Longford minors beat Wicklow in high scoring game

LONGFORD V/s WICKLOW LEINSTER MINOR CHAMPIONSHIP

WICKLOW 5-9 LONGFORD 8-13

After an early rise and a long trek up to Longford
it was not a good Friday for the ladies from theGarden
county, down 6-5 to 2-4 at half time,the Wicklow
side were unable to close the gap, despite an
improved performance in the second half.

The home side had 4-1 on the board within the
first quarter of the first half, Longford’s Denise
Murtagh pointing from a free in the first minute
of play, followed by four goals from Ann Marie
Bratten, Aoiblin Smith, Marie Kiernan, and Clare
Hannon the games top scorer with a tally of two
goals and three points.

The Wicklow sides first score came from the first
of two penalties ,one in each half both were despatched
to the back of the Longford net by Edel Kennedy,
while debutante for Wicklow Liz Fahy notched up
her first goal in a wicklow shirt in the sixteenth
minute. The experienced Mikaela Shelly tagging
on a point from a free with Caoilfhionn Deeney
adding two more excellent points from play.

It was Longford who continued to dominate play,Aoiblin
Smith and Clare Hannon putting two more goals
in as many minutes past Luka Morgan the Wicklow
net minder.The home side wrapped the half up with
a 6-5 to 2-4 cushion with points from Marie Kiernan,
Clare Hannon and Linda Quinn.

In the third quarter of the game the visitors
put in a determined team effort to get back in
touch with the home side.Edel Kennedy and Mikaela
shelly combining to add a goal and three points
to the Wicklow score line, before Longford responded
with accurate shooting from Clare Hannon, Linda
Quinn, and Marie Kiernan open ing up a gap that
the Wicklow girls were unable to close, despite
Mikaela Shelly converting from three frees, and
Lizzie Brophy and Loretta Gilbert rifling the
ball past Kathleen Donohue in the Longford goals.
However it was the host team who romped home to
a comfortable win.

The Wicklow side can take a lot of positives from
this performance, Despite the heavy loss this
Wicklow team Has talent in abundance and will
be a team to keep an eye on in the coming years.

WICKLOW: Luka Morgan (Eire Og). Roisin
Toomey(Donard/Glen). Sarah McGraynor (Bray Emetts).
Michelle Brown (Valleymount). Lorna Fuscardi (Eire
Og). Laura Richardson(Bray Emmetts). Andrea Cahill
(Clara). Edel Kennedy(Carnew 2-1). Geraldine Norton
(Baltinglass0-1). Sarah Forde (Arklow Gers/Ballymoney).
Caoilfhionn Deeney (Eire Og 0-2). Mikaela Shelly
(Bray Emetts 0-5). Miriam Maher (Blessington).
Loretta Gilbert(Carnew 1-0). Liz Fahy (Arklow
Gers/Ballymoney 1-0 ).
Sub. Lizzie Brophy (Valleymount 1-0) for Geraldine
Norton
LONGFORD: Kathleen Donohoe. Aoife Farrell.
Emer Powell. Noeleen Donlon. Aodhnait Casey. Miriam
McDonald. Clare Flood. Sarah Burns. Edel Quinn
A.M. Bratten(1-1). Denise Murtagh(0-2). Clare
Hannon(2-3). Linda Quinn(1-4). Aoiblinn Smith(2-0).
Amanda Matthews. Maree Kiernan(2-1). Helen Corrigy(0-2)

WICKLOW SENIOR LEAGUE ROUND 1. AGB v Baltinglass
5pm. Pearse Park. Bray Emetts v Valleymount. 5pm.
St. Thomas’s school. Carnew v Kilbride 12.30pm.
Carnew.
WICKLOW JUNIOR LEAGUE ROUND 2.
St. Pats(Wicklow) v Donard the Glen. St. Pats
pitch. 1.00pm
Newtown v Kilbride “B”.
Kilcoole v Shillelagh
Knockanna v Clara.
Baltinglass v Eire og. Glendalough Hotel at 8pm
sharp.

A timely reminder to all club mentors and officials,
that the sin bin rule comes into effect from the
1st of April next,ie. any player shown the yellow
card must leave the field of play for ten minutes,
and can not be replaced by another player.