Waterford ladies kick start with a big win

Waterford Ladies Footballers did not have the best of Campaigns in the 2013 National Football League.

They were relegated 24 hours after they played their last league game after Clare put seven goals past Westmeath in a win that kept the ladies from the Banner County in Division two.

On Sunday afternoon last, Waterford got their bid to move back into Division two at the first attempt off to a good start when they recorded a comprehensive win over Offaly at the Gold Coast Grounds in Ballinacourty.

Offaly travelled to the West Waterford venue expecting to put up a major battle against the home side. Twelve months ago, they won the Division four National League Final and later in the year added the Leinster and All-Ireland Junior titles to their roll of honour.

However the Offaly side that showed up at The Gold Coast was a much different one to the team that beat Wexford at Croke Park back in September.

Of the twenty one players used on Sunday, just six of them were used in last year’s All-Ireland Final while a further eight were unused subs in Croke Park.

Waterford too showed changes from the team that played in much of Waterford’s games in the past year or two.

Shona Curran and Grainne Kenneally did not take part in the game as they were expected to be part of the Lismore team that were to play the All-Ireland Intermediate Camogie semi final but which was called off just under 48 hours before that game was to start.

Waterford were also without Grainne Enright who has retired from the Inter county scene, while injury forced Anne Dunphy out of contention.

Manager Pat O’Brien has however brought a number of new young players from successful underage teams into the panel for the year ahead, and in doing so has created extra competition for places which is something that can only be good for Ladies Football in Waterford.

Despite the weather conditions in the days leading up to the game, the pitch was in excellent condition on the day.

Waterford opened the better of the teams as the experienced Michelle Ryan put over two points to give Waterford an early advantage.

Offaly opened their account through Emma Corcoran, one of the six players on view with Offaly that played in Croke Park last September.

Waterford registered a third point on eight minutes through Michelle Ryan, her third of the game before Margaret Revins rattled the net on eleven minutes.  The Old Parish Club player is making a habit of hitting goals of late in the white and blue of Waterford as she also rattled the net in Waterford’s Jim Kennedy Cup Plate Final win over Mary Immaculate College in Rathkeale recently.

Waterford further stretched their lead two minutes later when Ballymacarbry’s Aileen Wall bellowed the net and shortly afterwards Róisín Tobin pointed to give Waterford a nine point advantage with just a quarter of the game played.

Offaly for the remainder of the half proved to be slightly the better of the two teams.

Aoife Corbett put the ball in the Waterford net which was followed with a brace of points from Orlagh Heavey and a single effort from Niamh Malone, to cut Waterford’s lead to two, but a brace of Michelle Ryan points just before the break ensured that Waterford would turn around with a four point advantage.

The second half of the game was totally dominated by the home side, as they kept the visitors scoreless for the full thirty minutes.

Michelle Ryan, Aileen Wall and Margaret Revins shared five points inside the opening eight minutes of the half which gave Waterford a comfortable nine point lead.

Any chance of a fight back by the visitors was ended mid way through the second half when Margaret Revins hit her second of the game.

Linda and Aileen Wall added further points for Waterford which stretched Waterford lead which gave manager Pat O’Brien the opportunity to start to empty his bench as mush as possible, as Nora Dunphy, Liz Devine, Amy Whelan, Shauna Dunphy and Olivia Hennebry were all introduced into the game.

Ballyduff’s Hannah Landers closed the games scoring with a point seven minutes from the hour mark.

Next up for Waterford is an away game to Wexford who last weekend lost 2-12 to 1-9 against John Leahy’s Tipperary.

In other games due to be played on Sunday, Armagh make the long journey south to play Tipperary, Offaly have home advantage against Leitrim while Longford are at home to Sligo.

Waterford: Aimee Jordan (Abbeyside); Louise Ryan (Ballymacarbry), Ciara Dunphy (Comeragh Rangers), Mary Foley (Abbeyside); Megan O'Connor (Brickeys), Karen McGrath (Ballymacarbry), Mairead Wall (Ballymacarbry);  Michelle McGrath (Ballymacarbry), Elaine Power (Tramore); Linda Wall (Ballymacarbry), Michelle Ryan (Ballymacarbry), Roisin Tobin (Abbeyside); Aileen Wall (Ballymacarbry), Margaret Revins (Old Parish), Hannah Landers (Ballyduff Upper). Subs: Nora Dunphy (Comeragh Rangers) for Louise Ryan, Liz Devine (Na Déise) for Mairead Wall, Amy Whelan (Stradbally) for Hannah Landers, Shauna Dunphy (Comeragh Rangers) for Elaine Power, Olivia Hennebry (St Pats) for Roisin Tobin.

Scorers: Margaret Revins 2-1 Michelle Ryan 0-7 Aileen Wall 1-3 Roisin Tobin, Linda Wall, Hannah Landers 0-1  each.

Offaly: Shauna McGarrigle; Shauna Farrelly, Sinead Daly, Catherine Bennett; Emer McNally, Michelle Guinan, Katie Killeen; Dawn Hannon, Hannah McMahon; Emma Corcoran, Orlagh Heavey, Niamh Malone; Therese Hickey, Aoife Norris, Aoife Corbett. Subs: Claire O’Brien for Shauna Farrelly, Claire Connolly for Catherine Bennett, Kelly Cunningham for Theresa Hickey, Ciara McCormack for Orlagh Heavey, Maria Kelly for Kate Killeen, Donna Murray for Niamh Malone.

Scorers: Aoife Corbett 1-0, Orlagh Heavey 0-3, Emma Corcoran, Niamh Malone 0-1 each.

Referee: Jonathan Murphy