Meath U16 V New York U16 7/5/2010

New York and Meath play out a cracker in Rathoath

Just off the plane from America the New York U16 ladies played Meath Development squad in Rathoath at 12.30 monday morning. The meath girls eventually ran out deserved 4-12 to 2-15 winners but NY had an opportunity to steal a draw with a last minute penalty. Meath began the game at a ferocious pace and were four points up after 10 minutes. The scoreline could have been even worse but for a great pair of hands provided by the New York goalie and match MVP Maeve Power and blocks from Tiffany Griffin and Lauren Mc Mahon. Kelly Mc Cormack was unlucky to hit the post after 10 minute and that brought about a revival in the NY ladies fortune with Courtney Trainor and Mc Cormack posting scores to leave two points between the teams with the wind in meaths favour . The meath full forward then posted two goals in five minutes to put a gap between the teams but Courtney Trainor got a superb score with a tremendous run at last years All Ireland u16 champions defence before sticking the ball over the bar again moments before half time to leave the scores 2-06 to 0-04 at the interval.

After the break New York through everything at the Meath girls with Courtney Trainor getting a score right after the throw in before Noelle Brophy charged the length of the field to stick two in a minute before Trainor added her second of the half. Nora Kilkenny had a shot cleared off the line and it looked like the All ireland champions might be in for a shock before the Meath Full forward again tapped in two goals in the 37th and 41st minute to put another gap between the teams. Kelly Mc Cormack replied for the vistiors right after, following a great ball from centre back Amanda Mc Govern . Courntey Trainor added her sixth point right after. Meath sensed a revival and posted four points in the next five minutes with the two wing forwards sharing two points each. New York finished the game with a goal spree with Megan King getting a brace of goals while Colleen Wall added a magnificent top corner finish and Catriona Rafferty added her own score to leave the game at 4-11 to 2-15 going into the third minute of injury time when New York were awarded a penalty for an off the ball foul to tie the game but the penalty was struck just narrowly over the crossbar to leave the final score meath 2-15 NY 2-12.

Speaking after the game the NY manager Phil Sheridan was happy with the effort put in by the girls " I am happy enough with the way we played in the first game on tour , Meath were an exceptional team and you could see in them the reason they are All Ireland Champions, we still have a lot of work to do but we'll get there."

New York MVP Maeve Power was happy enough with the game " I'm happy with the girls preformance I thought we tried really hard. For a lot of us its our first time in Ireland and were really enjoying it."