Wicklow and Dublin C share the spoils

Wicklow’s senior ladies footballers travelled
to Thomas Davis’s football club at the foot of
Dublin’s snow capped mountains to take on the
Dublin ladies in div. 4 of the Suzuki NFL.Dublin
who were beaten by Carlow in their previous match
were out to retain their position at the top of
the league, Wicklow who had beaten carlow earlier
this month knew that this was to be a tough encounter.

The Dublin side were the first off the mark with
a point from Sandra Mcevoy after Wicklow’s Eithne
Byrne fouled Dublin’s Niamh McLoughlin,Dublin
continued to press the Wicklow side, Niamh McLoughlin
forcing an excellent save from Emer Miley in the
Wicklow goals after 6 mins.Dublin were in to their
stride with free flowing football from Colleen
Barrett,Ciara Kilpatrick , Niamh McLoughlin which
allowed Emma Bates to breach the Wicklow defence
and slot the ball past Wicklow’s Emer Miley in
the 9th min of the half with no reply from the
wicklow side who were on the back foot and finding
it difficult to get a foothold on the game. It
was not until the 14th minute when Wicklow’s Mikaela
Shelly was fouled in the square and was awarded
a penalty by referee Martin Seery.Wicklow’s keeper
Emer Miley stepped up to take the spot kick and
sent the ball crashing past Dublins Sarah Cambell.
Seconds later Sarah pulled off an excellent save
when Wicklow’s Mickaela Shelly sent in a blistering
shot which had goal written all over it. Dublin
broke out from the backs playing the ball up the
wing through Hannah Corn, Claire Cororcan and
Ciara Kilpatrick clearing the way for Natasha
Barnwell to tag on another point for the Dublin
side.Wicklow dug deep and held Dublin scoreless
for a further ten minutes with a goal line clearance
from Mide Ui Suilleabhain, relieving the pressure
momenterily, however wicklow eventually succumbed
to Dublin’s faster movement in the midfield and
half foward line letting in Ciara Kilpatrick for
a goal from a rebounded point attempt by Sandra
McEvoy,Dublin finished the half with three more
points from the boot of Natasha Barnwell.The half
time score read Dublin 2-5 Wicklow 1-0.

Wicklow’s manager Dominic Leech shuffled the pack
a little for the second half hoping to reduce
Dublins Large score margin.Wicklow’s young gun
mikaela Shelly was first to reduce the deficit
with a quickly taken point, Wicklow’s influential
midfielder Eadaoine Lenihan was introduced two
minutes in to the half to settle this young Wicklow
side, this proved to be apositive move by Dominic
leech as the wicklow side stepped up a gear and
turned up the pressure on the Dublin side. Wicklow
were now rallying with good inter play between
Sinead Rickerby,Laura Richardson, and Deirdre
O’ Riordan putting good ball in to the foward
line of Monica Lynch, Chrissie Short putting in
Edel Kennedy to close the gap with two points
in as many minutes, the fight back was now well
in progress when Mikaela Shelly dispossessed Dublins
Aine Deasy and slipped a fine effort past the
Dublin netminder Sarah Cambell.Wicklow introduced
experienced foward Elaine Murphy from the bench
to boost the foward line.play was held up a number
of times to allow players to receive treatment
for injuries sustained during this spirited fightback
by the Wicklow side.

Wicklow restarted play with a free from Edel Kennedy
dropping a long ball in to Chrissie Shortt who
notched up another point for the visitors who
were now with in one point of the league leaders
with seven minute plus injury time left in the
half. Dublin who had failed to score so far in
the second half, introduced a number of fresh
players into the side which brought life back
in to their foward line, the pressure was back
on the Wicklow back line of Marie Kavanagh, Aoife
Doran,Aisling O hAnnaigh and Eithne Byrne helping
out from the half back line to clear the ball
up through midfield which was picked up by Chrissie
Shortt who tagged on a point to draw the sides
level.Into the dying minutes of the game and Dublin
were pressing hard for the winning score threw
every thing at Wicklow who were equal to the challenge
by going in to the lead with a well worked point
taken by the inform Chrissie Shortt after Dublins
Colleen Barrett was penilised for taking too many
steps. the game was now into injury time all Wicklow
eyes were on the ref and not on the ball, Dublins
final foray forward resulted in a point by Natasha
Barnwell. Both sides sharing the spoils.

WICKLOW PANEL: Emer Miley(Blessington 1-0).
Mide Ui Suilleabhain(Eire Og). Aisling O hAnnaigh
capt,(Bray Emmets). Aoife Doran(Carnew). Eithne
Byrne(Kilcoole). Laura Richardson(Bray Emmets).
Helen Hurley(Arklow Gers/Ballymoney). Sinead Rickerby(Carnew).
Deirdre O Riordan(Kilbride).Lorraine Byrne(Arklow
Gers/Ballymoney). Edel Kennedy(Carnew 0-2). Sinead
Boland(Bray Emmets). Mikaela Shelly(Bray Emmets
1-1). Monica Lynch(Newtown). Chrissie Shortt(An
Tochar0-3).
Subs. Elaine Murphy(Blessington) on for
Monica Lynch, Eadaoine Lenihan(Bray Emmets)