Westmeath 1.04 Kildare 5.10

Kildare championship prospects still on track with another fine display.

Kildare made the short trip across to Milltown GAA club on Saturday afternoon to play Westmeath in Round 4 of the Leinster ladies minor championship. On a cold, damp,overcast windy day Kildare got off to the ideal start. Ciara Wheeler winning possession from the throw in and breaking forward released a cross field pass to Sarah Munnelly who had shaken off her marker and making no mistake she rattled the back of the Westmeath net. Westmeath hit back immediately with a pointed free from Leanne Slevin and this followed with a high curling effort from Amy Cully to leave a point between the sides. From the resulting kick out Murphy in the Kildare goals misplaced a short Kickout and the ball fell kindly for Nicola Judge and with open grass in front of her she had only one thing on her mind and she duly dispatched the ball into the net giving Murphy no chance to react. Westmeath had now taking the lead and were up by 2 points. This was to be Westmeaths  last score of the half as Kildare upped their game and matched everything their opponents had to throw at them. Molly price causing the Westmeath backs trouble with her strength and speed forcing  her into been  fouled and pointing the resulting free. Kildares 2nd goal came something similar to Westmeaths goal, Rachel Reidy making a fine catch while backpedaling from a kick out lay off a smartly over head hand pass to an onrushing Niamh Mulhall and she made no mistake slotting the ball into the net passed a stranded Byrne in the Westmeath goals.

Price was on the scoreboard again with another pointed free after Louise scully was fouled. Price got her 3rd point of the afternoon this time from play and with 3 Westmeath backs surrounding her she broke through just enough to allow her space to  pop the ball over the bar.Westmeath were reduced to 14 players a short while later as Lucy McCarton was sin binned due to persistent fouling. Munnelly gathered the resulting free from Price to get her 1st point of the day, Price turned provider again and with Munnelly on the overlap receiving  the ball from Price to see her shot hit the back of the net for her 2nd and Kildares 3rd goal of the game. Leaving the half time score Westmeath 1.02 Kildare 3.04.

Westmeath introduced fresh legs for the 2nd half with Rachel o'Malley, Faye Walsh and Rachel Shaw and it was O Malley that opened the halfs scoring with a fine point from distance. Westmeath dominated the opening exchanges attack wise but the Kildare back line stood strong led by Sabrina Kennedy and Lydia Furey. Furey created Kildares 1st score of the Half after breaking up a tussle for the ball on the ground she broke up field on the left hand side, fed the ball onto Ciara Wheeler and on her favourite left side Wheeler made no mistake rattling the back of the net and followed it with a point soon after. Both teams traded points Westmeaths from Nicola Judge and Kildares from Niamh Mulhall. Kildare emptied the subs bench introducing Kendrick, Powderly, Hannon, Hartnett and Murphy.

Kildare finished out the game much the stronger as Westmeath couldn't get to grips with the intensity of the Kildare girls play.Kildare went on to score another 1.04 with Kendrick scoring 1.01, Price 0.02,  and Munnelly 0.01. without response. The referee brought the game to a close and on the final whistle Kildare coming out on top on a scoreline of Westmeath 1.04 Kildare 5.10.

Kildare recording their 2nd win in the competition  can now  look forward to their last game in 2 weeks time away to  Wexford. The Kildare girls need a repeat  performance as displayed in todays game and depending on how other results go on the final day of the round robbin stages will dictate what direction their season goes.

Kildare team Natasha Murphy, Rose Mernagh, Lydia Furey, Aine Dunne, Sabrina Kennedy, Rachel Reidy, Caoimhe o Fearghaill, Ciara Morris Tara Breen, Molly Price 0.05 (3f),Louise Scully, Sarah Munnelly 2.02, Ciara Wheeler 1.01, Niamh Mulhall1.01, Avril Fitzpatrick.

Subs used Shauna Kendrick 1.01 for Ciara Morris, Eve Powderly for Louise Scully, Laura Hannon for Natasha Murphy, Gemma Hartnett for Aine Dunne, Colleen Murphy for Niamh Mulhall.

Westmeath team Grainne Byrne, Rachel Hannigan, Becky Carney, Laura Wynne, Clara Thornton, Katie Egan, Rachel Dillon, Shannon Lyons, Tracey Dillon, Leanne Slevin 0.01 (1f),Lucy McCarton, Nicola Judge 1.01, Ashley Ruane, Amy Culley 0.01, Keli Lei Lowry

Subs used Rachel O'Malley 0.01, Faye Walsh, Rachel Shaw.

