TG4 Leinster LGFA Senior Championship Round Three
Kildare 3-3
Laois 0-10
Report by Aisling Clery
Two second half goals from Holly Tyrrell and one in the first half from Leah Doran ensured a first victory in the Leinster LGFA SFC Championship for Kildare this season against Laois in Manguard Park. Scores were kept to a minimum by both sides, such was the talent amongst their defenders.
Kildare led after Doran’s goal in the sixteenth minute, despite Laois doing all they could. Emily Lacey stood out for Laois while Aoife Rattigan was commanding in the centre of the field for Kildare.
Emily Lacey opened the scoring for Laois on four minutes after an excellent run, before an Aoife Rattigan free levelled matters for Kildare a minute later.
Katie Donoghue took the lead for Laois once more on eight minutes with a well-converted free and while Laois had their chances to push on, they failed to do so. Emily Lacey had a lively opening half but she was well marshalled by a tenacious Kildare defence. Laoise Lenehan and Alex Reynolds in particular stood out for the Lilies.
Kildare took the lead on sixteen minutes when a run along the end line was finished brilliantly at a difficult angle by Balyna’s Leah Doran. She finished into the far corner, giving Kildare a two point cushion.
Laois reduced the deficit to a single score when Emily Lacey added her second on eighteen minutes. Kildare did get close again, but Aoife Gorman was on hand to parry away the danger.
Aoife Rattigan nabbed her second score, this one from play, on twenty-five minutes. With her back to goal, a quick turn flicked the ball over the bar to ensure the Lilies a two point lead at the break: 1-2 to 0-3.
Kildare were handed the perfect start to the second half when substitute Claire Sullivan provided a timely pass to Holly Tyrrell, and the full forward made no mistake with the finish, hitting the back of the net.
Laois responded well, hitting Kildare on the counterattack and could well have found the net themselves as Katie Donoghue’s effort blasted over the bar instead of under it a minute later. A Donoghue free brought Laois back to within three points on thirty-nine minutes and they made it a two point game two minutes later when Mo Nerney added her first free of the contest.
However, Kildare were not to be outdone and when Trina Duggan found Tyrrell in space, the Rathcoffey footballer added a second goal on forty-two minutes.
Again, Laois did not panic and points from substitute Aoibhe Byron and a second free from Mo Nerney brought the gap back down to three points.
Kildare could have sealed the game on fifty-six minutes, but Sarah Munnelly’s chance flashed over the bar and they lived on their nerves for the last few minutes as Laois continued to attack the Kildare defence.
Emily Lacey added her third score of the contest after brilliant work from Mo Nerney and Donoghue added her fourth score of the game from a free to reduce the gap to two, but that was as good as it got for Stephen Duff’s team as time ran out and Kildare register their first Leinster SFC win and finish third in the Championship with the All Ireland just around the corner.
SCORERS: Kildare: H Tyrrell 2-0, L Doran 1-0, A Rattigan 0-2 (1f), S Munnelly 0-1. Laois: K Donoghue 0-4 (3f), E Lacey 0-3, M Nerney 0-2 (2f), A Byron 0-1.
Kildare: A Dunlea; A Mernagh, L Lenehan (capt.), A Reynolds; M Doherty, E O’Toole, L Murtagh; A Rattigan, A Kilkenny; L Doran, E Keogh, S Munnelly; E Brereton Foley, H Tyrrell, T Duggan.
Subs: C Sullivan for Murtagh (’22), N Barnes for Dunlea (HT), F Troute for Lenehan (HT)
Laois: E Barry; S Farrelly, I Finlay, G Lalor; A Ryle, M Cotter, A Gorman; A Moore, C Malone; G Moran, E Lacey, L Kearney; R Allen, M Nerney, K Donoghue.
Subs: A Cummins for I Finlay (’36), A Fitzpatrick for Allen (’38), E Healy for Moran (’40), A Byron for Kearney (’46), A Lalor for Ryle (’53).
Referee: Marion Hayden (Carlow).
