St. Fechin’s 3-9 Roche Emmets 1-3

The senior ladies – travelling for a 10:30am throw-in with only 16 available players – suffered their third loss of the league campaign on Sunday morning when going down heavily away to St. Fechin’s.

Shauna Finn’s goal on the stroke of half-time looked to have Roche in a strong position, trailing 0-5 to 1-1, after a first period in which the hosts dominated with the aid of a significant gust.

However, as the breeze began to swirl, Fechin’s had the wind in their sails, peppering the target Arlene Stalley was protecting. Eight of their 12 wides came during the second half, while they added 3-4 to their interval total – meanwhile, Emmets struggled for coherency in their build-up and, thus, offered possession away cheaply.

Jennie McCourt and Tracey Rogers struck the away team’s sole scores of the closing period as loose defending and slack distribution led to the mounting concession rate, Fechin’s pulling further away as the affair progressed.

With four wins from seven matches, it remains to be seen if Roche’s games-in-hand, against Clan na Gael and St. Patrick’s, will be played with the league final now beyond the reach of the girls in blue.

Roche: Arlene Stalley; Anna Murphy, Aoife Savage, Aisling Sloane; Caoimhe Treanor, Niamh Callan, Aisling Begley; Jennie McCourt (0-1, free), Claire McDonnell; Ellie Grant, Tracey Rogers (0-1), Rebecca Greene; Abi Keenan (0-1), Caroline O’Neill, Shauna Finn (1-0)

Subs: Lauren Briscoe for McDonnell, McDonnell for Grant

Referee: Noel Hand