 

Leinster u14 championship Round 3
Kildare v Longford
Leixlip Gaa club.
Referee John Doherty (Dublin)

Half time score Kildare 3.07 Longford 2.01
Full time score Kildare 4.08 Longford 4.05

The game was originally fixed for Maynooth Gaa club but due to heavy overnight rain it was switched early Sunday morning to Leixlip Gaa club as the heavy rain had taking its toll on the Maynooth clubs pitch.

Both teams are to be commended for playing todays game in  wet and  windy weather and despite the terrible conditions this game gave their supporters plenty to cheer for.  A strong cross field wind favoured Kildare in the 1st half and they made good use of it in the opening exchanges. Ruth Birchill and Doireann Fahy scoring the games 1st and 2nd goals. Kildare forwards dominating the Longford kickouts at ease been first to everyball and gathering up the breaking ball. Ali Cullen and Sarah Doyle capitalising on this and scoring 5 points between them 3 from Cullen and 2 from Doyle. Midway through the half it was looking very ominous for the Longford girls and with their Keeper Bronagh Kirk been forced off due to injury Sorcha Dawson was brought on to help steady the Longford ship.
Longford broke forward and Ciara Fox unleashed a rocket of a shot at Ciara Farrell in the Kildare goals Ciara managed to parry the shot to her right and unfortunately for the Kildare Keeper Fiona Hourican was quickest to react to tap the ball into the back of the net. Spurred on by this Hourican got her second score pointing from a tight angle. Kildares response was swift as Claire Nugent carried the ball from the full back line into her opponents half and up to the 45m line feeding the ball over the top to a unmarked Ali Cullen and she didn't miss from close range leaving Dawson rooted to the spot as the ball hit the back of the net. Longford heads didn't drop and with encouraging words from the sideline hit back with another goal, Ciara Healy their captain  was working hard for her team drove forward found herself surrounded by 3 Kildare defenders dropped the ball to the ground  toe poked the ball out to Hannah Glennon taking her goal well shooting low passed an onrushing Farrell in the Kildare goals. Kildare finished the half with 2 more points 1 from o Loughlin the other from o'Sullivan leaving the half time score Kildare 3.07 Longford 2.01

The 2nd half started very well for the Longford girls getting 2 quick goals, Just as Kildare had done in the opening exchanges in the 1st half. the 1st of theese from Hannah Glennon and the 2nd from Donna Hannifin with  a high ball looking as if it was dropping over the bar for a point caught Farrell unawares and the ball went over her head and nestled in the back of the net to rapturous applause from the Longford supporters.despite the wind and rain both teams drove on and the action was fast paced and end to end. Both teams introducing subs to freshen things up as both conditions and pace were taking their toll.Kildare scored next a goal from Lauren Murtagh, and longford hit back with a free pointed by Healy.

Kildares last score of the half and indeed the game was a point from Birchill and in the last 10 mins of the game it was Longford asking the questions of the Kildare team. Hannifin and Healy were marshaling the longford girls and it was the latter Healy getting the crucial scores for her team  clawing back the Kildare lead leaving 3 points  between the sides with minutes remaining. Kildare can be thankful to their backs closing out the game preventing any more scores and as the ref blew the full time whistle it was the Kildare girls leaving the pitch very relieved. Great credit to the Longford girls for turning the game around in the 2nd half and fighting to the finish only to just fall short.
Kildare will have a lot of work to do ahead of next weekends crunch game against Dublin and Longford can take plenty of positives with them into their next game. Final score from Leixlip Kildare 4.08 Westmeath 4.05.

Kildare team were Ciara Farrell Megan Boyle, Claire Nugent cpt, Sile Flood, Jenna Kearney, Ciara Downey, Laoise Lenehan, Ali Cullen 1.03, Hazel o Loughlin,0.01, Doireann Fahy 1.00 Sarah Doyle 0.02 Anna Murphy, Lauren Murtagh 1.00 Orlaith Sullivan 0.01, Ruth Birchill 1.01

Subs used Emily Birch for Anna Murphy, Mikaela Burke for Orlaith Sullivan, Aislinn Dooley for Hazel o Loughlin, Grace o Toole for Sarah Doyle Aine Ni Raghallaigh for Lauren Murtagh

u17 league results

Week 3 28th Mar Div 1.
St Laurences 5.07 v St Brigids 0.03
Naas 4.18 v Clane 3.02

Week 3 28th Mar Div 2.
Two mile house 7.01 v Eadestown 2.05
Suncroft 1.02 v Sarsfields 6.08
Na Fianna 5.05 v Milltown 5.12

Week 3. 28th Mar Div 3.
Raheens 4.08 v Confey 1.03
Moorefield 4.15 v Ballymore 0.00

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