RAPHOE LADIES lost out against top-of-the-table Ballymena on Friday night.
Raphoe 0 Ballymena 1
Ballymena started the the game with a high press on Raphoe but Raphoe came back with the first attempt on goal of the game by Lyndsey Tinney.
Ballymena hit the front early on. Raphoe broke from a Ballymena short corner and gave up a goal.
Raphoe didnt give up as a shot by Leanne Patterson came close to a goal but was saved by Ballymena’s goalkeeper only to come back out again to Kimberely Porter who then won Raphoe a short corner.
The short itself came out to Sabrina Barnett who had a shot herself but was saved by the goalkeeper but found Porter, only for the ‘keeper to save again.
Another short corner to Ballymena in the 16th minute saw Denise McElhinney making a superb save for Raphoe.
By this stage Raphoe were performing great hockey with Arlyene Kilpatrick hitting a strong ball up to Rachel Buchanan who then was denied into the circle by the wall of the Ballymena defence.
Raphoe were again up in Ballymena’s half with Shannon Porter beating most players but then was tackled by a Ballymena’s sweeper who was determined not to make Raphoe present in their circle.
Ballymena had their fair share of breaks into Raphoe’s defensive half aswell. Arylene Kilpatrick with a hit from the 25 yard line to find Kimberely Porter but the shot was denied again by Ballymena’s keeper.
Shortly after that, Leanne Patterson won another short corner on the 32nd minute then with Katie Love gaining a fourth short corner for the Raphoe side.
At half-time the score was 1-0 to Ballymena.
A break from Rachel Buchanan saw the ball reaching Kimberely Porters stick which then lead to a one-v-one on Ballymena’s ‘keeper.
Porter shot and scored but the goal was disallowed by umpire James Wray as there was a foul by Porter inside the attacking circle.
Raphoe fought back with Porter and Leanne Patterson pairing together to beat Ballymena’s players with a reward of Leanne Patterson having a chance on goal.
In the space of five minutes Raphoe had won six short corners. Ballymena came back with a counter attack on the sixth short corner, but it was kept out by a strong sweeper – Victoria Wray.
A combination of McElhinney and Lyndsey Tinney kept Ballymena at bay, while Rachel Buchanan went close at the other end and Wray went close, only to shoot wide as Raphoe’s fierce fight fell just short.
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