Waterford goes top with big win over Kildare

Waterford moved to the top of Division 2 of this year’s National Ladies Football League with a comprehensive win over Kildare at the WIT Arena on Saturday afternoon.

Waterford welcomed Maria Delahunty and Michelle Ryan into the team for the first time this year and the experienced duo both played a major part in recording a fifteen point win for the home side.

While Waterford included Maria Delahunty and Michelle Ryan for the first time, they were without a number of first team regulars. Katie Hannon is out with an injury and Gráinne Kenneally is out because of her involvement with the Irish Army on UN Duty. Karen McGrath and Aileen Wall were amongst the subs while Michelle McGrath while listed was not considered for selection.

Kildare made the journey down the M9 having lost all of their three previous games in this year’s league which gave Waterford confidence of getting a second win under their belt in this year’s league and also hoped to add considerably to their score difference on the league table. The game also gave Pat O’Sullivan to blood some new talent which he has brought into the panel in the last year or two and they did not fail to impress.

Waterford defended the dressing room end of the main field in the first half of this game and got off to a good start when Lauren McGregor who has deputised for Maria Delahunty and Michelle Ryan on free taking duty, opened the scoring on three minutes when she put over a placed ball from the right hand side of the field.

Three minutes later from the opposite side of the field, Maria Delahunty put over another free to extend the home sides lead and a minute later following some good work by Mairead Wall and Michelle Ryan, Maria Delahunty again split the Kildare posts this time from play.

Kildare opened their account on nine minutes when Róisín Byrne put over a free, but the score failed to get the Lilly-whites going as Waterford again moved up a gear.

Róisín Tobin who is in fine form for Waterford this year extended Waterford’s lead on eleven minutes and a minute later Geraldine Power made it a four point lead.

By the midway point in the first half Waterford had further stretched their lead as Michelle Ryan and then Lauren McGregor from a free had the umpire reaching for the white flag.

Leading 0-7 to 0-1 as the game entered its second quarter Waterford went even further in front after the side worked the ball in well from the middle of the field towards the Kildare goal and once Maria Delahunty got procession of the ball she made no mistake from close range in rattling Aoife Molyneaux net.

Kildare enjoyed a bit of a purple patch in the minutes that followed as Roisin Byrne put over a brace of points four minutes apart and followed it up with a point from Ellen Dowling six minutes from time to leave Kildare trailing 1-7 to 0-4.

However, Waterford finished the half the stronger of the two sides as they were for much of this game as Maria Delahunty kicked a brace of points which gave Waterford a 1-9 to 0-4 lead at the interval.

Scores were hard won by in the opening minutes of the second half. Kildare were somewhat unlucky to have their numbers cut six minutes after the restart when Rachel Cribbin was issued a yellow card by referee Kevin Phelan which meant she had to watch the next ten minutes from the Kildare dug-out.

Michelle Ryan opened the scoring for Waterford only for Molly Price to cancel it out with a free on forty-three minutes. Maria Delahunty and Michelle Ryan followed up with points to give Waterford 1-12 to 0-5 lead with the game about to enter its final quarter.

With Waterford in control, the Waterford management team began to empty their bench and those that came on also played a part in this win.

Katie Murray got her name on the score sheet on forty six minutes and a minute later Aileen Wall smashed the ball past Aoife Molyneaux for a second Waterford goal, which came about after Waterford won the restart after Katie Murray’s score.

Roisin Byrne hit her sides last score of the game nine minutes from time.

While Waterford had this game won, they still pressed on for as many scores as they could in case Score Difference would be needed at the end of seven rounds of games, and they were rewarded when first Nicola Fennell split the posts just before she was replaced and moments later Eimear Fennell got her name on the score sheet helping Waterford to what was a much deserved win.

Next up for Waterford is a tricky trip to Ulster to play Cavan on March 19 while the day before Kildare have home advantage against Sligo.

Waterford: Jessica Fitzgerald; Mairead Wall, Caoimhe McGrath, Dearbhaile Ni hAodha; Rebecca Casey, Megan Dunford, Hannah Power; Emma Murray, Nicola Fennell; Maria Delahunty, Geraldine Power, Katie Murray; Roisin Tobin, Michelle Ryan, Lauren McGregor. Subs: Aileen Wall for Roisin Tobin (40), Hannah Landers for Lauren McGregor (47), Karen McGrath for Hannah Power (47), Eimear Fennell for Emma Murray (53), Chloe Fennell for Michelle Ryan (53), Aoife Murray for Maria Delahunty (57), Lauren Guiry for Nicola Fennell (57), Caragh McCarthy for Megan Dunford (59), Kate McGrath for Mairead Wall (59)

Scorers: Maria Delahunty 1-5 (0-3f), Aileen Wall 1-0, Michelle Ryan 0-3, Lauren McGregor 0-2, Roisin Tobin, Geraldine Power, Katie Murray, Nicola Fennell, Eimear Fennell 0-1 each.

Kildare: Aoife Molyneaux;  Tara Hallinan, Rose Mernagh, Rachel Cribbin; Shauna Kendrick, Rachel Corrigan, Trina Duggan; Roisin Byrne, Aisling Curley; Orlaith Kirwan, Molly Price, Eadaoin Connolly; Louise Scully, Ellen Dowling, Mikaela McKenna. Subs: Joanne Mulligan for Tara Hallinan (27), Grace Clifford for Eadaoin Connolly (HT), Aine Mulligan for Ellen Dowling (51), Chloe Foy for Grace Clifford (59), Aoife Wosser for Aoife Molyneaux (60).

Scorers: Roisin Byrne 0-4 (2f), Ellen Dowling, Molly Price 0-1 each.

Referee: Kevin Phelan (Laois)