Late Scores Deny Waterford Back to Back Wins

There was heartbreak for the Waterford Senior Ladies Footballers at Fraher Field on Saturday afternoon last as back to back wins in this year’s National Football League was snatched from them by a Donegal side who hit 1-1 in added time at the end of the hour to record a first time in this year’s competition.

The home side won the toss and opted to play into the wind and early on in this game it looked as if the chance to play with the wind at their backs in those opening 30 minutes would backfire on them as the visitors who had travelled from the North West to the South East raced into an early three point lead courtesy of efforts from Nicole Gordon, Caroline Sharkey and Geraldine McLaughlin.

Waterford however had chances while playing against the wind as Liz Devine saw an effort go across the face of the goal while Aileen Wall having danced through the Donegal defence saw her effort rise high and wide of the Donegal crossbar.

After the visitors hit the first three scores of this game, the home side hit the next four to go in front. Aoife Murray who along with her sisters Katie and Emma made national headlines after the first round of games opened Waterford’s account on thirteen minutes. Kelly Anne Hogan from a free reduced the visitors lead to one before Chloe Fennell levelled matters in 22 minutes, after which Kelly Anne Hogan hit her second of the game to put Waterford in front for the first time.

Down the year’s Waterford have often had to use players more accustomed to playing outfield between the posts, but in the last two years a gem seems to have been unearthed in Rosie Landers who has played up the grades between the posts in successful Waterford sides and twice in the opening half the Ballyduff Upper lady twice pulled off great saves first from a Kathy Ward effort and later from a Geraldine McLaughlin effort. Had one or both of those efforts passed the Ballyduff Upper club player, Waterford could have been beaten by half time in this game.

Waterford’s period of dominance in front of goal came to an end late in the opening half when Geraldine McLaughlin kicked two late scores, the latter coming in stoppage time at the end of the thirty to give her side a 0-5 to 0-4 lead at the break.

Geraldine McLaughlin added to her tally at the start of the second half to extend her sides lead to two, but the sides were quickly back on level terms after Katie Murray and Kelly Anne Hogan the latter coming from a free.

Waterford took the lead on forty minutes when Chloe Fennell split the Donegal uprights, but the visitors when down field and two points from Geraldine McLaughlin both from frees gave the visitors the lead once more, but the sides were soon level once more when Chloe Fennell hit her third point of the game.

The first goal in this game came twelve minutes from time when Caroline Sharkey planted the size four low into the bottom corner of Rosie Landers goal. Katie Murray and Geraldine McLaughlin traded scores to keep three between the sides and when Katie Murray made it a two point game Waterford were looking as if they would get something from this game against a more experienced side at this level. And when the Comeragh Rangers player followed up with a goal with two minutes of normal time to play Waterford found themselves one up and that lead was doubled soon afterwards when Kelly Anne Hogan pointed to put Waterford 1-11 to 1-9 in front.

Credit Donegal however they refused to buckle under pressure and they were rewarded in stoppage time when Geraldine McLaughlin put over her eight point of the game in added time and six minutes into time added for stoppages the visitors struck a second goal, a winning score from full forward to claim the full three points on offer in this game.

Waterford: Rosie Landers; Megan Dunford, Caoimhe McGrath, Róisín Dunphy; Mairead Wall, Karen McGrath, Rebecca Casey; Emma Murray, Liz Devine; Kelly Anne Hogan, Chloe Fennell, Róisín Tobin; Aoife Murray, Aileen Wall, Katie Murray.

Subs: Aisling Baumann for Liz Devine (49), Maggie Boylan for Róisín Tobin (62), Abbie Dalton for Aoife Murray (64).

Scorers: Katie Murray 1-3, Kelly Anne Hogan 0-4 (4f), Chloe Fennell 0-3, Aoife Murray 0-1.

Donegal: Aoife McColgan; Anne Marie Logue, Emer Gallagher, Deirdre Foley; Evelyn McGinley, Kate Keaney, Niamh Carr; Nicole McLaughlin, Kathy Ward; Amy Boyle Carr, Nicole Gordon, Aisling Nee; Caroline Sharkey, Geraldine McLaughlin, Emma McCroary.

Subs: Niamh McDonald for Amy Boyle Carr (h-t), Róisín Rodgers for Anne Marie Logue (43), Niamh Boyle for Kathy Ward (43).

Scorers: Geraldine McLaughlin 0-8 (6f), Caroline Sharkey 1-1 (1f), Emma McCroary 1-0, Nicole Gordon 0-1.

Referee: K Phelan (Laois).