11/1/14 Int Plate Rd 2: Instonians 0-2 DLHC 1XI

Posted on 14/01/2014 by Donaghadee LHC

With Donaghadee Ladies Hockey Club’s 2nd XI’s game against Ballymena called off due to a frozen pitch, it was left to the 1st XI to keep the red and green flag flying last weekend when they made the short journey to Ashfield Girls’ School on the Holywood Road to play in the second round of the Intermediate Plate. Having got a bye in the first round, the Dee were able to bring forward this second round match to keep the momentum going on an otherwise free weekend.

Having suffered a disappointing 3-0 defeat away to Instonians in the league earlier this year, Donaghadee were determined not to be on the end of a similar scoreline this time round, not least with the return league match against the same team in a couple of weeks’ time. With one shady end of the school pitch to remain frozen for the duration of this Plate match, the rest of the playing area was bathed in low winter sunshine and was in perfect condition to get the match played to its conclusion.

The first half was a really scrappy affair with neither team able to string too many passes together to give the large support for both sides much to cheer about. Donaghadee probably worked their opposing keeper the harder but attacking the circle at the frozen end led to ginger steps from both sides and the chances went begging.

Donaghadee started the second half with much more decisive and incisive passing and it began to reap its rewards. A cross came in from wide on the right and with the Dee forwards advancing towards the circle, the lone Instonians defender stuck out a stick to deflect the ball past her own keeper to make it 1-0 to Donaghadee. The Dee were to add their second when a shot from the top of the circle towards the left post by Kerrie Turtle was stopped dead by Carolyn Scott in front of the Inst keeper. With her back to goal, the forward executed a neat reverse stick flick high into the right hand side of the roof of the net, much to the delight of the team and the travelling support. The 2-0 victory for the Dee puts them into the third round of the Intermediate Plate, to be played in February.

The second half was by far a much improved performance from the Dee and they will hope to build on the positive aspects of this game when they travel to Newry on Saturday for their next league match in Senior 4. Donaghadee LHC 2nd XI are also in action this weekend against Bangor 2nd XI.

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4/1/14 Holywood 4-1 Donaghadee LHC 1XI and Donaghadee 2XI 1-5 Banbridge

Posted on 05/01/2014 by Donaghadee LHC
Senior League 4: Holywood 4-1 Donaghadee LHC 1st XI

The first Saturday of 2014 saw both Donaghadee LHC teams in action with the 1st XI playing Holywood at Bangor Sportsplex and the 2nd XI welcoming Banbridge to Bangor Grammar School.

Holywood are currently top of Senior 4, a spot they have occupied for much of the season so far, and with Donaghadee only having picked up a few wins this campaign, it was always going to be a tough match, made no easier by the absence of usual left wing Ruth Kennedy and last season’s top goalscorer Kerrie Turtle, missing through illness and holiday respectively. A late call up for 2nds winger Emily Morris helped plug the gaps however, with Laura Boyle also stepping in to help out.

Holywood started the match the brighter of the teams but the Dee defence of Suzie Ferguson, Claire Stewart and Lisa Higgins withstood the pressure for a good fifteen minutes and prevented Holywood from any meaningful chances. It took an unstoppable shot from a Holywood midfielder which hit the top right hand corner of Siobhan McAdam’s goal for the home team to break the deadlock. Holywood continued with their pressure until a swift break down the left by Laura and Emily found forward Carolyn Scott high and wide. She cut in, leaving several home defenders in her wake, and unleashed her own unstoppable shot from the edge of the circle which ricocheted off the inside of the far side board to make it 1-1. Despite Holywood scoring again just before half time, the Dee still felt that they had a chance to take something from the game, with midfielders Leona Wells, Kerry Savage, Katie Donnelly and Ali Lawther matching the league leaders in the middle third of the pitch.

Hannah McAdam came on up front to try and add fresh legs to the Donaghadee attack in the second half but much of the remaining action kept the Dee’s defence busy, with Donaghadee’s forwards not really getting many more chances to trouble the Holywood keeper. The home side took advantage of two scrappy goals which bobbled over the Dee line to seal their victory as they continue in their pursuit of promotion while the Dee were happy to put this one to bed and look forward to their next league match away to Newry on 18th January.

