Begley Seals Last Minute Win

Contrasting fortunes for both teams after round one last weekend. Kildare came up short losing out away to Laois by two points while Tyrone had a four point win over Sligo on home soil. Tyrone coming down from Div 1 was was going to be a tough task for a new look Kildare side. Kildare wanting to make amends for last weekends defeat and playing at home in front of a good array of support were ready for battle, what a battle it turned out to be. 

Tyrone were first out of the starting blocks at blistering pace scoring their first point of the game after 40 seconds. Kildare had many opportunities to equalise but unfortunately kicked wide under pressure from a strong Tyrone back line.  It was in the fifth minute when Kildare got their first score of the game from Molly Price drawing level with Tyrone.  Kildare then started to pull ahead with a point from Orlaith Kirwan followed by Ellen Dowling’s pointed free. Tyrone had a goal scoring chance but it was thwarted by the superb goalkeeping of Aoife Molyneaux.  Tyrone fought back and put themselves back into the lead with three unanswered points, two from Niamh Hughes and one from Emma Jane Gervin. . A foul on Molly Price resulted with Ellen Dowling  converting  to draw the game level for the third time .  Tyrone managed to work their way around Kildare’s defenders and Gemma Begley made no mistake  finding the back of the net putting the visitors back in front by two points.  Kildare responded instantly as Molly Price went head to head with Tyrone’s goalkeeper Shannon Lynch but hit the ball too high to see her shot over the bar for a point. Tyrone went into half time leading by a point 1-4 to 0-6.

It took Kildare three minutes of the second half starting to regain the lead, with great team work the ball fell into Eadaoin Connolly’s path to see her shot into the back of Tyrone’s net. Tyrone were quick to respond, Begley was on hand to score a fortuitous goal from distance when Molyneaux misjudged the flight of the ball thinking it was dropping wide to see it sneak in by her far upright.     Tyrone started to pull away and with two more points from Grainne Rafferty the visitors now lead by Three points. Dowling reduced the margin to two from a free.  Then In the 44th minute Tyrone were awarded a penalty after Gemma Begley was judged to have been taken down by Erica Burke which earned the Kildare captain a yellow card. Erica was a great loss to the Kildare side while she was in the sin bin as she had been dominant in the back line.  Begley took full advantage of the penalty and fired it into the net. 

It seemed like the Lilly Whites were dead and buried as they now trailed  by five points and it could easily have been eight as Tyrone on another attack hit the top corner of the crossbar narrowly missing with the ball coming back into play and Kildare clearing the danger. Both sides traded points two a piece. Kildare kept their heads  and battled back into the game a point from Price followed by a goal, Trina Duggan had the green flag raised once more converting a well struck penalty to leave a point between the sides. Aisling Holton levelled the game with a fine solo effort and the home side  worked their way back into the lead with  a point from substitute Tara Hallinan. The game was in injury time now with Kildare desperately trying to keep the Tyrone advance at bay. A high ball into the square was contested and in the ensuing scramble for possession it seemed that Kildare had claimed the ball with a Tyrone player diving on top of the Kildare player in possession  the referee signalled a free to Tyrone  and with ten Kildare players taking up position on the line to face the free, were incensed to see  her decision change  and awarded another penalty.  Gemma Begley stepped up to the mark once more slotting the ball home leaving no time for Kildare to recover the final whistle went , Tyrone coming away with a two point win. 

Final score Kildare 2.12 Tyrone 4.08

 

Speaking after the game Kildare’s interim manager Morgan O’Callaghan said “it was disappointing in the end,  we battled hard to get back into the game, got in front and then conceded the late penalty, I suppose it was very disappointing. Our girls gave a good effort but unfortunately two weeks in a row now we lost by two points in what were good games, but when you’re at the wrong side of the results it’s disappointing. 

We have two weeks until our next game v Cavan. The next couple of weeks are probably going to be busy with college football as well so it’s trying to combine that, keep the girls fresh as well as get some work done with ourselves. “ 

 

Kildare Team

Aoife Molyneaux, Trina Duggan 1.00 (Penalty), Erica Burke Captain, Rachel Cribbin, Shauna Kendrick, Rachel Corrigan, Aisling Curley, Rachel Reidy, Aisling Holton 0.03, Orlaith Kirwan 0.01, Molly Price 0.03 (1f), Eadaoin Connolly 1.00, Ellen Dowling 0.04 (2f) Roisin Byrne, Mikaela McKenna.

 

Subs.

Aoife Wosser. Tara Hallinan 0.01, Aine Mulligan, Aoife Mulligan, Joanne Mulligan, Rose Mernagh, Shannon Dohney, Michelle Curley, Grace Clifford, Chloe Foy, Louise Scully. 

 

Subs used. 

Joanne Mulligan for Mikaela McKenna, Tara Hallinan for Shauna Kendrick, Shannon Doheny for Eadaoin Connolly, Grace Clifford for Orla Kirwan.

 

Tyrone Team.

Shannon Lynch, Niamh McGirr, Joanne Barrett, Emma Brennan, Neamh Woods, Emma Mulgrew, Christine Hunter, Meabh Mallon, Emma Jane Gervin 0.01, Siobhan Sheerin 0.01, Niamh Hughes 0.02, Emma Smyth, Niamh O Neill, Gemma Begley 4.01, Rebecca McCrory.

Subs

Laura Kane, Cailona Conway, Michaela McGuigan, Aisling Hegarty, Grainne Rafferty 0.03 (1f) Michelle McGuigan, Laura McSorley, Emma Hegarty, Lycrecia, Marie Treanor, Sasha Byrne, Emma Connelly, Aoife McGahan, Nicola Donnelly, Mairead Conwell. 

By Aoife Mangan GaaDaily