Raphoe face top of the league team Ballymena on Friday night last.
Ballymena start 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.
Unfortunately Raphoe conceeded the first short corner of the game to Ballymena 5 minutes into the game but Raphoes defence held strong without giving away a goal. Couple of minutes later another short corner for Ballymena but this time Raphoe had broke and gave away a goal.
Raphoe didnt give up though 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 Kimberely’s stick to have another shot but again the keeper stayed strong. Another short corner to Ballymena in the 16th minute saw Denise Mc Elhinney 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.
Twenty minutes into the game Raphoe were then rewarded for their hard work by a short corner won by Shannon Porter. Raphoe just couldn’t get the ball in the back of the net! Raphoe were again up in Ballymena’s half with Shannon Porter beating most players but then was tackled by a Ballymenas sweeper who was determined not to make Raphoe present in their circle.
Around 10 minutes to go in the first half Raphoe have their heads set on a goal to make up for the one they lost. But Ballymena had their fair share of breaks into Raphoes defensive half aswell. Arylene Kilpatrick with a hit from the 25 yard line to find Kimberely Porter but the shot was denied again by Ballymenas keeper. Shortly after that, Leanne Patterson winning another short corner on the 32nd minute then with Katie Love gaining a 4th short corner for the Raphoe side.
Another short corner came shortly after that for Raphoe but this time the half-time whistle had blew so Raphoe had a good advantage on Ballymena which meant that all of Raphoes side were up around Ballymenas circle but yet again Raphoe didnt receive their all wanted goal. 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 1v1 on Ballymenas keeper, she shot and scored but the goal was disallowed by umpire James Wray as there was a foul by Kimberely inside the attacking circle. Ballymena came back from that scare with a short corner. The player on the post who was Sabrina Barnett saw the shot by Ballymena deflected wide of Raphoes goal.
Raphoe fought back with Kimberely Porter and Leanne Patterson pairing together to beat Ballymenas players with a reward of Leanne Patterson having a chance on goal. In the 16th minute of the second half a bad tackle by a Ballymena player saw a green card being awarded to that player. Then in the space of 5 minutes Raphoe had won 6 short corners. Ballymena came back with a counter attack on the 6th short corner of raphoes but it was kept out by a strong sweeper -Victoria Wray.
Then 22 minutes into the half saw Ballymena with a chance on goal but it was saved by Raphoes goalkeeper Denise Mc Elhinney the shot then was cleared by Lyndsey Tinney to get it out of the danger zone of Raphoes goal.
Although, 2 minutes later Ballymena won a short corner followed by another soon after with Raphoe still staying strong with then Rachel Buchanan having a shot at Ballymenas goal but it was a great save by their goalkeeper only to come back out to Shannon Porter who then won a short corner. Victoria Wray with a backpost shot but it was shot wide of the Ballymena goal. Leanne Patterson then won another short corner on the 31st minute but it then was followed by a long corner.
Then after Ballymena won a short corner on the 33rd minute but was saved by Denise Mc Elhinney to then become a long corner. But then the time ended so the end score finished at 1-0 to Ballymena despite the fierce fight put up by the Raphoe side.
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