It was a stroll in O’Donnell Park for the Letterkenny Institute of Technology ladies today as they thumped in nine goals in a 34-point win over Maynooth University.
Letterkenny Institute of Technology 9-12 Maynooth University 0-5
The game was as good as done by the 13th minute when Lucy O’Flynn netted twice in as many minutes to put LyIT 3-3 to no score in front.
As they headed for the dressing room at the break, the Port Road scholars were 6-7 to 0-1 ahead.
Sarah Jane McDonald led the way for LyIT with a fine hat-trick while Erika Hanna, Emma McMahon, Aishleen McGuinness and Lauren Cregan all raised green flags.
It McGuinness who hit the opening goal, tucking home in the sixth minute after good work from O’Flynn, Zoe McGlynn and Hanna.
McMahon, McGuinness and McDonald all spurned goal chances before O’Flynn hammered to the net.
Soon after, the Termon woman was in again, this time rounding the goalkeeper, Hannah Hayes, to score.
Before half-time, Hanna, McDonald and McMahon all netted and it was game, set and match even before the second half had started.
McGlynn got the ball rolling in part two with a clever point and it wasn’t long before Moville’s McDonald – a thorn in the Maynooth side all through the game – bagged her second goal.
Ten minutes from the end, McDonald clinched the hat-trick with another deadly finish.
The coup de grace arrived from substitute Cregan whose wonderful lobbed effort gave Hayes no chance for the ninth goal of a high-scoring afternoon for the Letterkenny ladies.
Team manager Michael Murphy was in Dublin on International Rules duty, but will surely have been encouraged at the news being relayed by Francie Friel and Mick Murphy.
LyIT have a busy start to November with games against St Mary’s and DCU in the space of three days, the week after next.
Letterkenny Institute of Technology: Aoife McColgan; Shannon McDaid, Gemma Glackin, Annie Rose Quinn; Victoria Kelly, Sinead Martin, Nicole Gordon; Kathy Ward, Lucy O’Flynn (2-0); Zoe McGlynn (0-1), Sarah Jane McDonald (3-2), Emma McMahon (1-1); Erika Hanna (1-2), Aishleen McGuinness (1-4, 1f), Rachel McGee. Subs: Lauren Cregan (1-1) for McMahon, Geraldine Ruane for Gordon, Sara O’Boyle for McDaid (all half-time), McMahon for McGlynn (40), Eimear Gallagher for Hanna (40), McDaid for Glackin (40), Glackin for O’Flynn (43).
Maynooth University: Hannah Hayes; Rosie Nolan, Fiona Reilly, Aoife Ferry; Karen Larkin (0-1), Shona McNicholas, Lisa McGrath; Niamh Gallagher, Mary Timmons; Amy Troy, Lauren Griffin (0-1,1f), Hannah Mullaney; Katie Broderick (0-1), Emily Moore (0-1), Laura McGarvey. Subs used: Ciara O’Riordan, Ruth Rochford, Aine Gallagher (0-1), Jane Shovlin.