Junior League : Donaghadee LHC 2nd XI 1-5 Banbridge

Donaghadee LHC 2nd XI welcomed Banbridge 4’s to Bangor Grammar for their first league fixture after the Christmas break with high hopes of starting the new year with victory. The team started strongly with the first 15 minutes of play all in the Banbridge half and the Dee continually keeping the oppositions keeper on her toes with several well timed saves. Unfortunately though their hard work was not rewarded by a goal. Despite the determined effort from Donaghadee, Banbridge made their break and were first on the score sheet. During the Dee’s next attack in reponse, centre forward Maura Hennessey was injured and had to leave the pitch. Without the luxury of substitutes Donaghadee were down to 10 players and Banbridge took full advantage, scoring three goals in three minutes.

With all players back on the pitch for the second half Donaghadee once again started strongly, pushing Banbridge back into their own half. With a lot of movement between the midfield and forwards the Dee definitely felt there was a goal coming their way, but once again Banbridge made a break putting the Dee defence under pressure. Tina Sterling, once again, kept her composure and showed some very impressive goalkeeping. Despite her determination and what started as an excellent save, Banbridge found the rebound and scored their next. Donaghadee came back though with a great break in the dying minutes of the match. Maura and right wing Teegan Greer infiltrated the Banbridge circle and after Maura found herself right in on the goalkeeper, Teegan took the loose ball calmly slotted it in the back of the goal.

At the final whistle the team were frustrated with the result as their performance certainly was not reflected in the score line, but they found a lot of positives to take out of the match. With excellent play from everyone, the team are looking forward to their next league fixture away to Ballymena on Saturday 11 January. Let’s hope they can take the positivity and bring home 3 points. Special thank you goes to Will McAdam for umpiring and of course our supporters.

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14/12/13 Senior League 4: Donaghadee LHC 1XI 4-0 South Antrim 1XI

Posted on 16/12/2013 by Donaghadee LHC

To round off the first half of the season, Donaghadee Ladies Hockey Club welcomed South Antrim Ladies to Bangor Grammar last Saturday in their final game of 2013. The Dee enjoyed a heartening 2-0 win at the start of the season when they played South in Lisburn but with only 3 points separating the two teams before pass back on Saturday, Donaghadee were well aware that this would be a vital one to win going in to the Christmas break.

Despite the horrible conditions, the Dee started brightly and put the visitors under considerable pressure for the first fifteen minutes. Katie Donnelly came close with a rasping shot when she burst through from midfield and was unlucky to see her shot go whistling past the outside of the left hand post. Shortly after, the Dee won a penalty corner which was duly converted by Ali Lawther; no less than Donaghadee deserved. With the howling, gusting wind at their backs, Donaghadee pressed home their ascendancy when Kerrie Turtle added a second just before half time.

The second half saw South Antrim take advantage of the conditions to try and press Donaghadee higher up the pitch. The Dee defence held firm though, with crisp, clean tackles being made all over the last third by Leona Wells, Suzie Ferguson, Hannah McAdam, Claire Stewart and Lisa Higgins – the defenders being well marshalled by keeper Siobhan McAdam.

With Donaghadee soaking up the pressure and pushing forward once again, they won another penalty corner after some lovely stick work by Ruth Kennedy on the left. Ali was on hand to convert again to make it 3 to the Dee. Kerry Savage added the icing on the cake when her shot from the top of the circle found the bottom corner, with Carolyn Scott lurking in front of the keeper to ensure any rebounds would be turned in. She wasn’t needed however and the final score was 4-0 to Donaghadee; a heartening score to boost the confidence for the next match which is away to second placed Holywood on Saturday 4th January. Thanks as always to Will McAdam for umpiring duties. The Club would like to take this opportunity to thank the many who continue to support DLHC in their many and varied ways and wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a very happy New Year.

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6/12/13 Senior League 4: Mossley LHC 4-2 Donaghadee LHC 1XI

Posted on 10/12/2013 by Donaghadee LHC

Donaghadee LHC 1st XI travelled to the Glade in Newtownabbey last Friday night to play second placed Mossley 1st XI. The Dee played Mossley in their first match of this season and were at the wrong end of a 6-2 defeat with the North Belfast side kicking off their own league campaign continuing their strong form from the previous year.

