The Sligo ladies footballers produced one of their best displays of the season so far to beat struggling Kildare by 4-16 to 1-10 in St Conleth’s Park in Newbridge on Saturday in round five of the Lidl Ladies National League Division Two.
Two first half goals from St Mary’s clubwoman Sarah McMoreland put Sligo in the ascendancy by half-time, 2-5 to 0-7.
But Paddy Henry’s girls were even more impressive in the second period, and only a late Kildare goal prevented a bigger defeat.
St Nathy’s Mary-Anne O’Kennedy and St Mary’s Karen Maloney netted second half goals, while Ciara Gorman hit nine points in total in a dominant display.
Also in Division Two, Clare were 3-17 to 2-10 winners against Tyrone, while Cork beat Monaghan by 2-14 to 1-12 in Division One.
There was disappointment for Leitrim in Division Three, as they lost out narrowly to neighbours Roscommon.
Two goals from Ailbe Clancy were not enough for Leitrim, as Roscommon claimed a 3-10 to 3-6 victory.
Clancy netted her first in the opening half in Ballinamore, but the Rossies led by 3-3 to 1-3 at half-time.
Leitrim battled back in the second half, and Laura O’Dowd’s goal was followed by a penalty from Clancy after Roisin Fowley was fouled.
But Roscommon hung on to take the victory.
Donegal’s Division One game against Mayo in Convoy on Sunday was postponed because of a bereavement.
MATCH REPORT
SLIGO V KILDARE SATURDAY 18TH
ST CONLETH’S PARK NEWBRIDGE
REF NIALL MCCORMACK LAOIS
Half Time Sligo 2-05 Kildare 0-07
Full-Time Sligo 4-16 Kildare 1-10
What started has a good week for Sligo Ladies with the under 14 team getting a draw with Leitrim and the Minors picking up a win over Leitrim on Sunday. Then Monday night the announcement of three new Partnerships deal’s, The Clayton Hotel Sligo, The Blind Tiger Sligo and CHH Civil and Structural Engineers Sligo ended in a great week for Sligo Ladies Football.
Sligo Ladies made the trip to Newbridge on Saturday to take on Kildare last year’s Intermediate Champions in round five of the Lidl National League. Coming off a three week break and a loss to Laois last time out Paddy Henry and co where hoping to get back to winning way.
A win would see Sligo safe and playing Division two football in 2018, facing the team that they had losses to in last year’s All Ireland S/F, A win this time out would surly see Kildare drop down a Division for 2018.
It was Sligo that started the better and opened the scoring when Sarah Reynolds popped over in the 4th min Kildare hit back with a point from Trina Duggan before Ciara Gorman pointed from a free. Sligo won the kick out and Sarah Reynolds sent a long ball in that Gorman did well to keep in play she play it to Sarah McMoreland who slotted it to the back of the net. Two minute later McMoreland found herself one on one with the Kildare keeper and again she hit the back of the net. Kildare hit back with the next two points from Dowling before mid- fielder Roisin Byrne pointed for the lilywhite.
Gorman’s point in the 20th minute left the score Sligo 2-03 Kildare 0-04.
Kildare hit back with two points before some great link play between Stephanie and McMoreland ended with O’Reilly pointing from 20 yard’s, Lisa Casey pointed in the 28 min for Sligo. Before Roisin Byrne added a point for Kildare just before half time.
Kildare scored the first point of the 2nd half before Karan Maloney was fouled and Ciara Gorman slotted over the free. Dowling pointed for lilywhite before Sligo had a 6 min spell in which Gorman pointed 2 frees McMorland point from play before Karen Maloney found the roof of the net to give Sligo a 9 point lead ten mins played. Three points from Gorman and one from Mary Ann added to Sligo’s lead. Geevagh club mate’s Stephanie O’Reilly and Bernice Byrne added the next two point’s before Mary Ann O’Kennedy read the short kick out and scored Sligo’s 4th goal of the day. A goal for Kildare was in the last 5 minute’s mins from a 13 yard free was just a consolation for the home side. Paddy Henry emptied the bench in the last ten minute’s and the last score of the day went to substitute Denice McGrath from fee.
This win leave’s Sligo Sitting in second place in the table on point’s difference with two home games to play next up Cavan will visit Cloonacool next Sunday at 2pm and a win there will hopefully be enough to secure a semi-final spot for the ladies.
1 Noelle Gormley (Capt.) St.Nathys 2 Etna Flanagan St.Nathys 3 Grainne O Loughlin St.Michaels
4 Annmarie Coleman St.Nathys 5 Ruth Goodwin Coolera/Strandhill 6 Eilise Codd St Michaels
7 Jacqui Mulligan St.Farnans 8 Bernice Byrne Geevagh 9 Sarah Reynolds Geevagh
10 Lisa Casey Eastern Harps 11 Ciara Gorman St.Nathy 12 Sinead Naughton Eoghan Rua
13 Karen Maloney St Mary’s 14 Stephanie O Reilly Geevagh 15 Sarah McMoreland St. Marys
SUBS 16 Katrina Connolly St Nathys 18 Rachel Monaghan Drumcliff/Rosses pt 20 Elaine O Reilly Geevagh 21 Denise McGrath Ballymote 22 Leah Kelly St Farnans 23 Mary Ann O Kennedy St.Nathys 24 Sinead Regan Drumcliff/Rosses pt 25 Michelle McNamara Drumcliff/Rosses pt 26 Emma Keavany St.Pats
Manager: Paddy Henry Selectors: Liam Murray Liam Naughton Margaret Davey Aisling Ewing
Physio: Michael Duffy
Lidl Ladies National Football League round-up
Compiled by Jackie Cahill
SATURDAY
Cork travelled to St Clones and saw off Monaghan by 2-14 to 1-12, as the hosts lost for the fourth time in five outings.
