Leitrim Hold Off Wexford

Wexford hosted Leitrim in a damp St Patricks Park on Sunday in the Lidl National Football League Division 3 match and it was the visitors that went home with the points winning 1-16 to 2-8 in an entertaining game.

Wexford got off to a bright start and Leitrim’s Michelle Monaghan brought off a great save from Maria Byrne inside the first twenty seconds, but she couldn’t keep her out a minute later as Byrne made no mistake this time. It was all Leitrim for the next ten minutes as the impressive full forward Aine Tighe stamped her class on the game and she levelled the game with a fine individual goal along with adding three points. She was ably assisted by Michelle Guckian who scored two points to put Leitrim five points up. Wexford’s Caitriona Murray and Fiona Rochford exchanged points with Róisín Fowley and Michelle Guckian before Wexford had they’re best spell with four points in a row from Fiona Rochford (2), Kellie Kearny and Caitriona Murray to reduce Leitrim’s lead to two points. They couldn’t keep it up though as Aine Tighe got the last two points of the half to leave the score at the break 1-9 to 1-5.

It was a much tighter game in the second half as scores were hard to come by but two pointed frees from Aine Tighe put Leitrim further ahead. Wexford were given a boost after twelve minutes after a mix up in the Leitrim defence and Fiona Rochford managed to poke the ball to the net. But Leitrim rode out the storm and out scored Wexford for the rest of the half with points from Carla LeGuen, Aine Tighe (2) and Michelle Guckian (2) while Caitriona Murray and Fiona Rochford replied for Wexford.

Wexford’s next game is away to Offaly next Sunday

Wexford: Natasha Walsh, Beth Cardiff, Marica Cullen, Bridín Doyle, Sandra Thorpe, Maria Byrne 1-0, Marguerite Doyle, Kellie Kearney 0-1, Siobhán Cloake, Róisín Murphy (Captain),  Fiona Rochford 1-4, Clara Donnelly, Marcella Cullen, Caitriona Murray 0-3, Fiona Bennett. Subs: Niamh Moore for Marcella Cullen, Fiona Rowe for Siobhán Cloake, Niamh Mernagh for Bridín Doyle, Bríd Byrne, Maeve Quill, Georgina Hearne, Caoimhe Denton, Chantelle Martin, Rachel Bridges, Eleanor Neville, Ellen O’Brien, Ciara Corrigan, Aleisha Cullen, Ann Byrne, Niamh Cloake Rochford.

Leitrim: Michelle Monaghan, Michelle Heslin, Mary Farrell, Aine Heslin, Róisín McHugh, Sinéad Tighe, Melissa Hewitt, Claire Owens, Ailish O’Dowd, Deirdre Ward, Michelle Guckian 0-5, Emma Guckian, Róisín Fowley 0-1, Aine Tighe 1-9, Carla LeGuen 0-1. Subs: Lorraine Brennan for Sinéad Tighe, Anna Conlon for Róisín Fowley, Bronagh Rooney for Róisín McHugh, Mairéad McCauley for Aine Heslin, Mary Clancy, Claire Bernie, Ailbhe Clancy, Aoife McWeeney, Claire Kelly, Bronagh O’Rourke, Stephanie Reynolds, Emma Quinn, Annette Ferguson, Dearbhaile Bernie, Sharon Kerrigan, Caoimhe Canning.

Referee: Jonathan Murphy Carlow