 going into the final quarter.  Unfortunately one of the PCs was also saved by a painful blow to Floss’ ankle, which ended her game.

Into the final quarter, and DOnaghadee settled the nerves with a great team goal to double the lead less than 2 minutes in. It started at the back, when Claire Horne capped off an imperious defensive performance by intercepting a long ball and feeding Abbie on her right; the ball was worked forward until yet again Molly was on the ball, and while her shot was cleared by the keeper, Erin Hamilton drove into the circle from right midfield and smashed it home.  

This seemed to settle the game and Donaghadee finished strongly with wave after wave of attacks. With five minutes left, a well-worked Dee penalty corner move saw Molly get her hat-trick of assists as she fed Katie for the third goal. Still the Dee pushed forward, and twice Molly broke through and tried to set her twin up for her hat-trick goal, but it just wouldn’t come off. 

Final score 3-0, a great team performance and a well-deserved win which set up the girls nicely for their post-match beverages in Grace Neills.  Thanks go to Mike Smith for umpiring both matches and to club sponsor Stanley Woods and Co Accountants for their continued support.  The Seconds are away to Instonians at Shaw’s Bridge next Saturday, push-back at 2.30pm.

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