Kildare Ladies Football Fixtures

On Sunday the expected cake walk for Dublin Champions Na Fianna, with their lineout of inter county stars failed to materialise in Confey. The home team with the lift of a first minute Aishling Jennings goal and great performances from Aishling, Aine Gately and Rachel Divilly set about the Dubs from the start and never took a backward step. Of course the real difference was made by Deirdre Gately. Deirdre has played many outstanding games for Kildare and Confey but this had to be her best ever.

In Blanchardstown Balyna fell foul of the quick start by the local St Brigid’s but when they did get motoring in the second half they outscored the home team but they had left themselves that bit too much to do. They will be disappointed with their day’s work but they are likely to put their frustration on other teams next year.

Next week-end the 2 victorious teams are again in action in the Leinster Semi Finals. Confey face Meath Champions Seneschalstown.
The Meath side are a strong outfit are an exceptionally strong one with the Sheridan sisters and cousins, Grainne Nulty and Louise McKeever are among their regular Meath continent and all of the team have represented the County at Senior or Minor level. So Confey will have their hands full and will want Therese Martin, Niamh Quinn, Ciara Hogan and Siobhan Glennon to clamp down tightly while the forward line can get a winning tally in any company with a decent supply.

Castlemitchell also face Meath opposition. Oldcastle pulled off a major surprise when defeating Rhode in the Quarter Final, a game Rhode were expected to win handily enough. Oldcastle have not been represented on Meath Senior teams in recent years but they have been one of the County’s top Juvenile Clubs winning a fair few under Age titles recently. The Club was only formed in 2004 and they swept the Under 12 & Under 14 titles ain their first year. They were well represented on the All Ireland winning Meath Under 16 team this year by Kellie Allen, Stephanie Caffrey, Sinead Coyle, Bridgetta Lynch, Eimear McEnroe & Aine Bennett. Kildare have good reason to know Aine Bennett who was outstanding when leading Meath from midfield when they beat a promising Kildare side this year and she was again to the fore when they beat Dublin in JTB in the Leinster Final. So the ‘Mitchell’s will have their hands full but having won at their first attempt they can do so again.

On the local scene St Laurences face Clane in the Junior B Final in Naas on Sunday. These are both promising young teams and County Colleagues, Louise and Paula Keatley will face off with Clane’s Kiri Lowry and Aisling O’Donovan. The County players are well supported on both teams by plenty of talented youngsters but this time St Laurence’s are favourites.

The Junior D Final is the pipe-opener in Naas with Moorefield another County Final appearance. The lost the Final to Rathangan in 2009 but have won at both Under 16 and Minor and have plenty og good young players. Their opponents are not known as we go to press. A 3-way tie between Athy, Rheban and Sarsfields in the Group has only been half sorted. Rheban who lost their last Group game to Athy when a win would have put them into the Final avenged that defeat on a score of 3 0 9 to 2 – 7 on Sunday and now face the Sarsfields Juniors to decide who take on the Moors. Sarsfields rely mostly on Under 16 players with a few Minors and one or two experienced heads, notably Ann Nolan who might have to hand over her corner back slot to Roisin Dempsey. Now that mother and daughter tug of love could be real interesting. Rheban are well staffed by the Owens family, nothing new in that on Rheban teams. The also have a match for any in Noreen O’Donovan Sharon McMeel, Sinead Commons and Alison Shaw and their win in the Division 4 League Final last term really brought them to notice in their second year..
Moorefield won’t mind their opponents having to play on Wednesday and can have a good look. With Sarah Bell, Amber Masterson, Dearbháil Kelly, Leanne Whitely and team Captain Jayne Glavin leading their efforts the Moors will be ready for whoever they face especially if it’s Sarsfields
The last round of Group games in Junior C is also listed for Sunday and the Final is on Sunday 18th but it might just be played a day early to avoid a clash with the GAA’s County Finals. Kilcullen and Rathangan are the front-runners at the moment but the Sunday’s games could change that !!