LEINSTER ROUND-UP Round 4

Division 1A :
Laois and Kerry went head to head in Castleisland on Sunday last and for the second year in succession both sides shared the points with a score line of 1-6 to 0-9, to book their places in the last eight. Laois and Kerry are in joint second place on the Div.1A table with seven points apiece, two points behind Mayo, who remain unbeaten in the league, to date…
Noirin Kirwin was the O’Moore sides top scorer notching up a goal and a point with Tracey Lawlor tagging on three points while Mary Kirwan and Anna Moore fired over one apiece.
Laois have a couple of weeks to prepare for their final game in Div. 1A, when they play host to table toppers Mayo.

Division 1B:
Dublin remain unbeaten in this years Bord Gais Energy NFL, after they were taken to the edge (1-10 to 1-9) by the Reigning league champions Cork, on Sunday last at Naomh Mearnóg. The Dublin side never lost their focus, even when they were reduced to thirteen in the second period, and held out to record their second league win over Rebelettes by the narrowest of margins.
The home side led by 0-5 to 0-4 at half-time, Dublins Lyndsey Davey’s was first to raise the green flag, when the Skerries Harps club player fired the ball past Cork Keeper Elaine Harte 13 minutes into the second half to keep the Jackies in the driving seat.
Although the Dubs finished the game with fourteen players they seemed to have it all wrapped up going into the final minutes, until referee Des McEnery awarded the Leesider a penalty in the final minute, that was slotted home by the number thirteen Valerie Mulcahy, however it was Amy Rings point that separated the sides at full time. Sinead Ahearne was top scorer for Dublin, scoring seven points in all, five of whom came from frees.
Player of the Match was Fiona Corcoran from the Ballyboden St Enda’s club.
Division 1B:
Kildare are slowly gaining momentum, when they registered their first points of this years Bord Gais Energy NFL, on Sunday last in Lissycasey, sharing the points with the Banner (1-8 to 2-5). The Lily whites went in at the break with a two point lead (1-3 to 0-4) and although they added a further five points in the second period, they were unable to stop the Banners Majella Griffin and Eimear Considine from firing home a goal apiece to share the spoils with the visitors.
Donna Berry, Orla O’Shea and Aisling Holton starred in defence especially when under considerable pressure for periods in the first half. Brianne Leahy and Louise Keatley did a power of work around midfield, aided in the first half by withdrawn corner forward Elaine Dillon, without ever exerting complete mastery. Among the forwards Noelle Earley and Deirdre Gately worked very hard into the elements in the first half while Aishling Jennings came more into the game after the break as Tracy Noone excelled all through always showing for the ball and ever willing to take on the tough defence.
Kilkdares next outing is against Galway on the 15th of March, the Tribewomen are presently at the bottom of Div.1B and while a draw would suffice for Kildare it’s a game that the Lily Whites are more that capable of taking all three points from to secure their division one status for next season.
Kildare scorers: Noelle Earley 1-0, Tracy Noon0-3f), Deirdre Gately 0-2, Aishling Jenning 0-2 (0-1 Fr),Elaine Dillon 0-1.
Division 2A:
On Sunday last the Model County were brought back to earth with a bump, after they made the long journey to St Brendans Pk, Castleconnor, to take on Sligo, and unfortunately for the Wexford side, it proved to be a wasteful trip as they suffered a heavy defeat to the Yeats county (1-1 to 5-16).
Wexfords next outing will be at home to Tipperary on the 15th of March, and the two week break will give the Wexford side a chance to regroup, they have six points in the bag, and a win over the Premier county would be a great boost for this young Wexford side.

Division 2A:
Westmeath travelled to Lemybrien on Saturday last to take on Waterford, and were unlucky not too collect all three points from this encounter ( 1-15 to 2-9). This was Westmeath’s 3rd outing in the League and after suffering a heavy defeat to Sligo the previous week the Lake county side had a hard task ahead of them facing yet another senior side. The Team that lined out for this challenge was again changed from previous outing but the management team of Dermot Brady, Eoghain Kevelihan and Aidan Lennon want to see all players on the panel perform in the league to see all the squads strengths and weakness.
The Westmeath side went in at the break trailing 0-4 to 1-11, which was not a fair reflection on the effort that the visitors had put in through out the first half. However Westmeath never gave up the chase and they managed to pare the Deise lead back to just two points with Katie Sommers and Johanna Maher finding the back of the Waterford net, Ruth Kearney added three points while their top scorer Fiona Leavy tapped over two points, but the final whistle brought the Westmeath fight back to an end, and although the final result will be registered as a loss for the visitors, they will be very happy with the way they continued to fight as a team right up to the final whistle. Westmeath take on Tipperary, in Cahir on Sunday next.
Westmeath: Niamh Mulligan, Carol Finch, Deirdre Robbins, Edel Marshall, Triona Durkin, Elaine Finn, Karen McDermot, Johanna Maher (0-1), Jenny Rogers, Fiona Claffey, Emer Connellon, Ruth Kearney (0-4), Katie Sommers (1-0), Fiona Leavy (0-5 (3f), Regina Croash. Subs: Laura Newman for Regina Croash, Sarah Dolan for Karen McDermot, Lisa Burke for Deirdre Robbins.

Division 2B:
Meaths winning graph took a slight dip when they were defeated by Down (1-9 to 1-4) on Sunday last in Saval. from the throw in the Mourne girls hit the ground running leaving the Royals firmly rooted to the sod especially in the first half, Grainne Nulty was the Royals only scorer in the first half, while the Down side registered 1-5 in the same period.
Meath’s management made a number of changes for the restart, and it was a decision that paid dividends, as the Royals slowly reeled in the Mourne side, and although the Royals stepped it up a gear Down were still the more creative of the two teams.
Meaths Gillian Bennett added three points while Elaine Duffy converted from the spot to close the gap to five points and thats how the score board looked at the close of business (1-9 to 1-4).
The Royals will have learnt a lot from the Down game, and they have a couple of week to dust themselves off and to get back to winning ways against Cavan. Impressive for Meath were Aine Fagan, Jane Burke, and Philomena Sheridan.
Meath team & Scorers: Irene Munnelly, Claire Coffey, Mary Sheridan, Aine Fagan, Jenny Rispin, Jane Burke, Ciara Dempsey, Grainne Nulty (0-01), Eve Wardick, Elaine Duffy (1-00), Gillian Bennett (0-03), Aedin Murray, Shauna Bennett, Philomena Sheridan, Maria Kealy.
Subs: Sinead McCormack for Rispin, Fiona O’Neill for Wardick, Ciara Daly for Dempsey, Louise McKeever for Fagan, Avril Robinson for Kealy, Aimee Bennett for P.Sheridan.

Division 2B:
The Longford ladies recorded an impressive 5-12 to 0-5 win over Fermanagh on Sunday last at the Killoe grounds in Round 4 of the Bord Gais Energy Ladies National Football League to lift themselves off the bottom of the table and sets them up nicely for the visit of Down to Killoe on Sunday next, Down will also be coming into this game on a high after a convincing win over Meath last weekend.

Division 3A:
Carlow had a day that they will want to forget when they travelled to Johnstown, to take on Roscommon, after sixty minute of football they only managed to register one points for all their effort.
On Sunday next Carlow welcome Louth to Tinryland, in what will be another stern test for the Floral County.
Louth had a convincing win over Offaly on Sunday last and have six points on the board from two games played, the Wee county are probable favourite to increase that to nine on Sunday next. Referee Tony Lennon will throw in at 2pm.