Seconds clinch a ten goal thriller

Armagh Seconds 3

Lurgan Seconds met Armagh Seconds at LJHS on a blustery but dry Saturday afternoon.

Lurgan showed every indication of dominating the encounter and hopes rose when an attempted reverse by Julie Morrow in first few minutes flew just over cross bar.

Good use of triangle short passing between Clara Lennon, Gemma McBride and Tara McIlwaine in the middle earned Lurgan a short corner but it came to nothing when a free out was awarded for the ball hitting a home player’s foot.

Armagh where quick on the break and earned a short of their own. Susie Taylor saved a high ball but another short was awarded to Armagh from which they scored.

Great ball in by Emma Quinn was Lurgan’s reward for quick thinking. Tara McIlwaine finished it on left post to tie it at 1-1.

Lurgan gained a short, won by Judith Edgar, after she played it into an Armagh foot. Again it was thwarted.

Good pressing by Lurgan increased the pressure but Armagh got a break and scored to make it 2-1.

Julie Morrow made a run through middle and won a short, a good shot was just wide.

Seconds later Ellen Mullen played a through ball to Julie who slammed home to make it 2-2.

The seesaw game continued after halftime and from Armagh pressure they won a short corner and put it in on the left post where Suzie Taylor had no change of reaching it.

Lurgan dominated the play with short, snappy passes down the right side between Emma Quinn and Orla Thompson. This was the signal for Lurgan to surge ahead.

A reverse strike from Julie Morrow was kept in by Judith Edgar. She pulled it back to penalty spot to for Julie to shoot but the keeper saved it, however Gemma McBride scored on the rebound to bring the score to 3-3.

A short corner was won by Gemma. It was slipped left from Julie at top of the D to Gemma, who passed to back to the right post for Emma Quinn to slap home. 4-3

A Good run from the half way line by Chloe Neville, with good interlinking play from Tara McIlwaine, gave Orla Thompson a route into the circle where Tara scored at the left post to make it 5-3

Tara then turned provider to Julie, who ran down the line and cut in on the bye line. She pulled it back to Judith Edgar who scored on the reverse

After a superb run by Nikki Quinn down the right she fed Ellen Mullen, who passed to Julie. Julie took the strike and Gemma touched it in making it 7-3, for a final goal to seal a convincing win.

Special thanks to MG Hair of Union Street, Lurgan for their sponsorship.