Tenacious Torro fight back to fire home four
By Yvonne Brady
Drogheda 1
Torro 4
After a three-week break, the NEFL Women’s League returned on Monday evening and the players from Torro Utd were certainly delighted to be back.
They travelled to Marian Park, Drogheda and chalked up a victory although all didn’t go to plan at the start. In fact they could hardly have made a worse start.
Within five minutes, the Navan girls were down 1-0. A speculative through ball between the Torro centre backs had them scurrying back to protect their 'keeper. However, a lack of communication meant that neither defenders nor keeper cleared the ball, and the Drogheda Striker struck out her foot and finished in to the net.
Although only starting with 10 players, this seemed to galvanize the Navan side into action. In their 3-4-2 formation, they soaked up the pressure that Drogheda were applying, and played some lovely football.
Wingers Kayleigh Crinion and Clodagh Carroll were making great strides on their respective sides and managing to get the ball up to the striking pairing of Shannon Conneely and Anne Marie King. It was one of these attacks that saw Torro equalizing on the 22nd minute.
Clodagh Carroll took possession just inside the Drogheda half, beat 2 players and laid off an inch perfect pass onto the feet of Conneely who saw the onrushing advancing keeper, pushed it to the side and finished neatly into the corner.
Torro came close a few more times, and should have scored, but for the Drogheda 'keeper to make some great saves. As half time approached, it looked like it was going to be all square. There was still time for a last attack.
With a passage of play that saw the ball ending up with Kayleigh Crinion in the penalty area, the Torro girl tried to get a shot off but the Drogheda 'keeper smartly smothered it. However, the ball spilled out and Anne Marie King popped up to finish it despite the gallant efforts of the defensive Drogheda line. Half time 1-2.
The Navan side went in the happier, and seemed to start the second half in the manner they left the first. Restored to 11 players, Torro played some lovely football with Shona McLoughlin and Rachel Walsh in midfield playing out of their skin, and the new centre back pairing of Abby Matthews and Roisin Cullen absolutely bossing the offside.
On the 60th minute, a hit and hopeful ball over the top saw Crinion again advancing towards the Drogheda goal.
The left midfielder let the ball do all the work – she watched it as it came over her right shoulder, used her strength to keep off the defender and from around 22 yards out unleashed a first-time powerhouse of a shot with her left foot that left the Drogheda keeper rooted to the spot.
Torro then took full control, but in fairness to the Louth side, they never gave up. They hassled and harried for everything. Torro had numerous chances in the next 20 mins including an effort from King which beat the keeper but hit the bar, but the scored remained 1-3.
That is until the 39th minute when a mammoth free kick taken by Abby Matthews half way in her own half landed on the feet of Clodagh Carroll who timed her run to perfection to finish first time beyond the net minder.
Game finished 1 -4. A great team performance by Torro, but hats off to Drogheda for pushing and pushing until the final whistle.
Next up is a home game v Duleek on Monday 4th July in Powderly Park.