Ballymackey keep up pressure in CCL

Ballymackey continued to keep the pressure on the title contenders with a 4-0 win away to Portlaoise in the Combined Counties Women’s Division on Sunday.

Ballymackey brightly and created a lot of scoring opportunities from the off. Christine O’Keefe, Allison McDonnell, Lisa Toohey and Karen Hogan all went close to an opener before Joanne O’Brien opened the scoring with a trademark well-timed late arrival into the box from midfield to steer home a right wing cross.

Karen Hogan grabbed a goal from a corner, she had served notice going close with a header from a previous corner before she smashed home Aoibhín Delaney's out-swinging delivery.

Amber De Lewis was also on target with a super strike from just inside the box and Allison McDonnell had Ballymackey four clear at the interval, beating the centre back on the outside and finishing from a tight angle on the left.

Ballymackey failed to add to their tally in the second half. They went close on occasions, struck the upright and were thwarted by some top class goalkeeping.

The Ballymackey defence were made to work harder in the second half, but determined defending saw the visitors maintain their clean sheet.

It was a great team performance from Ballymackey against a very decent young Portlaoise side.

There were fine performances from Shauna Egan and Joanne O’Brien and the player of the match was Sarah Quigley who has really settled into the team and was a menace down the right wing all match.