College de Notre Dame

N.D.G. Na Fianna Rouges vs St Henri Harps

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.
Preview

Goose Village Blackrocks (Ladies) vs Griffintown Gaels (Ladies)

Match Report by: Jake Ouellette.

Week 6 of the summer superleague was a Friday night special at the Notre-Dame field. It was an important battle for top spot between the Blackrocks and the Gaels.

The Gaels were well organized and on the field first for warm-ups. This translated quickly into the game when the ball was tossed up in the air by referee Jake Ouellette, Laura Brody was quick to receive the ball from her teammates and score the opening goal for the Gaels. The first half was a close fought battle, every time Laura Brody put up a goal Jenn Dumais was seen doing the same for the Blackrocks on the other side of the field. The same could be said for the midfielders, every time Blackrock Saraid McCarrick would put up a point over the bar, you could count on another Gael such as Julie Morrice or game MVP Ciara Hayes to do the same. Even if the scoreboard was showing a high scoring game, Blackrock MVP Shera Robinson was on a mission on the defensive line, stopping many scoring opportunities to keep the game very close. After 20 minutes of play, it was hard to choose a favorite as both teams were evenly matched.

Despite the evenly matched teams on and off the scoreboard. In the 2nd half the intercepted kickouts by Gaels midfielder Larissa Andrusyshyn was the difference maker as she was putting up a clinic either converting those interceptions herself or making that perfect pass to the forward line to seal the deal with a goal. Saraid McCarrick and Karlie Kennedy tried to pull the Blackrocks back into the game by each scoring a goal, but the damage was done, when the whistle blew Gaels were up by 11 and in sole possession of first place.
The Blackrocks still have an extra game to play which would allow them to tie for first place again against the Verdun Vikings who are still looking for their first win this summer.
Preview