Monaghan were leading by a point, 1-10 to 1-9, when Rachel McKenna was sin-binned in the 47th minute.
And it proved a costly setback for the Farney girls as Cork outscored them by 1-5 to 0-1 while McKenna spent ten minutes off the pitch.
Scally’s goal with three minutes left was the insurance score, as the Cork forward maintained the impressive form that saw her claim an O’Connor Cup medal with University of Limerick last weekend.
Cork had also struck the game’s opening goal, Niamh Cotter’s strike helping them to lead by 1-2 to 0-1.
But Monaghan, with points from Rosemary and Cora Courtney, were level at 0-6 to 1-3 by the 20th minute.
Cora Courtney pushed Monaghan a point clear but with All-Star Orla Finn in free-scoring form for Cork, they regained the initiative.
In stoppage time at the end of the first half, however, Monaghan netted a goal of their own, Ciara McAnespie on target, and that effort saw them lead by 1-8 to 1-6 at the break.
Monaghan managed to keep daylight between themselves and the visitors but down to 14 players following McKenna’s dismissal, they couldn’t hold out as the champions eased to victory.
In Division 2, Clare scored an impressive 3-17 to 2-10 victory over Tyrone, with Grainne Nolan grabbing a brace of goals for the Banner County, and Ailish Considine netting the other.
Sligo enjoyed a 4-16 to 1-10 victory on their visit to Sligo while in Division 3, Tipperary made it five wins from five outings, running out 5-7 to 0-7 winners against Offaly in Ballycumber.
Aisling Moloney netted twice, while Aisling McCarthy, Alison Lonergan and Emma Buckley were Tipperary’s other goalscorers on the day.
In a Connacht derby, Roscommon were 3-10 to 3-6 winners over Leitrim in Ballinamore, while the evening game pitted Down against Limerick at Páirc Esler.
Results:
Lidl Ladies National Football League Division 1:
Monaghan 1-12 Cork 2-14
Lidl Ladies National Football League Division 2:
Clare 3-17 Tyrone 2-10
Lidl Ladies National Football League Division 3:
Offaly 0-7 Tipperary 5-7
Leitrim 3-6 Roscommon 3-10
Down 2-9 Limerick 2-6
SUNDAY
ACE forward Tracey Leonard made a welcome late return from cruciate knee ligament damage as Galway joined holders Cork at the head of affairs in Division 1 of the Lidl Ladies National Football League.
Two Róisín Leonard goals, and another from Ailbhe Davoren, helped the Tribeswomen to see off Kerry by 3-6 to 1-10 on Sunday afternoon.
Dublin could have made it a three-way tie at the top but the Leinster champions suffered a surprise 3-5 to 3-12 defeat against Armagh in Abbottstown.
Leonard’s first goal was the first decisive piece of action in Corofin and that strike helped the hosts to lead by 1-4 to 0-5 at half-time.
But Kerry took control early in the second half and Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh’s 34th-minute goal opened up a 1-7 to 1-4 lead for the Kingdom.
But Galway regained the initiative when Leonard and Davoren netted quickfire goals, while Kerry lost Denise Hallissey to the sin-bin.
Victory makes it four wins in five League outings for Stephen Glennon’s Galway this year, with Leonard brought on in the 59thminute.
In Dublin, Aimee Mackin scored 1-9 for visiting Armagh, who collected their second win of the campaign.
Mackin’s haul included 1-7 from play, as the Orchard County dented Dublin’s hopes of a top-four finish.
Dublin did come to life with second half goals from Carla Rowe and Lyndsey Davey, while a Sarah McCaffrey effort was ruled out as the home side had 16 players on the pitch at the time.
Aoife McCoy scored the game’s opening goal for Armagh in the sixth minute, an effort cancelled out by Hannah O’Neill nine minutes later.
Armagh’s second goal arrived early in the second half, Lauren McConville on target, and the visitors were six points clear before Rowe netted for Dublin.
Armagh’s response was immediate, Mackin bagging their third goal, before she added a point.
Davey’s goal cut Armagh’s lead back to four points but Armagh, who had a big performance from influential midfielder Caroline O’Hanlon, kept the scoreboard ticking over down the home straight.
Elsewhere, the scheduled Donegal-Mayo game was postponed, due to a bereavement in the Donegal camp.
On Saturday, it was revealed that Cork’s 11-time All-Ireland senior medallist Deirdre O’Reilly is retiring from inter-county football.
The Leesiders still managed to come from behind and secure a valuable 2-14 to 1-12 victory against hosts Monaghan in Clones, with Rachel McKenna’s sin-binning for Monaghan proving a real turning point.
In Division 2 on Sunday, Cavan beat Waterford by just a single point, 2-7 to 0-12, as Westmeath saw off Laois by two points, 0-14 to 1-9.
In Sunday’s only Division 3 game, Wexford won by 3-13 to 0-14 at home to Meath and in Division 4, there were victories for Longford, Wicklow, Carlow and Derry.
Results:
Lidl Ladies National Football League Division 1
Dublin 3-5 Armagh 3-12
Galway 3-6 Kerry 1-10
Lidl Ladies National Football League Division 2
Cavan 2-7 Waterford 0-12
Laois 1-9 Westmeath 0-14
Lidl Ladies National Football League Division 3
Wexford 3-13 Meath 0-14
Lidl Ladies National Football League Division 4
Fermanagh 2-5 Longford 3-15
Wicklow 3-19 Louth 1-7
Antrim 1-9 Carlow 2-8
Kilkenny 2-4 Derry 3-11
