Waterford Ladies Seek First Win in National Football League

Waterford have home advantage at the WIT Arena at Carriganore on Sunday afternoon against Laois in the second round of games in this year’s Lidl sponsored National Ladies Football Division Two League Campaign.

This game no doubt will bring back many memories to some that travelled to Croke Park in 1991 and again in 1992 for when the two counties clashed in the Senior All-Ireland Final in both yeas, where victory when on both occasions when to Michael Ryan’s side, winning the first and second of their five All-Ireland titles in eight years, and saw many of those involved adding senior medals to the Junior medal that they won when they beat Wexford at the same venue in 1986, the first time a Ladies football All-Ireland final was played at G.A.A. Head-quarters.

Both sides last weekend got something from their respective opening round of games.

Laois at Annanough had a 2-11 to 2-9 against the 2016 All-Ireland Intermediate Champions Kildare, while Waterford at Carron had a 2-6 to 1-9 draw over the 2016 All-Ireland Intermediate Runners up Clare.

In Laois’ game Kildare looked as if they were going to get something from the game, but two injury time points from teenager Emma Lawlor saw the home side claim a hard fought win.

They will know however that they were extremely lucky to get something from as at one stage in the second half they found themselves playing with twelve players as a result of the sin bin rule used in ladies football, something in the view of yours truly that should be brought into the men’s game in the way it is used in Ladies Football. However, Kildare failed to capitalise on the fact that Laois were playing with a disadvantage, and in truth, it could be argued that Laois played their best football while they were at a disadvantage numerically.

Laois played that game without a number of their senior players but they showed great battling qualities, taking the lead for the first time in the game on 53 minutes.

They will travel to the WIT Arena confident that they can get something from this weekend’s game after the way they battled to beat Kildare, and with the likes of Jenny and Mags McEvoy, Megan Dunne, Emma Lawlor, Clare Conlon, Erone Fitzpatrick, Noirin Kirwan, Mo Nerney and Caoimhe Simms in their panel they have the players to get a favourable result.

Waterford last weekend made the long journey to Carron to play Clare and they too showed tremendous ability.

Waterford were without a number of players that played so well for Waterford in recent years, but still had a strong enough panel out on the day to get something from the game.

Played with a strong wind blowing, Waterford had first use of it and turned around with a 1-6 to 0-4 lead on the score board, the Waterford goal coming from Lauren McGregor, who would also hit a second goal in the second half, a score which was to be Waterford’s only one in the half, which might give an indication as to how strong the wind was on the day.

Waterford manager Pat Sullivan should be given tremendous praise for what he has done for Waterford in the last few years. He inherited an experienced outfit to which he added some of the players that he has worked with on the underage scene for a few years before taking over the senior side, and he has not been afraid to add some of the best young players which he has worked with in recent years to the group, and they have not let him down.

Waterford last year in their first year back in the senior grade after winning the All-Ireland Intermediate title in 2015 showed that they are more than able to hold their own in the grade, putting it up to Cork and Kerry in the Munster Championship and then beating a fancied Armagh side in the qualifiers.

Moving out of Division Three is something that will help Waterford even further. This year in the league, while Waterford would love to finish in the top four, which is not beyond the ability of the panel, to retain their division two place must be the primary objective to the side in this year’s league.

As pointed out, this is something that the side are very capable of.

With the likes of Katie Hannon in goal, Mairead Wall, Michelle McGrath, Caoimhe McGrath and Megan Dunford in defence, Karen McGrath and Hannah Power in the middle of the field and Emma Murray, Aileen Wall, Lauren McGregor and Lauren Guiry in attack as we saw last week against Clare, Waterford have a strong outfit.

And if Waterford are able to add some of their more experienced players to the starting team this weekend and in the games in the coming weekends, then Waterford will be a match for most if not all sides in this division.

After losing two points last weekend against Clare (remember there is three points for a win in the league in both Ladies Football and Camogie), it’s important that Waterford get a win in this game and move up the table. Can they do this? I think they can.