ON Sunday morning, Newcastle Netball took to the court with a determined focus against Holywood Netball, eager to turn around their fortunes after last week’s defeat.
With only minimal changes to the lineup throughout the match, Newcastle was able to establish a seamless flow, ensuring connections between players remained strong and consistent from start to finish.
For the first two quarters, Newcastle took to the court with a starting lineup that included Therese as Goal Keeper (GK), Deidre as Goal Defence (GD), Aine at Wing Defence (WD), Kitty at Centre (C), Christine as Wing Attack (WA), Nicola as Goal Attack (GA), and Louise as Goal Shooter (GS).
This setup allowed Newcastle to start off with a structure they were familiar with, setting the foundation for a controlled game.
Quarter one
Newcastle set the tone of the game right from the first whistle, capitalising on having won the first centre pass and moving swiftly to score the first six goals.
It was clear that Newcastle’s players had come prepared, with their confidence and skill immediately on display.
Timing and decision-making were superb, with players effectively signalling where they wanted the ball, creating clear passing options, and alternating between short and long passes to outwit the Holywood defence.
Nicola’s shooting accuracy was remarkable, putting points on the board early and giving Newcastle a strong start.
Meanwhile, Louise used her positional awareness to great effect, creating valuable space in the shooting circle, which allowed Nicola to drive into optimal shooting positions.
Kitty at Centre was consistently available, distributing the ball with precision, and acting as the linchpin to Newcastle’s flow up the court.
At the defensive end, Aine showcased her prowess with a series of crucial ball deflections, unsettling the Holywood attack and interrupting their attempts to build momentum.
Behind her, Deidre and Therese delivered a defensive masterclass, blocking Holywood’s shooters and denying them quality chances to score.
Their defensive pressure forced turnovers and limited Holywood to only three goals in the quarter. At the close of quarter one, Newcastle led comfortably at 7-3.
Read the full report in the current issue of the Mourne Observer.
