07 April 2010 LEINSTER MINOR CHAMPIONSHIP 'B' Semi Final Share this Article 0 0 0 Shares! 0 Shares! LEINSTER MINOR CHAMPIONSHIP ‘B’ Semi Final Wicklow 3-9 Kildare 2-6 ( Michael Forde Leinster PRO) Wicklow needed the full sixty minutes, a bit of luck and a hero, to over come a strong Kildare side, and book their place in the 2010 Leinster minor ‘B’ championship final. Three excellent point blank saves from Wicklow net minder Amy Devereux kept the Garden County in the driving seat, when it looked as though the Lillies were regaining a foot hold, the Wicklow number one ,denied the kildare forwards three certain goals, as the game moved in to the final quarter of this thrilling semi final game. (Pictures from the game can be viewed on www.gaapics.com ) Wicklow playing with a slight wind advantage, were quick out of the traps, and looked the sharper of the two in the early minutes of the game, but despite their efforts they were unable to convert early scorable chances. Kildare, came in to this game as slight favourites, having played in the minor ‘A’ championship last season, and although they were under a little pressure in the early stages of this game, they were first to raise the white flag ,with Jayne Peacock and Karen Cummin combining to notch up three unanswered points, with just eight minutes on the clock. Wicklow needed a score to steady the ship, and before the second hand had completed another lap of the clock, Wicklow opened their account with a well struck point from Niamh O’Brien, seconds later Wicklow’s Laura Manley was first to react to a poor puck out, but the St. Pats club player was unable put her shot past Anita Dunne in the Kildare goals. Wicklow are reigning Leinster minor ‘C’ champions, beating Offaly in last years final, so this year they step up a grade to compete in the ‘B’ championship, and with this semi final game moving in to the second quarter, the home side could not afford to let Kildare build up a head of steam at this early stage (0-1 to 0-3). Kildare captain Naoise Berry slotted over Kildares forth point to open a three point gap. The Wicklow forwards mounted a counter attack, Laura Manley tagging on her first point, quickly followed by two points from Lucy Mulhall, to draw the sides level for the first and only time in the game, with four points apiece. Kildare threw down the gauntlet to the Wicklow side, when Niamh Sinnott raised the first green flag of the match, with Karen Cummin adding her second point to put four points between the sides, and before the Wicklow backs could regroup, Kildares number fourteen Ciara Fingalton rattled the Wicklow net to put the home side seven points in arrears, Lucy Mulhall pointed to pare the kildare lead back to six points at the break 0-5 to 2-5. Kildare retired to the dressing room for their half time talk, while the Wicklow side were kept on the pitch by their mentors to keep them fully focused on the task ahead, and with mentor Jack Bowes pep talk ringing in their ears the Wicklow side hit the ground running with Mulhall and Maoloisa Nugent notching up a point a piece followed by a goal from Jackie Kinch in the eleventh minuteto close the gap to a single point, Kinch was moved from centre field into the forwards, and it was a move that payed a handsome dividend, when the Tinahealy club player’s lobbed free kick in the thirteenth minute dropped under Anita Dunne’s cross bar to put Wicklow two point ahead for the first time in the game. Wicklow were on a roll and when Niamh O’Brien raised the green for the third time followed by a point from the hard working Sarah Miley, it looked all over for the Kildare side. But the Lilies don’t wilt that easy, they launched wave after wave of attacks at the Wicklow backs, and three times their forwards penetrated the Wicklow defence, and three times they were denied three certain goals by Devereux in the Wicklow Goals, Kildare final score came from a thirteen metre free, taken by Jayne Peacock, who scored Kildare’s first score of the game, Wicklow’s Niamh Doyle tagged on the final point in Wicklow’s favour, to put them in to the final, where they will meet neighbours Wexford. The Model County rose from the ashe’s in the second half of their semi final game against Longford, the Wexford side trailed by ten points at the break (0-1 to 2-5), but a massive effort in the second half saw the Wexford team turn the game in their favour, reeling in the Longford lead to finish the game with four points to spare (2-10 to 3-11). Wicklow Scorers: Lucy Mulhall 0-3, Jackie Kinch 2-1, Maoilisa Nugent 0-1, Niamh O’Brien 1-1, Sarah Miley 0-1, Laura Manley 0-1, Niamh Doyle 0-1. Kildare scorers; jayne Peacock 0-3, Karen Cummin 0-2, Naoise Berry 0-1, Niamh Sinnott 1-0, Ciara Fingalton 1-0, Share this Article 0 0