Dublin Prove Too Strong for The Lilywhites

Dublin 4-15

Kildare 0-5

By Jackie Cahill at Pearse Park, Longford

TG4 All-Ireland Ladies senior football champions Dublin walloped hapless Kildare by 22 points in a one-sided round 1 qualifier at Pearse Park, Longford, this evening.

The Jackies bounced back from their shock Leinster semi-final defeat at the hands of Meath with an ominous display, as the Lilywhites were totally overwhelmed.

Dublin, with some key personnel back in harness, including Mary Nevin and Siobhan McGrath, were in superb form and had this tie wrapped up by half-time.

At the midway point, the Sky Blues had established a 3-7 to 0-1 lead, with player of the match Noelle Healy, Sinead Aherne and Lindsay Peat scoring the first half goals.

Healy and Peat finished as joint top scorers with 1-3 apiece, Aherne grabbed 1-2, while the strength in depth of Dublin’s bench was illustrated as Lyndsey Davey came off the bench and nabbed 1-1.

Amy McGuinness also made a welcome return from injury with a substitute’s appearance and Tommy Brown’s side will prove difficult to stop as the season progresses, having moved to within touching distance of the quarter-finals.

It’s hard to imagine that Kildare lost their Leinster semi-final to eventual provincial winners Laois by just a single point but their starting line-up showed five changes to the team named in the match programme.

Goalkeeper Denise Kane, Ciara Hogan, Niamh Quinn, Catherine O’Malley and Mary Hulgraine were handed starts in place of Eimear Kelly, Denise Tierney, Joanna Timmins, Noelle Earley and Stacey Cannon.

Dublin went with the starting 15 posted before throw-in and right from the start, they looked in the mood to erase any lingering memories of that Meath defeat.

After three early points, Healy’s ninth minute goal set the Metropolitans on their way to a comprehensive win while Amy Ring also hit the Kildare crossbar with a 15th minute effort.

Dublin’s second goal came courtesy of a penalty, stroked home by 2010 All-Ireland final player of the match Ahern, awarded for a foul on the hard-working Peat.

The second half brought little respite for outclassed Kildare, who were outscored by 1-8 to 0-3 after the restart.

Brendan Martin Cup holders Dublin tacked on scores with ease as Kildare added five wides to the eight registered in the opening half.

And Davey put the icing on the cake in the 62nd minute of playing time with Dublin’s fourth goal.

Scorers for Dublin: N Healy & L Peat 1-3 each, S Aherne 1-2 (1-0 pen), L Davey 1-1, A Ring 0-3, S Goldrick, G Fay & E Kelly 0-1 each.

Scorers for Kildare: A Gately 0-3 (2f), T Noone (f) & M Moolick 0-1 each.

DUBLIN: C O’Connor; S Goldrick, J O’Sullivan, G O’Malley; G Fay, S Furlong, S McGrath; D Masterson, N McEvoy; M Nevin, E Kelly, L Peat; N Healy, S Aherne, A Ring.

Subs: A McKenna for McGrath (half-time), L Davey for Aherne (40), A Connolly for Nevin (46), S Finnegan for McEvoy (49), A McGuinness for Ring (56).

KILDARE: D Kane, P Delahunt, A Savage, C Hogan; N Quinn, K Leahy, D Berry; B Leahy, A Holton; T Noone, M Moolick, D Gately; C O’Malley, M Hulgraine, A Gately.

Subs: J Timmins for Savage (24), S Cannon for D Gately (half-time), C Dowling for Hulgraine (44), M Murphy for Hogan (48), G Clifford for Noone (50).

Referee: E O’Hare (Down).