Last season was a similar story, with Donaghadee suffering badly at the hands of Mossley early in the season before acquitting themselves much better in the return leg. Hopefully something similar here then.

Donaghadee were determined to start the match more brightly than of late, where conceding early goals has become a worrying norm and, on the first whistle, they tried to spread the play wide. There were a couple of early chances for the Dee, with Katie Donnelly making one great break down the right for winger Carolyn Scott to get in a pinpoint cross to find Kerrie Turtle free in the middle of the Mossley circle. She was unlucky not to get enough on the ball to guide it goalward.

After absorbing the Donaghadee pressure, Mossley started to play some slick hockey to create their own chances and it wasn’t long before they made one count to go one up. Despite full backs Hannah McAdam and Claire Stewart marshalling the Dee defence, Mossley weren’t long in adding a second and it would have been easy to fear the worst for the scoreline from a Donaghadee perspective. The Dee gritted their collective teeth however and proved the point that there’s no better time to score than straight after they do. Ali Lawther was getting through a lot of work in midfield to break up the attacks coming in down the middle of the pitch, releasing left half Lisa Higgins on one occasion to get things moving forward again. Lisa, Kerry Savage and Ruth Kennedy combined well on the left – as they did all night – to work the ball high up the pitch. The cross came in and Carolyn was unmarked at the top of the circle. Her snap shot was a sweet strike low and hard to the Mossley’s keeper’s right and the Dee were back in it: 2-1 at half time.

Obviously inspired by their half time team talk, Mossley came out strongly in the second half and weren’t long in finding a gap to add a third to their tally. The Dee weren’t for going quietly though and a super run with the ball from Kerrie up front attracted several defenders, leaving Carolyn unmarked at the top of the circle. In a carbon copy shot into the same bottom corner, struck just as cleanly, the forward added her second of the night to bring the score back to within one goal.

Mossley kept applying the pressure with Lisa Higgins and Suzie Ferguson doing well to stifle the attacks coming down the flanks. Keeper Siobhan McAdam got in on the act too, coming off her line quickly to thwart a couple of Mossley chances. The home pressure eventually told however, with Mossley rounding off the scoring for the evening, leaving the final tally 4-2 to the home side.

Many thanks to Will McAdam for umpiring. A disappointing result but a much improved performance from the whole team, making next week’s home fixture against South Antrim one to look forward to. Pass back is at 1pm at Bangor Grammar followed by the 2nd XI playing Queen’s at 2pm also at the Grammar, before the Club Christmas Dinner in The Moat.

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23/11/13 Junior 9: Instonians 0-0 Donaghadee LHC 2XI

Posted on 25/11/2013 by Donaghadee LHC

With Donaghadee Ladies Hockey Club’s 1st XI enjoying a week off, DLHC 2nd XI were left to fly the red and green flag last weekend. After their loss to Malone in the first round of the Minor Cup last Saturday, the Seconds were back in league action against Instonians at their home at Shaw’s Bridge and, with the two teams sitting on the same points in the league table, it would be a good one for the Dee to win to try and start moving up the league table.

As the match got under way Donaghadee came out very quickly, pushing Instonians back towards their own circle and within the first five minutes the top scorer of the season so far Maura Hennessey was denied adding to her goal tally on several occasions. Feeling in control of the match the Dee continued to make it difficult for the Inst defence as they were passing the ball quickly and crisply, and they once again infiltrated the home sides circle – this time forward Emily Morris took her chance but the Instonians keeper was on form, but in the process of making the save, gave the Dee their first penalty corner of the match.  The shot by Hannah McAdam was heading goalwards but once again the keeper was there to yet again deny the Dee their chance to take the lead.

