Kilkennys Kittens defeat Wicklow

TG4 Junior Leinster Championship 2005 WICKLOW 1-07 KILKENNY 2-05

The Wicklow ladies were on the road early on Sunday morning last,
when they travelled to Bagnelstown Co. Carlow for an eleven thirthy
throw in against Kilkenny. The Wicklow girls had a five point
victory over Kilkenny when they last met in the league campaign,
however it was the cats that got the cream this time round. A
half time score of only three points to two in Kilkenny’s favour,
did not reflect the level of play in the first thirty minutes,
the garden county failed to convert seven possible scorable chances
during the first half, Jessica Carroll slotting over twice for
the visitors only scores in the eight and twenty seventh minute
of the half. Wicklow’s Elaine Murphy got on to the end of an excellent
cross in the sixteenth minute from Mikaela Shelley and had the
ball in the back of the Kilkenny net , however the score was not
allowed to stand as the referee deemed that Murphy had encroached
in to the square.

While Kilkenny were the more industrious of the two sides during
the first half, they were unable convert their dominance in to
scores, their number fifteen Jenna Phelan was their top scorer
in the league game, but Phelan could only manage one point for
the whole game mainly due to the hard work of defenders Naomi
Ryder and Janet Miley, the Wicklow duo shadowing Phelan through
out the game,.however it was the Cats that were in front by a
single point at the end of a low scoring half. Kilkenny’s Noelle
Curran open the scoring with a point from a free in the second
minute of the restart, Wicklow’s Sinead Boland responded with
two well worked points, the Bray Emmets girl twisting and turning
the Kilkenny rear guard to work herself in to two scoring positions,
two minute later Wicklow keeper Emer Miley pulled off two brillant
saves in quick succession, from Noelle Curran,and Alice Farrell,
but Miley was unable to get a touch on Aoife O’Keefes fiercely
struck shot as it made its way to the back of the net.

A minute in to the final quarter O’Keefe struck again for the
Cats, ripping through the Wicklow defence to give Emer Miley the
task of picking the ball out of her net for the second time in
the half. The garden county were six points in arrears with six
minutes left on the clock, and as in the previous game against
Carlow the Wicklow girls made one final push for glory, a point
apiece from Deirdre O’Riordan and Mikaela Shelley followed by
a goal from former all star Nicky Dunne, the Kilkenny lead was
pared back to just two points, the Garden counties final foray
forward was rewarded with a point from Debbie Green, unfortunatly
the sands of time ran out for the Wicklow ladies and the Cats
were the victors on the day. Wicklow’s fourth round match maybe
against Wexford on Sunday next, the model county are the favourites
to lift the title and are unbeaten in the championship to date,
Wicklow who have been below par during the leinster championship
this season, are due a win and are capable of giving Wexford a
good game on the day, if the game goes ahead.

WICKLOW TEAM: Emer Miley(Blessington). Orla Donoghoe(Kilbride).
Aoife Heffernan(Bray Emmets).Nicky Donoghoe(Kilbride).Eithne Byrne
Capt.(Kilcoole). Naomi Ryder (Arklow Gers/Ballymoney). Janet Miley
(Valleymount) Jessica Carroll(Blessington0-2).Edel Kennedy(Carnew
).Aidhin Byrne(Blessington). Deirdre O Riordan(Kilbride0-1).Sinead
Boland(Bray Emmets 0-2)Mikaela Shelly(Bray Emmets 0-2).Elaine
Murphy(Blessington ).Monica Lynch(Newtown).
Subs Helen Hurley.(Arklow Gers/Ballymoney). Aoife Doran(Carnew)
Janet Nolan (Newtown).Debbie Green (Valleymount 0-1).Nicky Dunne
(St Pats 1-0).
KILKENNY TEAM: Andrea McEvoy. Andrea Murphy. Michelle Dowd.
Joe Roche. Aisling Murphy. April Murphy. Martina Maher. Breda
Roache. Mary Love. Noreen O’Keefe 2-0. Edwina Keane 0-1. Miriam
O’Keefe. Alice Farrell 0-1. Noelle Curran 0-2. Jenna Phelan 0-1.

Michael Forde wicklowladiesfootball@eircom.net