Leinster Junior Championship Semi-Final

Wexford were quickest out of the traps, notching up a goal and four points with out reply from the home side. But Wicklow’s Sinead Boland put down a marker in the third minute when her fiercely struck shot hit the side netting.
Neither side were giving an inch in this fiercely competitive game, Wexford were awarded two penalty’s in this encounter, the first came in the seventh minute when Wicklow’s corner back Aoife Heffernan fouled Leona Tector, Wexfords Tara Maloney dispatched her shot low to the keepers right but unfortunately for Wexford the ball skimmed past the outside of the
upright and wide, two minutes later referee GarryOwen McMahon gave Maloney a second attempt, when he deemed that Wicklow’s number six Sarah Miley had fouled Maloney in the square, and although Emer Miley dived in the right direction, the Wexford number eleven found the back of the Wicklow net, firing her shot to the left of Miley to raise the green flag.
Wexford continued to press with excellent play from Deirdre Fox, Leona Tector, Tara Maloney and Fiona Rochford, all four forwards tagging on a point apiece to put the visitors seven points clear at the end of the first quarter.

Although Wicklow were battling hard in all areas of the well groomed pitch to find the opening score they had to wait until the final ten minutes before the pulse rate of their supporters would settle, Jackie kinch got on the end of a 45m free, but the Tinahely club player was unlucky when her shot skipped across the Wexford goal, two minutes later Wicklow’s experienced
Monica Lynch made no mistake in hitting the target to register Wicklow’s first goal of the game, and before Wexford had time to settle, Wicklow set up a second attack on Maryrose kelly’s goal, with Ann Marie Doran rattling the back of Kelly’s net to reel Wexfords lead back to the narrowest of margins on the stroke of half time (2-0 to 1-4).In fact Wicklow could have gone ahead, if Michelle Doyle had not got a brave block on Sinead Boland’s goal bound shot.

Two minutes in to the second period Wicklow dealt Wexford a third body blow when their number thirteen Sinead Boland rattled the back of Maryrose kelly’s net, to register their third goal of the game to open a two point lead (3-0 to 1-4). Leona Tector tagged on a point to leave the minimum between the sides after thirty six minutes of play.
Things took a turn for the worse for the Model County when their number six was shown a yellow card and sent to the sinbin for a ten minute spell. Wicklow were not slow to react to Wexford’s predicament , the Garden county adding five points, during that period, to go six points clear .

Despite being reduced to fourteen players the Wexford players battled hard to repair the damage, Deirdre McMahon tagged on an excellent point minutes after she was called off the bench to replace Roisin Murphy, however at this stage the Wicklow’s hard working backs were hunting in packs, cutting out any threat on Mileys goal, leaving the Wexford forwards with only
one option for scores.

With ten minute remaining Tara Maloney reduced Wicklow’s lead back to four points and the light at the end of the tunnel seemed to sparkle in to life, but it was short lived when Wicklow’s top scorer Caoilfhionn Deeney raised the green flag for the fourth time, to put the game out of reach.

Marcella Cullen and Leona Tector tagged on a point apiece, but their hard earned scores, but Deeney was on hand to cancel out Wexfords efforts, to leave seven points between the sides when the referee called for the ball.
Wicklow have two weeks to prepare for their eagerly awaited clash with Louth, the Wee County beat Wicklow in last years TG4 Leinster Junior Championship final, while Wexford must regroup and prepare for the All Ireland series.
Wicklow scorers: Caoilfhionn Deeney 1-4, Monica Lynch 1-1, Ann Marie Doran 1-0, Lucy Mulhall 0-2, Sinead Boland 1-0.
Wexford scorers: Leona Tector 0-3, Fiona Rochford 0-2, Deirdre Fox 0-1, Tara Maloney 1-1, Marcella Cullen 0-1, Deirdre McMahon 0-1.

Wicklow: Emer Miley, Caitriona Byrne, Janet Miley, Aoife Heffernan, Lorna Fuisciardi, Sarah Miley, Niamh Kelly, Caitriona McKeon ( C ), Jackie Kinch, Caoilfhionn Deeney, Minica lynch, Niamh carroll, Sinead Boland, Lucy Mulhall, Ann Marie Doran. Sub: Aishling O’hAnnaidh for Sinead Boland.

Wexford: Maryrose Kelly, Aisling McNamara, Michelle Doyle, Marguetite Doyle (C), Aoife Waters, Catriona McCabe, Linda Casey, Roisin Murphy, Rosie Lawlor, Sharon Kehoe, tara maloney, Maeve Quill, Leona Tector, Fiona Rochford, Deirdre Fox. Subs: Marcella Cullen for Aoife Waters, Lisa Goff for Fiona Rochford, Jenna Hore for Rosie Lawlor, Dee McMahon for
Roisin Murphy.
Referee: Garryowen McMahon (Kildare).