Instonians did manage to make their breakthough but defender Teegan Greer was adamant that they were not getting near the Dee circle and used her experience to close down the attacks. On one of the very few occasions Instonians were able to get into the circle Teegan and Hannah were on hand to clear the ball quickly, leaving keeper Tina Sterling with only one touch of the ball the whole match. The Dee were once again on the attack with a lovely pass from Amy Long to midfielder Deborah Gilmour; this time it was her chance against the Instonians keeper but there was no breaking the deadlock. Leona Wells met the rebound and the team thought was finally in only to find the Inst keeper was there to make yet another save.  In the remainder of the first half, Donaghadee really put the Instonians keeper through her paces as shots were taken and saved time and time again.

After the break the Dee made sure not to lose their form and, with new recruit Tasha Paxton coming on in defence and Kelly McDowell bringing a fresh set of legs to the forward line, they were playing quick, fast hockey, eager to break the stalemate. Melissa Rollo once again brought her calmness and skill to the midfield and using this made her break through the Instonians defence to find Karen Fegan unmarked in the circle, unfortunately for her she slipped and the ball rolled over the back line just centimetres away from goal.

The Dee defence saw a lot more of the play in the second half with Teegan again giving the Instonians forwards the difficult job of getting past her.  As the game was starting to draw to as close without a score, a perfectly placed ball by Melissa to Leona, who was unmarked at the top of the circle, gave them their final chance of the match but unfortunately the final whistle sounded and the match ended in a draw.

A very strong performance by the Donaghadee 2XI but unfortunately for them the Instonians keeper was on top form. The team are happy with their valuable point and looking forward to the return fixture in the New Year.  The girls are back in league action against South Antrim 2XI on Saturday 23 November, pass back 1pm at Bangor Grammar. DLHC 1st XI are away to Ballynahinch, also on Saturday.

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23/11/13 Ballynahinch 1-0 Donaghadee LHC 1XI and Donaghadee LHC 2XI 1-3 South Antrim

Posted on 25/11/2013 by Donaghadee LHC

Both Donaghadee Ladies Hockey Club’s 1st XI and 2nd XI were in action last Saturday as the halfway point in the respective leagues approach. The 1st XI were away to Ballynahinch and the 2nd XI welcomed South Antrim 2nd XI to Bangor Grammar.

Senior League 4: Ballynahinch LHC 1-0 Donaghadee LHC 1XI

With a week off under their sticks, the 1st XI were looking forward to getting back to league action after being on the wrong end of a couple of closely fought matches recently. Ballynahinch have traditionally been a tough side to break down with results in recent years between the two teams quite often only being won by the odd goal here and there, and there was no reason to suggest that this would be anything other than a similarly close contest.

It was a lovely day for hockey and Ballynahinch were the brighter of the two teams as the match got underway. Within the first five minutes, the home side had taken advantage of loose Donaghadee tackling and the Hinch centre forward was presented with a chance too good to pass up, giving Dee keeper Siobhan McAdam no chance and providing the home side a very early lead. Donaghadee steadied themselves and started to string a few passes together, with Ali Lawther in midfield once again working hard to distribute the ball from left to right to give Kerry Savage and Katie Donnelly the opportunity to push forward in support of the forwards Ruth Kennedy, Kerrie Turtle and Carolyn Scott. The chances started to come for the Dee but consistent defending from the Ballynahinch sweeper and keeper kept the scoreline in Ballynhahinch’s favour.

The second half saw more of the same from Donaghadee but as they pushed forward in search of the equaliser, Hinch started to find the gaps as they looked for their second. Stout defending from Lisa Higgins, Claire Stewart, Hannah McAdam and Captain Suzie Fergsuon kept the deficit to 1-0 however and although the chances kept coming for Donaghadee, they were unable to convert any of them, leaving the final score 1-0 to Ballynahinch. Many thanks to Mike Smyth for umpiring and Bryan McKee for coaching duties. The 1st XI now have a week off before heading to Newtownabbey to play Mossley on Friday 6th December.

