Naomi helps earn Lurgan a valuable league point

Lurgan started well and were unlucky to see a fifth minute penalty corner strike by Charlene Hull deflected wide. Queens hit back with a penalty corner but the initial strike was superbly blocked by the on-rushing Chloe McCann.

Midway through the half the Lurgan defence went to sleep and the Queens centre forward waltzed through three tackles to open the scoring.

A Lurgan penalty corner strike on 20 minutes was blocked as the visitors went in search of an equaliser.

Queens looked dangerous on the attack and the Lurgan defence had to be on their toes to keep them out with Shelly Sloan putting in some fine tackles. Lurgan were starting to put some nice passing moves together and the keeper had to react quickly to prevent Kathryn Edgar from finishing from a good through ball. With one minute to go to half-time another neat passing move involving Chole McCann and Sarah McClure created a chance for Zoe Hawthorne but her goal-bound shot was deflected wide by the keeper at full stretch.

Good defensive work by the Lurgan back-line prevented Queens from adding to their tally early in the second half. Kathryn Edgar almost scored soon after but her shot was scrambled off the line.

An unfortunate incident ended with a Queens player stretchered off and after the delay Lurgan went on the offensive and were rewarded midway through the half when they were awarded a stroke after an incisive run into the circle by Zoe Hawthorne. Up stepped one of the youngest players on the pitch Kathryn Edgar to calmly convert.

To their credit both sides kept up the tempo with attack and counter attack as they went in search of a valuable winner. Queens looked to have secured it when with two minutes to go they were awarded a stroke after a shot had hit a Lurgan foot on the line. All the pressure was on goalkeeper Naomi Costley but she proved the hero with a magnificent stop as she dived right to push the strike wide.

In the end a draw was a fair result given the balance of play.

Lurgan thank Charles Hurst Vauxhall for their sponsorship and the ball sponsor for this game was the first team coach.