Laois Goals Too Much for Cavan

 

TG4 All-Ireland Ladies SFC Round 2 Qualifier

Laois 3-10 Cavan 0-10

 

MARTINA Dunne scored four important points from play, as Laois got their campaign on track, with a nine-point victory over Cavan in the TG4 Ladies Senior Football Championship Round 2 qualifier on Saturday afternoon at St. Peregrines.

 

Reigning All-Ireland Intermediate Champions Cavan handed the O’Moore’s a tough game in the opening half, but once Laura Marie Maher claimed Laois’s third goal in the 34th minute, it provided the platform for victory.

 

A brace of first quarter goals laid an early foundation for Laois, with Martha Kirwan and Meaghan Dunne on target in the fifth and 16th minutes respectively, but Cavan never gave up.

 

Finian Farrelly and Gerry Sheridan’s charges cut the gap to two points by injury-time, with three unanswered points, with Geraldine Sheridan, Claragh O’Reilly and Ciara Farrell on target between the 22nd and 31st minute.

 

However, Meaghan Dunne brought her tally to 1-2 by the break, with the final score of the half, following a well-worked move in front of the Cavan goalmouth.

 

Laois led by 2-3 to 0-6 at the interval, and kicked on in the second half with Cavan rueing six wides by the full-time whistle.

 

Cavan introduced Aishling Sheridan in placed of Beth Farrelly Magee at half-time, and they began the second half in determined mood, with Farrell firing her third point.

 

But Laois hit their third goal, after a powerful shot from Anne Marie Maher in the 35th minute, and never looked back.

 

O’Reilly and team captain Roisin O’Keefe endeavoured to keep Cavan in touch, but with Martina Dunne claiming some outstanding points from play, and Tracey Lawlor and Eimear McWey on target, Laois held out for victory.

 

The O’Moore’s had defender Grainne Dunne sin-binned in the closing eight minutes, but stood firm, with substitute Anna Moore claiming their final score late on to insure a nine-point win.

 

Scorers for Laois: Meaghan Dunne 1-2; Martina Dunne 0-4; M Kirwan, LM Maher 1-0 each; R Williams, E McWey, T Lawlor (1f), A Moore 0-1 each.

 

Scorers for Cavan: C O’Reilly (4f) 0-4; C Farrell 0-3; G Sheridan 0-2; R O’Keefe 0-1.

 

LAOIS: C Dollard; C Dunne, G Dunne, M Nerney; M Murphy, F Dooley, M Kirwan; J Dunne, T Lawlor; A Kehoe, Martina Dunne, E McWey; R Williams, LM Maher, Meaghan Dunne. Subs: A Moore for Kehoe (15); L Nerney for J Dunne (56).

 

CAVAN: C Fay; E McDermott, G McGlade, J Moore; S Reilly, A Cornyn, L Fitzpatrick; R Crowe, M Sheridan; C O’Reilly, R O’Keeffe, S King; B Farrelly-Magee, G Sheridan, C Farrell. Subs: E Walsh for Fay (25); A Sheridan for Farrelly-Magee (HT); E Mulligan for King (57).

 

REFEREE: M Doherty (Wexford)

 

By Cóilín Duffy at St Peregrines GAA Club, Dublin