Junior League 9: Donaghadee LHC 2XI 1-3 South Antrim LHC

Donaghadee 2XI welcomed South Antrim to their home pitch at Bangor Grammar on Saturday, knowing that this was going to be a difficult match as South Antrim are currently sitting five places above them in the league. Donaghadee started out in their usual fashion of driving the ball up the pitch, putting the initial pressure on the South Antrim defence. An early shot on target by Maura Hennsey seemed to rouse South Antrim and the tide turned. With South Antrim dominating, the Donaghadee defence was under pressure, especially on the right, but once again Amy Long and Teegan Greer worked tirelessly to ward off the South Antrim forwards. Unfortunately for the Dee, the visitors were able to break through and a bit of crowding and confusion in the circle didn’t give keeper Tina Sterling a chance, leaving Donaghadee trailing by a goal. Going ahead seemed to settle South Antrim and made them a lot stronger and, with the Dee lost their form a little, allowed South to score another two before the half time break.

Undeterred by the scoreline Donaghadee picked themselves up and started to play better hockey. Eager to get themselves on the score sheet, left midfielder Melissa Rollo and left wing Kelly McDowell supported each other and moved the ball quickly finding Maura at the top of circle. She was desperate to bring the Dee back in the game but unfortunately for her the South Antrim keeper was well positioned and her shot was saved. South Antrim then hit Donaghadee on the break and, trying a different tactic, pressed the ball on the left hand side of the defence, but Lisa Alexander and Natasha Paxton were just as strong as their right hand side counterparts and the forwards this time were not getting near the goal mouth.

Working tirelessly on the right wing Emily Morris was quick pick up any passes that came her way and with her speed she was quick to get the ball forward into the circle, earning Donaghadee a penalty corner. The team were eager to convert; this time Maura was rewarded and the Dee found themselves back in the game. Substitutes Alex McVeigh, Jan Morrow and Chloe Noble interchanged to bring fresh legs and energy to an increasingly tiring team, but with the match quickly drawing to a close the Dee were unable to pull this one back.

Another disappointing result for the 2nd XI who continue to work hard every week on their performance. Next Saturday sees the 2nd XI play league leaders Ballycastle, which should be a very exciting match. Thanks to Will McAdam for umpiring duties.

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9/11/13 Cooke LHC 2-1 Donaghadee LHC 1XI and Malone 6-0 Donaghadee 2XI

Posted on 11/11/2013 by Donaghadee LHC

Senior League 4: Cooke LHC 2-1 Donaghadee LHC 1st XI

Following their defeat in the first round of the Intermediate Cup against Senior 3 opposition, Owls Ladies, Donaghadee Ladies Hockey Club’s 1st XI were back in league action last Saturday when they travelled to Shaw’s Bridge to play Cooke in the latest round of the Senior 4 League programme. With Cooke sitting one point below the Dee in the table, this would have been a very handy one to win to give a little breathing space at almost the halfway point of the 13/14 season. 

As has been the case on several occasions this season, Donaghadee were quick out of the blocks when the match got underway, forcing the home team into retreat as they passed the ball quickly. Good work from the Dee forwards in the Cooke circle forced an early penalty corner and with Ali Lawther’s shot heading goalwards anyway, it was tipped over the line by Kerrie Turtle lurking on the post. Another one for the TMO to decide at the end of the season but for now, Ali’s name is recorded as the scorer as she, Kerrie and Carolyn sit atop the Firsts’ goalscoring charts on 3 apiece.

The pitch was in considerably better condition than the Dee’s last outing to Shaw’s Bridge when they played on a pitch so rain sodden the ball was going nowhere fast, and this allowed both teams to play attacking hockey. Just before half time, Cooke were next to register on the score sheet after a home forward burst through the centre, wrongfooting the Dee defence and finishing clinically.  

The second half proceeded in much the same manner, with both sides creating chances to go ahead. Unfortunately for the Dee, it was Cooke who gained the upper hand when their speedy right winger scored from an impossibly tight angle. Donaghadee did have their chances with shots going wide and one even hitting the post but none were converted, leaving the girls to reflect on what has been a fairly unhappy run of results recently. Next action for the 1st XI is an away trip to Ballynahinch on 23rd November. Many thanks to Brian for the coaching and Mike for the umpiring.

ooo ooo ooo

Minor Cup Rd 1: Malone LHC 6-0 Donaghadee LHC 2nd XI

On Saturday Donaghadee Ladies Hockey Club 2nd XI travelled to Pirrie Park in Belfast to face Malone in the first round of the Minor Cup. The Dee girls were slightly apprehensive as the opposition play their matches on a gravel pitch – a surface on which some of the younger members of the team have never played and others haven’t played on for a number of years, so they knew this was not going to be an easy match.

