Great start to the season for Toonhockey girls

Ballymoney 1st XI travelled to Belfast to face Queens in the opening league match of this season. The toon started strongly and won a short corner after 2minutes. It was an evenly matched game for much of the first half, with Ballymoney playing strongly and creating many chances. Queen’s took the lead after 24 mins, however Ballymoney piled on the pressure and equalised through a well taken short corner by Susie Sneddon. The first half ended well with increasing pressure from the Ballymoney forwards.

The Ballymoney team started the second half with a fast pace and Jess Moore was unlucky not to convert after 3minutes. Keeper Kate McKane had a fantastic game with a number of excellent saves, keeping the toon in the game. The girls continued to fight hard with Jess Lynch and Lynn MacAuley causing problems for the Queen’s defence. Ballymoney were awarded a penalty flick in the last 2 minutes of the game which Nikki Parke cooly scored, taking the toon girls 2-1 ahead.

The team would like to thank Angie and Liz for their help and coaching, and those who travelled to support.

Team list: Kate McKane, Susie Sneddon, Lesley Davis, Aine Kearney, Katherine Minihan, Emma Kernohan, Alex Halliday, Nikki Parke, Jess Lynch, Emma Lynch, Nicki Sargent, Jess Moore, Lynn MacAuley and Cathryn Knipe.

* Ballymoney 1sts 2 Randalstown 0 - Ballymoney played Randalstown on Wednesday the 18th of September in the Ulster Shield. With the Ballymoney team full of fresh faces, this was going to be a tough match.

At the start of the game the ‘money girls pressed hard and did not allow Randalstown out of their own half. With this pressure Ballymoney intercepted a pass deep into the Randalstown half but could not convert a clear chance. And after 12 minutes the pressure told again when a superb long ball from Alex Halliday found Jess Moore in left midfield, who then quickly passed to Catherine Knipe at the top of the circle to hit a rasping shot at the Randalstown goal, but the score remained 0-0.

In the second half superb midfield play found Lynne MacAuley, unmarked on the baseline who passed to Emma Lynch who with a deft touch lifted the ball over the oncoming keeper. Ballymoney 1 Randalstown 0. Randalstown continued to press but the Ballymoney defence stood firm, with particular mention going to newly appointed captain, Katherine Minihan, who showed both attacking and defensive prowess in the new Right Back position. To top the game off Ballymoney scored from their first short corner of the game, and after a couple of saves from the Randalstown keeper Jessica Moore’s shot was deflected into the goal by Jessica Lynch, to make the final score 2-0 to Ballymoney.