Greenfields 2nds overcome NUIG in seven goal thriller!
A youthful Greenfields second team took on an experienced NUIG side in the Connacht Senior League on February 2nd, and Greenfields prevailed with a score line of 4-3.
Greenfields 2nds started the better of the two sides and were one-up before NUIG had settled into the match. Centre back Sorcha Minihan disguised a pass, & found centre midfielder Kate Hennessy, who laid it off to Sinead Minihan. Minihan got around two NUIG defenders and drew the keeper before making a perfect pass to Kate Mulgannon. Mulgannon made no mistake from the right side of the circle, to put Greenfields one-up inside the first five minutes.
As NUIG began to settle into the match they created some chances of their own through Deirdre Hatton, Keeva Carr and Freddie Timmons, but Greenfields’ back four marshalled by Keeper Laoise Fegan managed to keep the NUIG attacks at bay.
Finally after good attacking play by NUIG they were awarded a penalty corner which was converted by Tara Melvin to bring the sides level after fifteen minutes. The young Greenfields side continued with their precise passing game and began to open up the NUIG defence who were finding it hard to cope with clever off-the-ball running. It wasn’t long before Greenfields capitalised on their possession and good work from Hennessy, Carmel Heery, Minihan and Mulgannon created a chance for Rebecca Gilligan. She shot into the left hand corner of the goal giving the NUIG keeper no chance.
Greenfields continued to pile on the pressure and were rewarded with a penalty corner which Sorcha Minihan converted to bring the score to 3-1 but Greenfields were hungry for more and a free flowing move started at the back by Anna Boyce who found Kelly Dunleavy. Dunleavy threaded a neat ball through to Rebecca Gilligan who got her second and Greenfields’ fourth goal, leaving the score four-one with minutes to go to half time.
NUIG managed to pull a goal back at the start of the second half to put themselves back in the contest. Greenfields continued to go in search of more goals but the students enjoyed much more possession in the second half. Greenfields midfielders of Siobhan Divilly, Hennessy and Heery worked tirelessly to keep their side ahead. With fifteen minutes left on the clock NUIG won a penalty corner and Tara Melvin once again found the net with an unstoppable shot.
NUIG went in search of an equaliser but the Greenfields back four of Megan Forde, Dunleavy, Sorcha Minihan and Anna Boyce stood firm, and this young Greenfields side managed to close out the game by retaining possession to come away with a well-deserved 4-3 win.
