fresherscomp01

On Saturday November 10th, the Freshers team participated in the Annual First Years Competition hosted by UCD.
NUIG were drawn in the same group as Waterford IT, University of Ulster Jordanstown, and UCD.

The first game saw NUIG face the host team. In muddy conditions, NUIG were the first to score with a point from Sherry Mannion. UCD opened their account soon after, before their goalkeeper was forced into a fine save from Nicola Donnelly. All was not lost however, as the resultant �30 from Deirdre Hayes found its way to the back of the net. Another UCD point saw NUIG enjoy a two-point lead at half time.

The second half saw NUIG consolidate their lead with a fine individual goal from Sherry Mannion. UCD replied immediately however, with a goal of their own. Two pointed frees courtesy of Deirdre Hayes and a second goal from Sherry Mannion gave NUIG a four-point lead. A great pass from Nicola Donnelly picked out Aoife Kennedy unmarked in front of goal, who duly found the net. This was cancelled out soon after though, by another UCD goal, which set up a nail-biting finish. NUIG thanks to solid performances from Caitriona Heffernan, Laura Dillon and Emer O �Leary, defended well. The last puck of the game saw the the NUIG girls save a penalty to leave them victors on a final score line of NUIG 5:03 UCD 4:01

Next up was WIT. NUIG faced some stiff pressure initially, but a great interception by Karen Collins prevented the concession of an early goal. From a free in midfield Laura Roche picked out Davitts club mate Nicola Donnelly who blasted the ball low to the bottom corner of the Waterford net for a tonic goal. WIT replied though, with three points from Galway girl Shauna Murphy followed by a long-range point from Sherry Mannion which gave NUIG the lead by a solitary point. Waterford now really began to apply the pressure � first with a well-taken point before it required a great save from Karen Collins and some desperate defending as well as the width of the crossbar to deny WIT a goal just before halftime.

The second half got off to a very bad start for the Galway girls. Immediately after the resumption WIT goaled and shortly after, NUIG defender Aoife Kennedy had to retire injured. Laura Roche did well to point a long-range free but after that it was all Waterford (eventually beaten in the final by UL) as they scored four answered points that saw them victors on a score line of:
NUIG 1:02 WIT 2:09

There was no break for NUIG as they then had to play UUJ straight away.
The fatigue of the players was evident as UUJ, quick to settle, raced into an early lead with some early goals. The half time rest certainly benefited NUIG however, and it was a rejuvenated Galway team, that emerged for the second half. Early goals from Nicola Donnelly and Sherry Mannion gave NUIG great hope. A point from Sherry Mannion and a well-taken goal from Michelle Quinn put NUIG right back into contention, but in the closing stages, luck deserted them as wave after wave of attack was thwarted by some desperate UUJ defending and no matter how hard they tried, those elusive scores just would not come. The final whistle saw NUIG bow out of the competition �
NUIG 3:01 UUJ 4:4