Waterford Fall Just Short Against Sligo

Waterford Senior Ladies Football Team suffered defeat in 2017 on Sunday afternoon when they lost out to Sligo at Cloonacool Community Park in Sligo.

Waterford made the long journey to the North West on Saturday staying close to the venue to ensure that the side took to the field with no effects of the long journey in their system.

Pat Sullivan and his management team had to make changes to the side which beat Laois two weeks previous, as regular goalkeeper Katie Hannon was ruled out and was replaced by reserve goalkeeper, Clashmore’s Jess Fitzgerald.

Roisin Tobin who played in the draw with Clare but who missed the game with Laois was back in the team, replacing Lauren Guiry who played in her place in the win against Laois.

In their two games ahead of this game in the league, Waterford have played better in the first half then in the second, and so it proved once more in this game.

To some this might well prove to be a worry but this team will not need telling that this will come right as fitness levels get better and when players who are currently missing out on a place in the team from the start are back in contention.

For Waterford it’s the championship that is most important this year, as two sides are going to be relegated to the intermediate grade at the end of the championship for 2018 and therefore while they will want to keep their division two place in the league its more important that for fitness to be peaking in June, July and August than it is in January, February and March.

The impressive Ciara Gorman opened the scoring for Sligo from a free only for Geraldine Power to cancel it out.

The same two players scored one more to lock the scores at two points each on the score board, before Waterford took control of the game.

Lauren McGregor put over a brace of scores for Waterford to give them a double score lead. The Dungarvan player has taken over free taking duties in the absence of the injured Maria Delahunty and with Michelle and Sinead Ryan not in the team, and is proving to be another option should one be needed when the side is at full strength.

Roisin Tobin and Emma Murray helped extend Waterford’s lead to four before the home side were given a chance to come right back into the game as they were awarded a penalty on twenty one minutes after Stephanie O’Reilly was fouled, but Mary Ann Kennedy’s effort was saved by Jess Fitzgerald on her inter county debut.

Waterford continued to dominate and points from Nicola Fennell and Aileen Wall followed, but Sligo would finish the half strong as they hit points from Stephanie O’Reilly and Karen Maloney with an effort from Aileen Wall in between which gave Waterford a 0-9 to 0-4 lead at the break.

While Waterford hit the first score of the second half through Lauren McGregor, the home side in the second thirty minutes proved to be the stronger side.

Ciara O’Gorman and Karen Maloney kicked points to bring the home side to within four of Waterford.

There is an old saying that goals win game and so it proved in this game.

The home side hit two of them in a five minute spell, the first coming on thirty nine minutes through Ciara Gorman and the same player five minutes later struck again to give her side a 2-6 to 0-10 lead.

Ciara Gorman brought her tally to 2-4 for the day and to give her side a 2-7 to 0-10 lead with time ticking down, but Waterford would not throw in the towel just yet as Roisin Tobin hit her second of the game.

Waterford continued to try hard to get something from the game, but the scores that they needed and deserved did not come their way and the home side held out for a two point victory.

Waterford: Jess Fitzgerald; Mairéad Wall, Michelle McGrath, Kate McGrath; Dearbhaile Ní Aodha, Caoimhe McGrath, Megan Dunford;  Karen McGrath, Hannah Power; Emma Murray,  Nicola Fennell, Geraldine Power; Róisín Tobin, Aileen Wall, Lauren Mc Gregor.

Scorers: Lauren McGregor 0-3 (2f), Nicola Fennell, Geraldine Power, Roisin Tobin 0-2 each, Aileen Wall, Emma Murray 0-1 each.

Sligo: Noelle Gormley; Michelle McNamara, Gráinne O’ Loughlin, Jacqui Mulligan; Etna Flanagan, Elise Codd, Anne Marie Coleman; Bernice Byrne, Sarah Reynolds; Laura Anne Laffey, Stephanie O’Reilly, Rachel Monaghan; Karen Maloney, Ciara Gorman, Mary Ann O’Kennedy

Scorers: Ciara Gorman 2-4 (0-4f), Karen Maloney 0-2, Stephanie O’Reilly 0-1.

Referee: G McMahon (Mayo)