Suzuki Ladies National Football League Division 2B: Kildare 3 - 13 Leitrim 1 - 11

Match Report: Suzuki Ladies National Football League Division 2B

Venue: Carrick-on-Shannon

Date :Sunday 16/03/2003, Time: 1:30: pm

Kildare 3 – 13 Leitrim 1 – 11

Score at Half Time: 0-7 to 0-6
Score at Full Time: 3-13 to 1-11

Kildare made a profitable trip to Carrick-on-Shannon on Sunday, inflicting the first League defeat on Leitrim and securing in the process second place in Section B of Division Two of the Suzuki National Football League. The contrary and mostly cross field breeze that Kildare thought was to their advantage for the first half proved a local ally in the first-half, after respective place kickers Tracy Noone and Ann-Marie Cox were in turn off target with their first efforts, Kildare strung an excellent move, from Aisling Lambe via Brianne Leahy, and Grainne Heduan to Tracy Noone win slotted the first point after three minutes and despite the game staying tight and tense for the next fifty minutes Kildare were never headed. Karen McGovern scored Leitrim’s first point in the seventh minute to level the game but within a minute Tracy Noone and Emer McCartney kicked Kildare points. Leitrim again leveled, first Ann-Marie Cox pointed a close in free and when Kildare goalkeeper, Margaret McCormack hesitated on the kick-out, Westmeath whistler, John Lennon awarded Leitrim a 30 metre free which Cox knocked over for the equaliser. Kildare struck back with 3 points in a row. First Tracy Noone punished a foul on Emma McCartney, then Brianne Leahy ran 60 metres to set-upon Tracy for another point and then Brianne, Kate Leahy and Tracy Noone created the opening for Grainne Heduan’s first point. Naomi Lee and Ann-Marie Cox each shot a Leitrim point, but two minutes from the break Tracy Noone and Deirdre Gately combined and Emma McCartney curled over a beauty. Leitrim danger-woman Ann-Marie Cox pointed another free to cut the margin to one, 0-7 to 0-6 in Kildare’s favour at the interval.
At half time Kildare introduced Naomi Treacy to midfield allowing Grainne Heduan move to centre forward and Antoinette Mooney came on at full forward. Within a minute of the restart Brianne Leahy floated the ball towards the Leitrim goalmouth, Antoinette broke it away from full-back Lorraine McDermott, gathered on the end line, cut past Amanda Sweeney and shot to the net. And a minute later she was fouled in front of goal, and Tracy Noone pointed the free. Nice substitution !! Siobhan Mollaghan and Ann-Marie Cox then pointed for Leitrim, Tracy Noone and Deirdre Gately from the narrowest of angles replied. Maeve Quinn joined the Leitrim attack and pointed three minutes later. The Kildare defence were now under pressure but Ann Hughes, Edel Delaney and Therese Martin were strong and assured but in the fifty-second minute Leitrim got lucky. Ann-Marie Cox drove a forty metre free goal ward seeking a colleague inside but the ball beat backs and forwards alike, and Margaret McCormack could only push it against the cross bar, the ball rebounding into the net and the keeper had to retire with damaged fingers. Kildare lead by only one point 1-10 to 1-9. Ellen Ryan took over in goal and her long kick out sent Simone Gilabert racing in on the Leitrim goal from left-half forward but the shot was wide. Sharon Conway then made her entrance at full-forward as Antoinette Mooney switched to midfield and when Antoinette fed the ball in Sharon gathered, turned and shot over. Brianne Leahy returned the kick-out, Grainne Heduan passed and Sharon goaled. Ms Conway was not finished yet. Only a minute later she dribbled past two defenders and side-footed to Simone Gilabert who side-stepped the advancing Patricia Bohan and slip the ball to the net. Nice substitution again ! Grainne Heduan shot the last two Kildare points while in between Ann-Marie Cox pointed two Leitrim frees but Kildare were well in control and deserving eight point winners.
Patricia Bohan in the Leitrim goal had no chance with the Kildare goals and played soundly, Lorraine McDermott, Rachel O’Connor, Amanda Sweeney and Sinead Brennan were the home sides best defenders, Sara McLoughlin fought hard at midfield and got good support in the second half from Emer McGlade. In attack Karen McGovern and Naomi Lee quickly faded after bright starts, Siobhan Mollaghan battled bravely at full-forward before reverting to defence after the damage was done. Maeve Quinn won possession out the field late on without posing a danger to goal while Ann-Marie Cox was always dangerous and accurate.
For Kildare Margaret McCormack had a fine game in goals and was unlucky to damage her hand when conceding the Leitrim goal and Ellen Ryan used long booming kick-outs to good effect in the later stages. Edel Delaney excelled in the full-back line with Ann Hughes and Therese Martin rising to the challenge in the second-half. Aisling Lambe and Julia Cunningham blotted out the wing-forwards after a few early scares while Kate Leahy was always effective in the middle of the half-back line.
Brianne Leahy was, as usual, outstanding at midfield with support in turn from Grainne Heduan in the first half, Naomi Treacy marking her return with a good spell early in the second-half and experienced campaigner Antoinette Mooney steadied the game late on after a fruitful stint at full-forward. In attack Tracy Noone and Emma McCartney worked the wings to good effect, while in the corners Deirdre Gately and Simone Gilabert kept the moves flowing but Maria Moolick caught a tartan in Sinead Brennan as did Yvonne Murphy with Lorraine McDermott. Sharon Conway made a very useful contribution in the last ten minutes taking her scores with customary aplomb.

Scorers: Kildare
Tracy Noone 0-6 (0-3frs)
Sharon Conway 1-4,
Grainne Heduan 0-3,
Antoinette Mooney 1-0,
Emma McCartney 0-2,
Deirdre Gately 0-1.

Scorers: Leitrim
Ann-Marie Cox 1-7 (1-5 frs),
Karen McGovern 0-1,
Naomi Lee 0-1,
Siobhan Mollaghan 0-1,
Maeve Quinn 0-1,

Teams

Kildare

1 Margaret McCormack
2 Edel Delaney
3 Ann Hughes
4 Therese Martin
5 Aisling Lambe
6 Kate Leahy
7 Julie Cunningham
8 Brianne Leahy
9 Grainne Heduan 0-3
10 Tracy Noone 0-6 (0-3frs)
11 Maria Moolick
12 Emma McCartney 0-2
13 Simone Gilabert 1-0
14 Yvonne Murphy
15 Deirdre Gately 0-1

Subs Played

Antoinette Mooney 1-0 for M Moolick(HT )
Naomi Treacy for Yvonne Murphy(HT)
Sharon Conway 1-1 for N Treacy(54 mins)
Aileen Taaffe for E McCartney(57 mins)

Leitrim

1 Patricia Bohan
2 Rachel O’Connor
3 Lorraine McDermott
4 Amanda Sweeney
5 Charlene Tyrell
6 Sinead Brennan
7 Kate Curneen
8 Sara McLoughlin
9 Patricia Beirne
10 Karen McGovern 0-1
11 Ann-Marie Cox 1-7 (1-5frs)
12 Naomi Lee 0-1
13 Lorraine Brennan
14 Siobhan Mollaghan 0-1
15 Lorna McDermott

Subs Used

Emer McGlade for K Curneen(23 mins)
Maeve Quinn 0-1 x20 for P Beirne 39x(43 mins)
Ailish Quinn for R O’Connor(blood sub)(55 mins)
Rachel O’Connor for S Mollaghan(59 mins)

Referee: John Lennon (Westmeath)
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