Ladies 1sts 3 Church of Ireland 2

21 November 2009 | Pembroke Wanderers | 17.00
Goals: Karen Hales (2), Alice Ward

The first quarter started under excellent lights and only sporadic rain at Serpentine Avenue with Pembroke attacking and winning a penalty corner in the 2nd minute. From this Karen Hales scored Pembroke’s first goal. The remainder of the 1st Quarter had little attacking play from either team although what attacks made by CI were orchestrated with strength and pace by Sinead Connery, the most influential outfield player in the game. These sporadic attacks were capably dealt with by a strong Pembroke defence in which Karen Kales was outstanding.

In the 2nd Quarter CI’s Claire Hickey hit the outside of the Pembroke post from play after 20 minutes but neither side gained any clear territorial advantage over the other. In fact CI had no penalty corners in the first two quarters and Pembroke only had one meaningful further foray into the CI circle when Hilda Maguire had a shot blocked by Orla McCarthy in the 2nd quarter

The 3rd Quarter saw more attacking play by both teams and it was no surprise when in the 42nd minute the ubiquitous Sinead Connery scored from play after an excellent build up. The CI team pressed again and were awarded their 1st and 2nd penalty corners in the 46th and 48th minutes. However the first resulted in a shot going wide and the second in ‘feet’ by a CI attacker.

The 4th Quarter saw CI awarded their third SC but again this was cleared by the resolute PW defence. After 58 minutes following a cross from the left which was deflected off a defenders stick the ball looped into the circle and was eventually pushed into the goal by a delighted Alice Ward to restore Pembroke goal advantage. Within a minute CI had again equalised following a penalty corner with an excellent shot by Melanie Ryan. This was in fact when CI had only 10 players as Sinead Connery was off the pitch for a green card offence.

There had been no problems for the Umpires until this Quarter and there was a further green card for Hilda Maguire of PW for not retreating from a free!

The game had opened up and in the 64rd minute Pembroke ware awarded only their second penalty corner of the match. It was time for their player of the match Karen Hales to step up and complete a crisp penalty corner routine by dispatching an accurate shot low to the ‘keepers left and just inside the post for their 3rd and, as it transpired, winning goal.

Further CI attacks were repelled by Pembroke and the game ended with CI pressing but unable to find their way through the suberbly marshalled Pembroke defence.

This was Pembroke Wanderers first win in the 2009/10 IHL having taken a point from their opening match at Ballymoney