Recap

Match Report by: Jake Ouellette.

The last match up of week 6 featured two teams that have built up a big rivalry since the winter league. The Harps vs Na Fianna Rouge, much was on the line this game as the Harps were looking for their first win and Na Fianna were trying to take a strangle hold onto 2nd place.
This game was going to be an uphill battle for Na Fianna as they were missing 4 of their top outfielders for this game. Tony (el president) Cunningham, Damien (No one can spell my surname) Conneely, Alan (the bearded man) Baxter and the Athenry antelope Ronan Corbett. The Harps were missing small town Picton Ontario boy Curtis Watson and Stephen Denham.

From the opening toss in by the Sligo referee Neil O’Brien, Harps were showing great movement and passing skills. It wasn’t long before the first point was sent flying over the bar by Captain Fantastic herself Laura Brody. Liam Twomey not letting his team go down without a fight was seen all over the field, one second he was in the midfield putting points over the bar and the next he was in the forward line scoring a goal for his team. Patrick Bourke was up to his usual antics (minus the usual swearing) making it look easy to be the top scorer of the night. The end of the first half saw Jim Foley being forced off by his teammates due to an injury, the Harps being good sports agreed to go one man down as well to make it a level playing field.

With the 2nd half underway, this game looked to be out of reach for Na Fianna, but the forward line did not want to give up just yet. Sligo’s own Niamh Devaney scored 2 goals giving her a career game high performance and Cian Darcy added his first goal. But the celebrations ended there as game MVP Loris Langlois was seen knocking a beauty over the bar while screaming “For France“, Olivier Daoust scoring a goal, Paul Ryan made sure he got in on the action scoring a few himself and Jake Ouellette scoring his first career Hat-Trick along with the cheers from the crowed behind the net. After the Hat-Trick goal the easily angered Olivier Sakr was seen throwing his hurl into his own net in frustration which unfortunately chipped the umpire, luckily for him no red card was given and nobody was hurt. Even if the Harps were dominating this game, Na Fianna’s MVP Paola Ruckholdt was playing her best game, she defended the best she could against the endless wave of Harps and kept her teammates pushing more.

This was a game to remember for the Harps and a game to forget for Na Fianna. Their next match up will not be so lopsided as Na Fianna is expecting all their star players back and the sole possession of 2nd spot in the league will be on the line.