World Footy News

The Banshees took on the the Tonga Thunder today on McAlister Oval. In cool but sunny conditions that would certainly be more familiar to the Irish girls than the Tongans it would always be a hard ask for the Pacific Islanders going up against the reigning champions.

 

Tonga as you would expect came out hard in both their attack on the ball and in tackling and at quarter time with a goal on the board and the Irish just the three goals. Folauhola.I.V.Timani kicking that goal for Tonga the first for the match.

 

In the second quarter the Irish settled and started to dominate the contest and were able to lock the ball into their attacking end of the ground. They did fail to capitalise on this though only kicking two goals from seven scoring shots. The Irish couldn’t get their fast running free flowing GAA style going the way they would have liked.

 

Laura Corrigan kicked three goals before half time but had to go off injured which was a massive blow to the Banshees. Along with other injuries this left Ireland with just one woman on the bench. The Thunder added just a behind for the quarter as Finau and Ongolea battled hard to try to turn the tide.

 

Tonga were able to even up the match a little in the second half allowing just seven scoring shots for the rest of the match to Tonga’s one. But the experience of the Irish girls particularly Mahony and Hazley showed out as they held firm and held their composure in the face of a hard tackling opponent who did not give up.

 

Hazley looked dangerous up forward in Corrigan’s absence and in the end it was maybe fatigue more than anything the stopped the Irish from inflicting a much bigger score on the Tongans. Ireland running out winners by 55 points.

 

With some injuries to the current players the Irish will be looking forward to some reinforcements coming into the squad via Sydney that could not make it to the tournament earlier.

 

 

Ireland: Corrigan 3, Hazley 2, Brogan, McGahon, Mahony

Tonga: Folauhola.I.V.Timani

 

Ireland: Hazley, Mahony, McCann, Keatley, Cassidy, Kelly, Dempsey

Tonga: Folauhola.I.V.Timani, Finau, Faka’ilota’u, Ongolea, Motuliki, Afuha’amango