Waterford come from behind to set up League Final Spot.

Waterford qualified for this years Division 3 Ladies National Football League Final next weekend by virtue of a hard fought victory over Leitrim in the semi final last weekend in Birr.

When the sides met in the met in the league section of the competition, three clear goals in Waterford’s favour separated the sides at full time but in truth this gave a false indication as to the gulf between the two sides.

As regular readers on here will know I have a theory that when two sides meet in close proximity I often tend to favour the loosing side for the second meeting of the two sides, but going into last weekend, I had a inkling that Waterford would come out on top, and so it proved but it was close, maybe too close for comfort for the Waterford side.

For much of the hour it looked as though Leitrim would advance to next weekend’s final against Armagh, but a large surge of late scores by Waterford was good enough to see them over the finish line.

Waterford played with the aid of a strong wind in the first half but as we all know that while the wind does not win you any game but to have it at your backs is a help. Despite playing against the wind in the first half Leitrim retired at the break holding a two point lead, but in the second half, and especially in the last quarter, as Waterford manager Pat O’Brien was able to spring experienced players from the bench to freshen up the Waterford team as players began to tire, it proved to be the winning of the game.

Despite playing into the wind, Leitrim stranded the game brightly. Roisin Fowley had an effort put out for a ’45 which was taken short to Áine Tighe and the Leitrim sharp shooter made no mistake from in front of the posts in dissecting them.

The same player put over two more points before Waterford hit their first of the game when Michelle Ryan put over a free.

Waterford hit the uprights twice in quick succession before they scored again, Michelle Ryan added to her earlier effort and Elaine Power also got in on the act.

Michelle Heslin put Leitrim back in front following some good work by Roisin Fowley and Claire Owens, and in soon got even better for the Connacht side as sisters Áine and Niamh Tighe combined well to set up Roisin Fowley for the first goal of the game.

Waterford hit back with a brace of scores from Linda Wall but one of them was to be cancelled out with an Áine Tighe effort four minutes from the break to leave Roisin Fowley’s goal separating the sides.

Time remained however for plenty of more action and Waterford put over points from Linda Wall and Michelle Ryan which left one between the sides with time ticking down, but Leitrim would go in at the break leading 1-6 to 0-7 after Áine Tighe registered her fifth point of the game.

Leitrim began the second half playing with the wind at their backs by kicking an early point through Sarah McLoughlin.

Waterford however were soon on level terms as the Wall sisters Aileen, Mairead and Linda all linked up with a delightful move which finished with Linda rattling the Leitrim net with the help of the crossbar.

Leitrim however hit back in the best possible way as their leading scorer Áine Tighe put over three points in a row, two of them coming from frees and one a great score from distance.

Waterford now had to call upon all their experience picked up in recent years. Michelle Ryan further reduced Leitrim’s advantage and when substitute Hannah Landers pointed soon afterwards the sides were level for the third time in the game with the third quarter drawing to a conclusion.

The game was now entering a crucial period and every score was going to be important, and should any side go on to raise a green flag it was going to be the winning and loosing of the game.

The ever reliable Áine Tighe looked as though she would her side back in front as she shaped up to take a free, but her effort came back off the upright. For Leitrim however Michelle Heslin was in the right place at the right time and at the second time of asking within second she made no mistake in putting the ball over the Waterford cross bar.

The sides were level once more when Mairead Wall pointed which was followed up with an effort from the impressive Michelle Ryan which gave Waterford the lead for the first time.

Leitrim now had to respond and this they did through Áine Tighe who put over a free to level matters for the second time and those at the game were beginning to wonder would the game need more time than the allotted sixty minutes to decide who would play Armagh in the final.

Waterford however would finish the game the stronger of the two sides.

Substitute registered Waterford’s second goal of the game late in the game which was followed up with an Aileen Wall point which gave Waterford a 2-13 to 1-12 advantage.

Sarah McLoughlin pulled back a point for Leitrim. Time was now almost up and had Waterford conceded again, then there was the possibility that the game would need more than the sixty allotted minutes to find a winner.

Waterford need not have any fears however as Michelle Ryan slammed a late third goal for Waterford to ensure Waterford would advance to next weekends final against Armagh after she reacted quickest to her own effort from a free coming back off the post and the Déise lady’s rounded off the scoring with the last score of the game from Shauna Dunphy.

Waterford: Amy Jordan; Nora Dunphy, Grainne Kennelly, Mary Foley; Louise Ryan, Karen McGrath, Megan O’Connor; Michelle McGrath, Elaine Power; Linda Wall, Michelle Ryan, Mairead Wall; Liz Devine, Mags Revins, Aileen Wall. Subs: Shona Curran for Louise Ryan, Grainne Enright for Megan O’Connor, Hannah Landers for Liz Devine, Shauna Dunphy for Mags Revins.

Scorers: Michelle Ryan 1-5, Linda Wall 1-3, Shauna Dunphy 1-1, Aileen Wall 0-2, Elaine Power, Hannah Landers, Mairead Wall 0-1 each.

Leitrim: Michelle Guckian; Mary Farrell, Sharon Kerrigan, Finnuala Bohan; Claire Owens, Lorraine Brennan, Anna Conlan; Sarah McLoughlin, Alanna Bohan; Claire Beirne, Niamh Tighe, Aine Heslin; Roisin Fowley, Aine Tighe, Michelle Heslin. Subs: Grainne O’Malley for Claire Beirne, Ciara McPartland for Niamh Tighe, Enya McWeeney for Alanna Bohan.

Scorers: Áine Tighe 0-10, Roisin Fowley 1-0, Sarah McLoughlin 0-2, Michelle Heslin 0-1.

Referee: Pat Kehoe (Carlow)