Wicklow Ladies suffer their second defeat

Wicklow’s senior ladies footballers suffered their second
defeat in their Suzuki National football league campaign
at the hands of Kilkenny, in Slievrue on Sunday last. In
their first round game against Westmeath the Wicklow side
were beaten by the same two point margin, and as in their
first match they had chances to seal victory in last Sundays
encounter also. Wicklow elected to play with a strong wind
in the first half, but it was the Cats that were the quickest
to notch up a score, within seconds of the throw-in their
number ten Lucienda Gahan tap over to open Kilkenny’s account,
Wicklow had a number of chances from the kick out to level,
but it wasn’t until the sixth minute that Niamh Carroll
tapped over her first of three points, all from frees.

Wicklow’s back line of Aoife Heffernan, Laura Richardson,
Maura Reid , Aisling O’hAnnaidh, Lorna Fuisciardi and Marie
Kavanagh were working hard to keep Kilkenny’s forwards at
bay, however the Cats breached the Wicklow defence to notch
up their first goal of the game, their number five Sarah
McCarthy picked out Orla McCormack with an accurate pass,
and McCormack found the back of Emer Miley’s net to open
up a two point lead. Wicklow did not take full advantage
of the strong breeze in the first half, which resulted in
their forward line of Niamh Carroll, Eadaoine Lenihan, and
Monica Lynch being starved of service, the Garden County’s
only goal and their last score of the half came from a well
worked passage of play involving Mikaela Shelly, Caoilfhionn
Deeney and scorer Monica Lynch , the Newtown girl firing
home from close range to draw the sides level ( 1-3 to 1-3),
with seven minutes left on the clock. Kilkenny’s April Purcell
and Aoife Gorey tagged on a point apiece to open up a two
point lead going in at the break (1-5 to 1-3).

The teams sides cancelled each others score out in the second
half, with both sides scoring one goal and three points
apiece. Wicklow top scorer on the day Niamh Carroll tapped
over an excellent point from out on the right wing in the
third minute of the third quarter to close the gap to a
single point, a minute later Wicklow’s top class net minder
Emer Miley pulled off another brilliant save from Caithriona
Grace to keep the Wicklow side in the game. Wicklow upped
the tempo and in the sixth minute, their wing forward Caithriona
Byrne picked out the pacy Mikaela Shelly, and Shelly’s accurate
pass found her Bray Emmets team mate Eadaoine Lenihan in
space, Lenihan tapped over to draw both sides level for
the third time in the game. Kilkenny now playing with the
wind continued to press and their determination paid off,
their super sub Marie Dargan’s quick pass released Joanne
Cothell, Cothell rifled the ball past Miley for Kilkenny’s
second goal of the game, not to be out done Wicklow responded
two minutes later after good work from their midfield duo
of Aine Byrne and Julie Fitzmaurice, Niamh Carroll laying
off the final pass to Caoilfhionn Deeney, Deeny’s shot nestling
in the top of Kerry Murphy’s net to bring the sides level
for the fourth time.

Wicklow’s celebrations were short lived, and their goal
was quickly cancelled out when Kilkenny responded with three
rapid points in as many minutes from Marie Dargan, Caithriona
Grace, and Orla McCormack. Wicklow’s final score came from
Eadaoine Lenihan, Lenihan picked up a pass from Aine Byrne
in the centre of the field and weaved her way through the
Kilkenny defence before firing over to close the gap to
two points, and Lenihan could have wrapped it up for the
Wicklow side in the dying seconds when her goal bound shots
skidded off the under side of the Kilkenny cross bar, Kilkenny
cleared the ball up the field and the game was brought to
an end by referee David Tormey.

Wicklow senior Panel: Emer Miley, Maura Reid, Aoife Heffernan,
Laura Richardson, Lorns Fuisciardi, Aisling OhAnnaidh, Marie
Kavanagh, Julie Fitzmaurice, Aine Byrne, Caithriona Byrne,
Caoilfhionn Deeney (1-0), Mikaela Shelly, Niamh Carroll(0-4),
Monica Lynch(1-0), Eadaoine Lenihan(0-2), Subs: Lisa Brady
for Lorna Fuisciardi, Aimee Byrne for Monica Lynch, Mary
Whelan for Laura Richardson, Ailbhe Carney, Clare Jameson,
Veronica O’Toole, Sinead Boland, Edwina Sayer, Caroline
Bolger, Laurie Ahern, Niamh Ryan, Mary Doyle, Niamh Coleman,
Gemma Kiely.

Kilkenny: Kerry Murphy, Angela Murphy, Michelle Dowd, Niamh
Whelan, Sarah McCarthy, Kelly Roche, Leanne Fennelly, Lucianda
Gahan, Caithriona Grace, Amelia Kenneally, Orla Mc Cormack,
Joanne Cothell, Aoife Gorey, Marie Dargan, Sally Teehan.

Referee: David Tormey (Kildare).

Michael Forde. 10 Lamberton Heights Arklow. Co Wicklow.
PRO Wicklow ladies football. (H) 0402-39457 (M)087-6422658.