Bord Gáis Energy Ladies National Football League Leinster round up

Cork 2-12 0-4 Kildare (Division 1B, Ref: Keith Delahunty (Tipperary) ).
Travelling south to the lioness’s den was always going to be a tough assignment for the Lilywhites, and unfortunately that’s how it panned out, and in fairness to the Kildare side they will not be the only team to be cast aside by the Rebelettes this se
ason.

Monaghan 1-7 4-7 Dublin (Division 1B, Ref: Eugene O Hare (Down) )
Dublin, under manager Gerry McGill have threw down the gauntlet to all comer with a convincing win over All-Ireland finalists Monaghan on Sunday last, On target for the girls from the capital were Niamh Hurley, Hurley notched up 2-2 with Sinéad Ahern and Lindsey Davey tagging on goal apiece. The visitors had a commanding lead going in at the break (1-5 to 0-2), and while the home lifted their game in the second period, with Edel Byrne adding a goal from the spot for the Farneys, in spite of this the Dublin side had too much in reserve through out the second period.

Wexford 3-6 3-9 Waterford (Division 2A, Ref: Garry Owen McMahon (Dublin))
Wexford went head to head with near neighbours Waterford in Gusserane and were unlucky not to collect the points on the day. Wexford fielded a young side that showed no fear and ran the experienced Deise side to just three points at the final whistle . Natasha Martin was the model counties top scorer with 2-3 while Clare Finn, Fiona Rochford and Lisa Goff added points, Goff also raised the green flag with a clever goal tipped over Aimee Jordan in the Waterford goals. On target for the visitors were Louise Ryan (1-0), Mairead Wall (0-1), Elaine Power (1-0), Linda Wall (0-3), Mary Foley, Michelle Ryan capt (1-4), and Grainne Kelly (0-1).

Kilkenny 6-3 0-8 Derry (Division 3B, Ref: Tommy McSorley (Tyrone) )
Kilkenny kicked off their Bord Gais Energy NFL campaign with a convincing win over Derry, After a four and half hour journey the cats took time to settle into their game finding themselves four points down after fifteen minutes and in danger of letting the game drift away. Kilkenny’s Marie Ryan hit the Derry net in the seventeen minutes to put the cats into goal scoring mode. Minutes later Marie Dargan lobbed a free into the danger area and the shot deceived all, nestling in the corner of the Derry net. Kilkenny had their tails up now and the full back line of Sara McCarthy, Andrea Murphy and Niamh Whelan stood firm to cut short any Derry attacks. Railyard’s Grainne Daly sneaked in for goal number three and Marie Dargan pointed a free before the break to give Kilkenny a six point lead at the break 3-1 to 0-4. Derry started strong in the second half and Julie McLaughlin pointed a free to reduce the margin to five points. With Lucinda Gahon and April Purcell in commanding form at midfield Kilkenny upped the tempo again on forty minutes when Miriam O Keeffe banged in goal number four to put Kilkenny 4-1 to 0-5 ahead. Derry bounced back with two Shauna McCallion points but could not haul Kilkenny in when Grainne Daly grabbed her second goal after some good build up play by Catriona Grace at wing back. At 5-1 to 0-7 the cats were well in command and Marie Ryan put the game beyond Derry’s reach when she scored her second goal to make it 6-1 to 0-7. Marie Dargan capped a fine display for the cats with a point five minutes from time to ensure the journey home would seem a little shorter.
Kilkenny team; Aine Sheehy(Thomastown), Andrea Murphy (Railyard), Sarah McCarthy (Carrickshock), Niamh Whelan (Thomastown), Catriona Grace, capt (Railyard), Angela Kenneally (Mullinavat), Martina Maher (Muckalee), Lucinda Gahon (Mullinavat), April Purcell (Railyard), Lydia Phelan (Carrickshock), Marie Ryan (2-0) (Tullogher), Helen Murphy (Mullinavat), Marie Dargan(1-2) (Railyard), Miriam O Keeffe(1-0) (Railyard), Grainne Daly (2-0) (Railyard), subs; Orla McCormick(0-1) (James Stephens) for H. Murphy, Laurena Murphy (Railyard) for L.Phelan, Michelle Dowd (Railyard) for M.Ryan, Sarah Butler(Carrickshock) for A. Murphy,.. Emer Roantree (Callan), Niamh Spratt (Railyard), Breena Fennelly (Thomastown), Lisa Carey(Thomastown), Elaine Mullally (Tullogher), Jamie O Sullivan (Freshford), Claire Kelly (Mullinavat), Siobhan Magner (James Stephens), Linda Cotterell (Tullogher). Mangement; Paul Whelan, Richy Windle, PJ Whelan.
Antrim 4-6 3-6 Wicklow (Division 3B, Ref: Gavin Corrigan (Down) )
Wicklows long trek north proved to be disappointing one, after they were beaten by a single score on Sunday last, and by all accounts the Antrim score line could have been greater but for a number of top drawer saves from the garden counties number one Emer Miley, Miley has once again proved that she is probably one of the best keepers in the country. Wicklow lead by five points at the break (3-4 to 2-2) with Chrissie Shortt tagging on 1-2, Niamh Carroll and Laurie Ahern adding a brace of goals, Caoilfhionn Deeney and Geraldine Norton were also on the score sheet with a point apiece, however they could only manage to tag on two points courtesy of Deeney and Shortt in the second half , while the saffron sides Mairead Cooper killed off Wicklows hopes of a win with two goals in the second half, to give her side a three point advantage at full time.
Wicklow team: Emer Miley, Mary Whelan, Caitriona McKeown, Helen Hurley, Niamh Kelly, Caitriona Kelly, Caitriona Byrne, Rebecca Fuisciardi, Kathryn Kavanagh, Julie Fitzmaurice, Caoilfhionn Deeney, Niamh Carroll, Mikaela Shelly, Laurie Ahern, Geraldine Norton, Christine Shortt.

Westmeath v Tipperary (Division 2A, Ref: Michael John O Keefee (Cork) ) game not played.
Longford v Down (Division 2B, Ref: Viv Hardiman (Roscommon) ). Game not played.
Limerick 3-3 3-9 Louth (Division 3A, Ref: Richard O Connor (Tipperary) ).
Roscommon 2-14 0-2 Offaly (Division 3A, Ref: Mel Kenny (Mayo) )