From pass back Malone were out for a win; having lost to the Dee in the league two weeks previously they clearly did not want a repeat performance. Their attack was very strong from the start which didn’t give the Dee defence of Amy Long, Lisa Alexander, Teegan Greer and Alex McVeigh much of chance to gain any sort of composure on the ball. Malone were very quick at intercepting and Donaghadee were finding that the passing was very slow on the unfamiliar surface. The Dee were also having trouble keeping the ball under control on the gravel but a break up the middle of the field by Leona Wells gave them their first real chance. Leona was able to pass the ball out to the right where midfielder Deborah Gilmour was waiting. Deborah found an unmarked Emily Morris who was ready out wide for the pass. As Emily entered the circle two of the Malone defenders were quick to put pressure on her forcing the ball out of play, but in the process Donaghadee were awarded a short corner; a well saved strike by Hannah McAdam gave Malone their chance to regain possession, and this quickly executed break found an unmarked player up on the Donaghadee goal, giving Malone the chance they needed to take the lead. This gave them extra drive and the remainder of the first half saw the Dee defence under extreme pressure. Goalkeeper Tina Sterling once again gave a stellar performance, denying the Malone strikers on numerous occasions, but unfortunately from a long corner Malone got their second goal.

After the break Donaghadee made a few changes, bringing on Jan Morrow to join the midfield of Deborah and Chloe Noble and, making her debut for the Dee, Kelly McDowell. Quickly proving an asset to the team Kelly was swift to move the ball up the left side of the field, with close support from forward Karen Fegan. The duo were quick to infiltrate the circle, hoping to pull back a goal but they were denied by the Malone keeper. Again Malone caught the Dee on the break and were able to sneak in a third goal. The Dee defence didn’t get a chance to relax and were continuously inundated with attacks from Malone. The left side of the defence of Amy and Lisa took the brunt of attacks but the whole team did well to fight to the end with Teegan giving plenty of good passes to the midfield and forwards, but as much as they tried they couldn’t break through the home defence. As everyone began to tire from the continuous pressure exerted by the home side, Malone took advantage and were able to add to their goal tally to make the final score 6-0 at the final whistle.

A disappointing result for the 2nd XI but now they can concentrate on their league campaign and wish Malone all the best in the remainder of their cup matches. The Second XI are next in action on Friday night, pass back 8.15pm against Instonians at Shaw’s Bridge.

ooo ooo ooo

And finally… Everyone at DLHC would like to pass on their congratulations to Kerry Kennedy and husband JJ on the birth of their baby daughter – we look forward to having young Miss Kennedy on the players’ roster at some stage in the future!

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2/11/13 Intermediate Cup Rd 1: Owls Ladies 1XI 4-0 Donaghadee LHC 1XI

Posted on 04/11/2013 by Donaghadee LHC

Intermediate Cup Rd 1: Owls Ladies 1st XI 4-0 Donaghadee LHC 1st XI

With Donaghadee Ladies Hockey Club’s 2nd XI enjoying an unexpected Saturday off due to Coleraine 3rds conceding, only the Dee’s 1st XI were in action as they travelled to North Belfast to play Owls 1sts in the first round of the Intermediate Cup.

Owls 1st XI are currently in the top half of Senior Three to Donaghadee’s Senior 4, so this was never going to be an easy fixture for the girls in red and green. They started brightly though with the whole team working well as a unit; pressing and harrying the home team when they were on the ball and trying to elicit a mistake. There was the odd chink for the forwards  Kerry Savage, Kerrie Turtle and Carolyn Scott to break through, but the chances were quickly subdued by the Owls back line.

The first third of the match was a very evenly contested affair, with Owls also having a few chances to take the lead, but the Dee defence of Lisa Higgins, Hannah McAdam, Claire Stewart and Suzie Ferguson did an admirable job of breaking down the attacks to set up the next forward ball for the Dee. Siobhan McAdam in goals is also worth a mention for a number of diving saves to keep the Dee girls in it. Just before the half time whistle however, a period of Owls pressure led to a penalty corner from which they duly scored.

