TG4 Leinster Championship 2006. WICKLOW 2-2. CARLOW 0-8

TG4 LEINSTER CHAMPIONSHIP 2006

WICKLOW 2-2. CARLOW 0-8

 

The Wicklow ladies held out for a well-deserved
draw against Carlow when both sides met in Dunlavin on Sunday morning
last in the second round of the TG4 leinster championship.

Wicklow who were missing a number of players, played with pride
and passion through out the game to keep the girls from the floral
County under extreme pressure up to the final seconds of the game.

Wicklow up 1-2 to 0-4 at the break could only manage a single goal
in the second period, mainly because most of the work was being
done at the other end of the pitch, by Wicklow captain and keeper
Emer Miley and her excellent defensive back line.

Carlow’s number fourteen Niamh Dobbs was first on the score sheet
when she pointed two minutes into the game, the home sides response
came in the sixth, after a good interchange of play involving Maura
Reid and Eithne Byrne in midfield, Monica Lynch picked up the ball
on the edge of the square, the Newtown girl tapping over to bring
the sides level for the first time in the game.

Carlow who were probably playing better football than Wicklow in
the first quarter opened up a three point lead, with one apiece
from Kellie Dalton, Sinead Lyons, and Veronica Dobbs.

Wicklow did have the ball in the back of the Carlow net in the fifteenth
minute when Anne Cummiskey latch on to a well weighted forthy five
from Niamh Coleman, however referee Mick O’Flaherty awarded a free
out to Carlow and the goal did not stand.

A tactical switch in the twenty-fifth minute by Wicklow’s mentors
did pay off, corner back Bridget Kenny was moved in to the forward
line and the number two rifled the ball in to the back of the Carlow
net, giving Jenny O’Neill no chance and giving Wicklow a one point
advantage going in at the break.

Wicklow introduced Caoillfhionn Deeney just seconds before the break
and the Eire Og girl had the ball in the back of the Carlow net
within seconds of the restart to increase the Garden County’s lead
to four points.

Carlow turned up the heat in the second half through Kellie Dalton,Amy
Doyle and Niamh Dobbs, but Wicklow’s back line of Aoife Heffernan,
Jill Heatley, Lorna Fusicardi, Lisa Brady, and Marie Kavanagh worked
tirelessly to keep Emer Miley’s goal intact through out..

Great credit must go to Aoife Heffernan who made a brave two handed
block on Carlow’s number fourteen Niamh Dobbs in the dying minutes
of the game, the referee who was unsighted awarded a penalty thinking
that Heffernan had made a foot block on Dobbs, however after consulting
with umpires, the ref awarded a throw ball to restart the game.

Carlow’s forwards were reduced to taking their scores from distance,
notching up four points with out reply to cancel out Wicklow’s lead
and draw the sides level for the second and final time in the game.

Wicklow’s next championship match will be against Wexford on Tuesday
the fourth of July at a venue to be confirmed later. The Wicklow
side will need to be at full strength for this encounter on American
independence day.

Wicklow: Emer Miley(Capt.Blessington), Bridget Kenny (Carnew1-0),Jill
Heatley (Blessington), Aoife Heffernan (Bray Emmets), Lorna Fusicardi
(Eire Og), Marie Kavanagh(Blessington), Lisa Brady(Bray Emmets),Niamh
Ryan(Blessington),Maura Reid(Blessington), Niamh Carroll(Blessington),
Eithne Byrne(Kilcoole1-1),Monica Lynch(Newtown 0-1),Sinead Boland
(Bray

Emmets), Niamh Coleman(Bray Emmets),Anne Cummiskey(Carnew Emmets).

Subs:

Caoillfhionn Deeney(Eire Og 1-0) for Niamh Coleman ,Sharon Kelly
(Kilbride) for Sinead Boland.

Carlow: Jenny O’Neill, Georgina Coleman, Aine Kinsella, Fiona
Cleere, Karen Doyle, Aisling Nolan(Capt.),

Regina McDonald, Riona Griffith, Laura Corrigan(0-1), Kellie Dalton(0-1),
Edel Hayden, Christina Scully, Veronica Dobbs(0-1), Niamh Dobbs(0-2),
Sinead Lyons(0-1),

Subs: Emma O’Regan(0-1) for Veronica Dobbs, Amy Doyle(0-1) for
Christina Scully, Niamh O’Regan for Edel Hayden.

Referee: MickO’Flaherty (Dublin).