Offaly Junior team were victorious against Armagh on Sunday last in Kinnitty in harsh weather conditions again.
Offaly played with the strong wind in the first half and took full advantage of it and by half time had notched up 2-8 to no score for Armagh. Offaly mad a few changes to the starting lineup with Claire Birmingham and Grace McRedmond starting as Audrey Kennedy was injured and Aoife Corrigan was unavailable.
Siobhan Flannery opened the scoring on 4 mins with a well taken point from the left wing. Arlene Watkins got a goal when her initial shot was blocked but she doubled on the rebound to the net. Arlene had a second goal harshly disallowed for overcarrying. Tina Hannon did get Offaly a second goal when her shot was dropped into the net by the Armagh keeper.
Offaly were flying at this stage and the wind and rain wasn’t a bother to them as it was blowing in their favor. Siobhan Flannery pointed a free as Michelle Davis had been fouled when going through at centre forward. Armagh just couldn’t get to grips with Offaly and Arlene Watkins pointed from play from a fine pass from Tina Hannon on 12 mins.
Michelle then got her own point from play and from the puck out Michelle delivered an inch perfect ball to Arlene Watkins who pointed again. Offaly were looking for goals at this stage to kill off the game but the Armagh keeper Bronagh Keenan made some good saves from the sticks of Tina Hannon and Arlene Watkins who were causing problems in the forward line. Siobhan Flannery pointed a 45m free before Arlene pointed from play after some very good work by Sheila Sullivan and Karen Nugent.
The Offaly backline had very little to do in this half as Michaela Morkan, Linda Sullivan and Marion Crean cleared any ball that came their way. Siobhan Flannery ended the first half scoring with a fine individual score, she robbed the ball from the Armagh player’s hurl and broke forward before slotting her shot between the posts from the 45m line. As the half time whistle went the rain became heavier and the wind got stronger.
This was really a game of two halves and now Armagh had the wind at their backs and they began to put real pressure on the Offaly backline. Grace Clendenning
Offaly introduced Natalie McCabe for Grace McRedmond in the 7th min but it was Armagh who were doing all the attacking. Elaine Sullivan
Siobhan Flannery got a fine point from play for Offaly in the 24th minute and while Armagh tried to get more goals some great defending by Elaine Dermody and Karen Brady along with Lorraine Keena also clearing well. Offaly never got into their game in the second half and Armagh were left to regret all the wides they had.
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