The second half saw the overcast afternoon turn into a washout, with driving rain slowing the pitch up, making sticks hard to grip and more than an idle passing thought that there must surely be drier and warmer (indoor!) pastimes of which to avail! The Dee ploughed on mind you, with Ali Lathwer getting through an enormous amount of work in midfield, ably assisted by Katie Donnelly, Melissa Rollo and Leona Wells, with Ruth Kennedy coming on also to add fresh impetus to the forward line. Despite Donaghadee having a few chances in the second half, the Owls defence was robust enough to withstand the attacks, while the home forwards made sure of the victory by adding another three goals to their tally. On the day, the result wasn’t to be, but the Dee are definitely showing glimpses of how good their hockey can be when they put their collective mind to it. Many thanks to Brian McKee for the coaching advice, to William McAdam for stats and to Mike Smyth for umpiring.

Next up for the 1st XI is a trip to Shaw’s Bridge to play Cooke on Saturday afternoon, with the 2nd XI away to Malone.

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26/10/13 Donaghadee LHC 1XI 0-0 Coleraine and Donaghadee LHC 2XI 2-0 Malone

Posted on 27/10/2013 by Donaghadee LHC

Senior League 4: Donaghadee LHC 1XI 0-0 Coleraine LHC

Donaghadee Ladies 1st XI were looking to bounce back from their disappointing defeat of the previous week against Instonians when Coleraine travelled to Bangor to play in the latest 2013/14 league fixture last Saturday. With a strong team available for selection, coach Brian McKee and 1st XI Captain Suzie Ferguson were confident that the girls would be eager to put last week’s result behind them. The Dee started well, immediately putting the visitors under pressure with some slick interplay from the forwards creating a great chance to go one up, but the ball passed agonisingly close to the outside of the right hand post with no Donaghadee stick able to turn it in past the Coleraine keeper.

Coleraine started to come much more into the game as the half wore on and the match was evenly contested in the middle of the pitch. Donaghadee’s defence of Nina Wells, Claire Stewart, Suzie Ferguson and Lisa Higgins did need to be on their toes to keep the Coleraine attacks outside the circle, with keeper Siobhan McAdam called in to action at least once to clear the ball to safety. The midfield trio of Kerry Savage, Katie Donnelly and Ali Lawther were working well as a unit to provide the Dee forwards Carolyn Scott, Kerrie Turtle and Ruth Kennedy with the penetration they needed into the Coleraine circle, with the Dee notching up more attacking opportunities than their North Coast counterparts, but they were unable to make them count on the day, with the match finishing a 0-0 draw. Next up for the Firsts is a trip to Owls for a first round Cup match on Saturday.

Junior League 9: Donaghadee LHC 2XI 2-0 Malone LHC

After a rather hefty defeat last week the Donaghadee 2XI took to the field to face mid-table Malone. The team were eager to put the loss behind them and move onwards and hopefully upwards. The match started quickly with the Dee breaking through the Malone defence for what they hoped would be a quick lead but the visitors were not giving the Dee any chance to get a shot on target.  Malone took possession and kept the play up in their attacking half of pitch. The few shots they did get were quickly saved and posed no problem for keeper Tina Sterling.  Rattled by the amount of possession Malone seemed to have the Dee dug deeper and a quick pass from Lisa Alexander in defence found Leona Wells in the centre of the field.  She was able to carry it forward to centre forward Maura Hennessey who pushed it towards to goal only to be denied by the Malone keeper. Luckily left wing Karen Fegan was there for the rebound and an accurate hit from her meant this time the keeper didn’t have a chance. For the first time this season the Dee were going into the half time break in the lead.

Eager to hold on to the lead and with some direction from coach Brian McKee they entered the second half determined to keep their goal advantage. With the weather taking a turn for the worse at the start of the second half, the action was end to end with Malone eager to equal the score line but Defenders Alex McVeigh and Hannah McAdam were not giving the Malone attackers much of a chance. A clearance from Alex to midfielder Melissa Rollo gave the Dee the break they needed; working the ball out wide Melissa quickly passed the ball to Deborah Gilmour who made it past two of the Malone defence to the circle – her shot was denied but that gave Emily Morris a chance on the rebound.  She also was denied but again the rebound found a Dee stick – this time Maura made no mistake and she was delighted to hit the backboard.

