Irish women on song in AFLW as Tighe's Dockers shoot down GWS Giants

Cora Staunton, Aisling McCarthy, Rachel Kearns and Aishling Sheridan were among the goals

Sun, 16 Jan, 2022 - 13:43

Patrick Mulcahy

Fremantle Dockers rocket back to the top of the AFLW Ladder after a 32-point win over the GWS Giants at Whitten Oval. Mayo legend Cora Staunton got the Giants up and running early with two goals in the opening quarter and they led by three points after the first quarter.

But a dominant second quarter from the Dockers scoring 4.4 (28 points) to the Giants no score gave the Perth-based side a 25-point lead at half-time, and never looked back from there through to the final siren.

Leitrim woman Aine Tighe was brilliant for the Dockers especially in the second half and was unlucky not to get a goal of her own in the third quarter, while former Cork star Bríd Stack was not afraid to lay tackles and show some physicality around the oval and did help set up Staunton’s second goal.

The Gold Coast Suns landed the biggest shock of the competition so far coming from 16 points down against the West Coast Eagles with eight minutes left in the game to score the last five goals to win by 13 points. It was the first win for the Suns in 672 days since Round 6, 2020 ending an 11-game losing streak.

Tipperary woman Aisling McCarthy scored a goal early in the second quarter. There was some concern for Grace Kelly, who was caught up in a dangerous sling tackle by Ellie Hampson of the Suns. Hampson was reported by the Umpire and could be facing a disciplinary hearing from the AFL Tribunal later in the week.

Kelly's sister Niamh may also be handed a reprimand for a high tackle early in the game.

Fellow Mayo star Rachel Kearns scored her first goal in AFLW in her debut season as her Geelong side came up short against the Carlton Blues on Saturday, losing 31 points to 17. Kearns won a free in midfield, but it was brought forward 50 metres for an illegal infraction by a Blues defender, which made the kick much easier for the former two-time All Ireland Boxing Champion.

“OVER THE BAR”

Have a listen as @Raachkearns chats with @catswomens Media about her FIRST GOAL & those TACKLES 💚#AWholeNewBallGame

pic.twitter.com/7ZnOcfUGyw
— AFLW Ireland (@aflw_ireland) January 16, 2022

Aishling Sheridan kicked two more goals to add to her AFLW tally, bringing it to 11 goals in 19 career games as her Collingwood side defeated St. Kilda 41 points to 14 at Ikon Park. Sheridan’s teammate Sarah Rowe had another impressive game for the Pies with 18 disposals.

Melbourne Demons fended off the late challenge of Richmond Tigers with a 8.6 (54) to 6.2 (38) victory on Friday at the Swinburne Centre. Dublin All Ireland winners Lauren Magee and Sinead Goldrick were both prominent for the winners in the half-back line.

Ashleigh Woodland kicked four goals for her Adelaide Crows side to help them to a 13 point victory over North Melbourne at Whitten Oval on Sunday. She extends her season’s tally out to eight goals. Mayo woman Aileen Gilroy played left half back for the Kangaroos while Clare woman Ailish Considine was left out of the Crows 23-woman matchday panel for a second week in a row.

Due to Covid-19 protocols, two games were changed late on Thursday and forced Brisbane Lions and the Western Bulldogs sit out the weekend due to shortage of players to fill matchday squads. That game will be re-fixed for later in the season, due to be announced by the AFL commission this week.

Round 2 results; Richmond 6.2 (38) lost to Melbourne 8.6 (54); Collingwood 6.5 (41) bt St. Kilda 2.2 (14); Geelong 2.5 (17) lost to Carlton 4.7 (31); West Coast Eagles 5.3 (33) lost to Gold Coast Suns 7.4 (66); Adelaide Crows 5.7 (37) bt North Melbourne 3.6 (24); Fremantle 7.10 (52) bt GWS Giants 2.8 (20); Brisbane Lions P-P Western Bulldogs.

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