Seven up for Ballymoney: Hockey

On Saturday Ballymoney 1st XI played host to North Kildare in the second round of the Irish Senior Cup.

Being newly promoted into Leinster’s top league, the visitors were very much an unknown quantity. Ballymoney, still without the services of captain Lauren Steen with a knee injury, made a slow and nervous start to the game.

The first opportunity to get on the score board fell to Kate Caithness after 15 mins. Her reverse stick effort going narrowly wide. This seemed to push the home side into action and Julie Nelson burst through from midfield on 20 mins and found Nikki Parke in the circle.

Nikki managed to find Robyn Chambers unmarked at the far post but unfortunately Robyn was unable to convert the chance.

The deadlock was finally broken on 24 mins when Angela Huey calmly finished off a short corner routine. Ballymoney pushed on and won 2 more corners on 31 and 33 mins. With the latter of these, Jessica Lynch got a neat deflection on the end of a Bridget Cleland strike to make it 2-0. Just before the half time whistle, Robyn Chambers made good ground down the left and found Julie Nelson in the circle. Julie made no mistake in ensuring Ballymoney went into half time with a deserved 3-0 lead.

Ballymoney continued the second half where they finished the first and were dictating play. Their passing and movement proved too much for the Leinster visitors to keep up with.

Just 8 mins into the second half, Nikki Parke got on the score sheet after an accurate cross from Angela Huey from the right. Katherine Minihan finished off a fine passing move on 12 mins to make the score 5-0 and putting the game well out of reach of the visitors.

Refusing to give up, North Kildare won their first corner of the game 21 mins into the second half but were unable to get a consolation goal. Laura McCurdy got on the score sheet on 23 mins with a tap in at the far post, after some great play by Jessica Lynch and Jessica Moore.

The 2 Jessicas were again involved in the 7th and final goal when they created a 2v1 against the keeper. Jessica Lynch drew the keeper and got a pass out to Jessica Moore who finished off a fine day for Ballymoney sending the ball into an open net. A very encouraging day for Ballymoney with 7 goals from 7 different players.

Ballymoney will meet Corinthian in the next round.

* This week in the Irish Junior Cup - Ballymoney Seconds v Cork Church of Ireland (1pm). Firsts home to Pegasus (2.30pm) and at 4pm the 3rds play Saintfield in the Ulster Junior Cup.