With Donaghadee now 2 goals ahead,  Malone stepped it up but the home side were not getting complacent; even when they had 4 penalty corners awarded against them, Donaghadee cleared every time.  With 4 minutes to go a pass from the Dee defence found Maura on her own in the centre of the field and, eager to make it 3, she broke out and carried the ball towards the goal.  She was able to evade the tackle of one defender but the Malone sweeper made sure she didn’t get a chance to shoot. The Dee held strong and, with the sounding of the final whistle, the 2nds were overjoyed to celebrate winning their first league match.  It was a great performance from all the team including an injured Tegan Greer.  Hopefully this is a new beginning and they can carry on this form when they welcome Coleraine to Bangor Grammar on Saturday 2nd Nov.

Many thanks to Mike Smyth for umpiring, Brian for coaching duties and Will McAdam for stats in both games. More information about the club can be found at http://www.donaghadeelhc.co.uk, on Facebook/donaghadeelhc, on Twitter @donaghadeelhc or email dlhc@hotmail.co.uk

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19/10/13 Senior League 4: Instonians 3-0 Donaghadee LHC 1XI and Junior 9: Bangor 14-0 Donaghadee LHC 2XI

Posted on 22/10/2013 by Donaghadee LHC

Senior League 4: Instonians LHC 3-0 Donaghdee LHC 1XI
Junior League 9: Bangor 14-0 Donaghadee LHC 2XI

A disappointing night for Donaghadee Ladies Hockey Club last Friday night, with both teams suffering defeats on their travels. The firsts were away to Instonians at Shaws Bridge and were looking to build on their excellent efforts the previous week as they took on the side currently bottom of the league. On a wet and windy night, not conducive to fast flowing hockey, the pitch was passed as playable and the game on.

Both teams struggled early on to get to grips with the pitch with the ball running slowly in the damp conditions and the initial play was very much in midfield. An Instonians break down the right earned them their first penalty corner of the night and despite an initial save by Dee keeper Siobhan McAdam the ball was not cleared and quick reactions from an Inst striker saw them take the lead with their first goal of the season after 6 minutes.

The Dee fought back hard, with a number of forays down both wings from Ruth Kennedy on the left and Kerry Savage on the right, developing into attacking opportunities. Centre forward Kerrie Turtle took a through pass from midfield and rounded the keeper but the shot was saved by an Inst defender on the line. The Dee midfield of Ali Lawther, Claire Stewart and Melissa Rollo, supported by runs from Lisa Higgins continued to win a number of balls going forward. A number of other chances went astray as the Dee dominated the rest of the first half to no avail, the defence of Suzie Ferguson, Nina Wells and Hannah McAdam coping well with the Inst counter attacking when it occurred.

A similar pattern followed at the start of the second half with initially the play quite even between the sides. Then an Inst striker managed to get space in the circle and her shot found it’s way into the Dee goal, 2-0 and now Instonians had something to defend. The home team fought hard for everything as the Dee piled on more and more pressure, a number of penalty corners were won, but the goal just wouldn’t come, then a counter attack from Inst brought a superb solo goal and it was 3-0.

Still the Dee came back and Ali, Claire and Leona Wells really got a grip on midfield releasing a number of balls forward, but with Inst defending tigerishly and a number of saves from their keeper it was not going to be the Dee’s night, epitomised by the one time they got the ball into the Inst goal being disallowed from a penalty corner.

The final whistle saw a 3-0 win to a delighted Inst team and disappointment for the Dee, on a night when the seconds suffered a heavy defeat at the hands of neighbours Bangor. The girls will look to put these results behind them and pick up their games again for next weeks double header at home, with the 1st XI welcoming league newcomers Coleraine, and Malone travelling to play the Dee Seconds. Pass backs are at 1pm and 2.30pm, both at Bangor Grammar School.

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