Dublin University Ladies Association Football Club (DULAFC) sit comfortably atop the table in Group A of Division One of the Colleges and Universities Football League after delivering a third consecutive win yesterday over Maynooth B. It was not a game for football purists, but Trinity’s players will point to the league table for evidence of their progress this season.
The game got off to a slow and rocky start, with play frenetic on both sides. The teams were left fighting not only the slippery terrain but also each other in falls and clashes across the field. Similarly a number of misjudged passes sent the ball wandering off the pitch, frequently breaking up the rhythm of play.
Amidst the frenzy of these early stages however, play became steadily tighter and Trinity managed to consistently land goal-scoring opportunities, headlined by Sara McGeough’s efforts, whose shot just minutes in was only narrowly saved. McGeough was later able to make good on one of these opportunities, delivering the first goal of the game for Trinity in the 22nd minute.
Perhaps a complacency had set in from Trinity’s early advantage, but Maynooth quickly recovered from the concession and managed to put play for the first time into Trinity’s half and secure a series of close opportunities of its own. The attentive Chloe Delaney and Niamh Kane were able to fend off these attempts but despite the goal difference and Trinity playing at home, the game was becoming much closer. Wasteful finishing dogged Trinity’s offensive efforts and in the face of Maynooth’s own capable defence they were prevented from adding to the score for the rest of the first half.
The start of the second half seemed to be a reflection of the first. Trinity’s early second-half cracks at goal were frequent, but a lack of support for strikers consistently undermined the team’s efforts and Maynooth was clearly on the defensive.
It was a perfectly executed but unexpected header from McGeough that revitalised Trinity, putting them 2-0 up. Maynooth bore constant pressure from Trinity in the rest the of the half, but hit back 20 minutes from time after a controversially-awarded free kick, which found the Trinity net via a deflection off the wall.
However, the hosts wrapped up the points in spectacular fashion a few minutes before the end, a last-minute goal from outside the box by Evelyn Hennigan applying a layer of gloss to a performance marked more by grit than attacking invention.
