Kilkenny Nip Past Wicklow in Suzuki Ladies Football League

Kilkenny and Wicklow met at Slieverue on Sunday last in Round 3 of the Suzuki Ladies Football National League. Both were seeking their second win to ensure at least a playoff spot.

Kilkenny were straight into the action with Breda Roche winning the throw in. Her quick pass found Catriona Grace who in turn picked out Lucinda Gahan 30 metres from goal. The Mullinavat girl tapped over for Kilkenny’s opening point in the first minute.

Catriona Grace won the kickout to keep early pressure on the Wicklow defence and set up Angela Kenneally for a shot on goal. Despite her shot being blocked, Kilkenny maintained possession and Wicklow had to defend in numbers for the opening 5 minutes. Mikaela Shelly relieved the pressure winning the ball at midfield before being fouled. The same player pointed to open Wicklow’s account on 10 minutes.

The Garden County girls settled and made use of the strong breeze. It was now Kilkenny’s turn to defend. Andrea Murphy, Michelle Dowd and Niamh Whelan were solid in the Kilkenny fullback line and Wicklow found it hard to break through. Mikaela Shelly pointed a free in the 15th minute to put Wicklow 2 points to 1 ahead.

Kerry Murphy’s kickout found Leanne Fennelly at midfield who passed to Lucinda Gahan on the 40 metre line. The two Mullinavat girls showed no after effects of playing county camogie hours earlier and worked the ball goalwards where Orla McCormack grabbed possession at corner forward. The diminutive James Stephens' girl jigged her way between two defenders before neatly tapping the ball low to the corner of the net to put Kilkenny in front 1-1 to 0-2 on 17 minutes.

Wicklow advanced again and a high ball to the Kilkenny square was superbly fielded by Sara McCarthy. The Carrickshock girl raced out of defence and sent a huge clearance to Angela Kenneally at wing forward, but her shot from distance went narrowly wide. The play went from end to end with Wicklow attacking again. Niamh Carroll and Eadaine Lenihan always looked dangerous. But, Andrea Murphy and Niamh Whelan were doing superb marking jobs on both and butted out any shots on goal with timely tracking.

On 20 minutes Aine Byrne broke through from midfield but Kerry Murphy in the Kilkenny goal saved well and April Purcell relieved the pressure with a long clearance to Breda Roche. Her low ball found Joanne Cotterell in front of the Wicklow goal and as the Tullogher girl turned to shoot she was hauled down, but no penalty was awarded. Angela Kenneally blocked the clearance and Cotterell gained possession again. On this occasion, Wicklow keeper, Emer Miley, saved her rasping 10 yard drive and her clearance found Catriona Byrne at midfield. She was fouled in possession and Niamh Carroll pointed the free to leave Wicklow just a point adrift in the 22nd minute, 1-1 to 0-3.

Kelly Roche took the ball out of defence for Kilkenny with a superb run to midfield. Her long drive found Orla McCormack 20 metres out who was fouled. She duly pointed the free herself for a 2 point lead. Lucinda Gahan won the kickout and passed to Angela Kenneally who scored an excellent point from out on the wing.

On 25 minutes Aoife Gorey won possession in the corner and fed Catriona Grace in the centre who shot over to give Kilkenny a 1-4 to 0-3 lead. Wicklow needed a score before the break and a long ball from midfield found Monica Lynch at full forward. Despite being tightly marshalled by Michelle Dowd, the Wicklow girl broke free and got her shot in sending a high ball to the Kilkenny net to leave just a point between the sides.

The same player soloed through after winning the kickout but this time some great shadowing by Dowd forced her to over carry and Kelly Roche’s free found Sally Teehan who was not at wing back. The Thomastown girl picked out Aoife Gorey in the corner who neatly side-stepped her player before shooting over to leave Kilkenny 1-5 to 1-3 ahead at the break.

Second Half

The Cats came out determined in the second half and went on the attack with Breda Roche claiming the throw-in and finding Catriona Grace at centre forward. The Railyard star was causing havoc to her native county of Wicklow and tore through their backs with a powerful run. Her low shot went narrowly wide.

April Purcell blocked a Mikaela Shelly shot brilliantly in the 35th minute when the Bray Emmets' star was through on goal. Purcell found her Railyard clubmate Kelly Roche who tore out of defence to midfield. Referee David Tormey inexplicably blew for a free and Shelly pointed from long range to reduce the deficit to a point.

The same player grabbed the equaliser with another long range effort on 38 minutes. At 1-5 apiece Kilkenny’s character was now tested.

April Purcell led the charge out of defence keeping the forwards well supplied. Kelly Ann Cotterell and Marie Dargan entered the fray, and within 10 seconds of taking up position at corner forward Dargan gained possession and sent a rasping shot to the net from 20 metres to put Kilkenny 2-5 to 1-5 ahead on 42 minutes.

This score rocked Wicklow who had chances to level again, but some excellent marking by Niamh Whelan saw Eadaine Lenihan spurn 3 point scoring chances.

Mikaela Shelly made no mistake when she won the ball in front of the Kilkenny goal shrugging her way out of a tackle before hitting the net from close range to level matters again 2-5 apiece in the 35th minute. Kilkenny however remained calm with the backs well in control and keeping the forwards supplied.

Breda Roche won a free in midfield and sent a long ball to Marie Dargan in front of goal who restored Kilkenny’s lead with a well taken point.

Kelly Ann Cotterell intercepted the kickout to feed Catriona Grace who stretched the lead to 2 points on 50 minutes. An Orla McCormack free made it 3 points.

The same player had a shot on goal saved a minute later and Joanne Cotterell was denied by a superb Emer Miley save with 5 minutes remaining.

Wicklow broke up field again and Eadaine Lenihan escaped Niamh Whelan’s clutches to point from close range leaving Wicklow just 2 points adrift.

The Kilkenny backs were under pressure in the closing minutes but the steal of the match lifted the Cats when Niamh Carroll broke up the wing for Wicklow. Andrea Murphy tracked her run perfectly before neatly robbing the ball from the Wicklow girl’s hands and clearing out of danger.

With two minutes remaining Eadaine Lenihan won possession on the wing and broke through to shoot for goal from a tight angle but the ball ricocheted off the crossbar to Kilkenny’s relief.

Breda Roche swept the ball out of danger to Catriona Grace who raced clear to thwart Wicklow’s final attempt. The ball was back among the Kilkenny forwards when the final whistle sounded with Kilkenny victorious at 2-8 to 2-6.

Kilkenny are now joint top of Division 3 with Westmeath. Both are on 4 points after 2 wins. A win against Derry on March 11 should see Kilkenny secure a quarter final place.