It’s said a few times
in the last few weeks, by myself included that this year’s Munster Senior
Ladies Football Final as somewhat a novel look to it as it does not involve
Cork, the reigning All-Ireland Champions and the side that has dominated the
game in the last decade and a bit, winning so many Munster and All-Ireland
Finals as well as National League Finals.
But on closer
examination, this year’s final between Kerry and Waterford is not all that much
of a novelty final.
The two sides have met
in twelve previous Munster Finals; the most recent at this stage of the
championship came back in 2003 when Kerry ran out 2-12 to 2-10 winners.
For a Waterford win
between the two at this stage of the championship you have to go back nearly a
decade further, to 1995 when Waterford won 2-12 to 3-7, largely because this
was the time when the great Kerry side of the 80’s had broken up or was
breaking up and Clare became Waterford’s main rivals in Munster as Ladies
Football at the time was not that strong in Cork.
The two sides have met
frequently in the last two years. This Saturday’s meeting in fact is the fourth
championship meeting between the two in the last twelve months or so and at
present its the side from the Kingdom lead two one.
When the sides met at
Brosna in the round robin series of games last year it was the home side that
ran out 1-14 to 1-7 winners to book a place in the Munster Final against Cork,
who had beaten Waterford earlier in the competition at Fermoy, while the home
side went into that game with a five point win over Cork a week earlier under
their belts.
On that day, Maria
Delahunty kicked an early score for Waterford but her score was quickly
cancelled out with points from Sarah Houlihan and Bernie Breen and when Laura
Rogers passed to Sarah Houlihan on eight minutes and beat Katie Hannon,
Waterford knew that they were going to be in for a tough encounter.
Waterford won’t need
any telling this weekend that Louise Ni Mhuircheartaigh, Laura Rogers and Sarah
Houlihan will need to be closely watched in the Waterford half of the field and
in the first meeting of the two sides last year, they shared three points
before Waterford cancelled it out with a fine goal as Grainne Kenneally found
Michelle Ryan who finished to the net.
Cassandra Buckley
followed up with a point before Maria Delahunty hit a brace of frees but Kerry
went in leading 1-8 to 1-3 as Jane Lynch and Sarah Houlihan landed late first
half scores.
Waterford began the
second half brightly as Maria Delahunty pointed which was followed with a brace
of points each first from Jane Lynch and Maria Delahunty to keep Kerry in front
by four.
Kerry however weathered
the storm and Sarah Houlihan kicked three more points and Lorraine Scanlon hit
one to open up an eight point lead, and while Waterford kicked a late score
from Maria Delahunty, Waterford on a learning curve back in the senior grade
for the first time in eight years had to settle for second best on the day.
Two losses in the
Munster Championship meant that Waterford entered the All-Ireland Series at the
first round and after beating a fancied Armagh side they were pitted against
Kerry once more with Birr chosen as the venue for the game.
Waterford that day once
again had to settle for second best but Pat Sullivan’s charges got off to a
great start when Lauren McGregor found Caoimhe McGrath who fed the ball to
Gráinne Kenneally who despatched to the net with less than thirty second
played.
Kerry however quickly
responded with a brace of Laura Rogers points and one from Louise Ní
Mhuircheartaigh to level matters.
Maria Delahunty put
Waterford back in front but a brace of scores from Sarah Houlihan followed.
Róisín Tobin who is having a very good year with Waterford this year levelled
matters on thirteen minutes after which Sarah Houlihan and Maria Delahunty
swapped scores.
A goal on seventeen
minutes proved key for Kerry as Bernie Breen finished past Katie Hannon when
she was set up by Louise Ni Mhuircheartaigh. At the other end Edel Murphy did
well to deny Caoimhe McGrath and Gráinne Kenneally goals, before Maria
Delahunty put over a brace of scores.
Kerry however came back
with three points from Lorraine Scanlon, Jane Lynch and Sarah Houlihan to go
four up before Katie Hannon made a great save from Laura Rogers.
Waterford were well in
contention at the break as they went in trailing 1-9 to 1-7 after Róisín Tobin
and Lauren McGregor kicked late scores for Pat Sullivan’s side.
Waterford at the start
of the second half had to deal with a lots of pressure from Kerry who kicked
the first five scores of the half shared between Sarah Houlihan and Bernie
Breen.
Things got even harder
for Waterford when Emma Sherwood found the net for a second Kerry goal which
was followed by points from Lorraine Scanlon and Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh with
eighteen minutes remaining.
Credit must go to
Waterford and the belief that Pat Sullivan and his management team have
instilled into this brilliant group of players as they never gave up.
Grainne Kennelly was
pulled down for a penalty which was dispatched to the net by Waterford
goalkeeper Katie Hannon. Kerry however would hit back with a Laura Rogers point
and then a Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh goal but not before Katie Hannon had done
well to keep an earlier attempt out. This score put Kerry well in command,
going thirteen points up with fourteen minutes to play.
Waterford kept fighting and kicked a third
goal when Grainne Kenneally got her second of the game, but it was not to be
for a Waterford team who were without the Ryan sisters on the day, as they went
under 3-19 to 3-10, but remember, this was Waterford’s first year back playing
senior and the side were very much on a learning curve.
When the sides met at
wet and windy Fraher Field some weeks back in the first round of this year’s
Munster Championship, Waterford put in a magnificent hours work.
Waterford that day set
out their intentions from the off as Grainne Kenneally was unlucky not to have
scored a very early goal.
Kerry were first to
score through Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh but her score was cancelled out with a
brace of scores from Maria Delahunty.
Kerry showed why they
were favourites for this game when Anna Galvin and Amanda Brosnan put the size
four over Jessica Fitzgerald’s crossbar which was followed by a brace of scores
by Maria Delahunty to give Waterford a one point lead at the end of the first
quarter.
Aileen Wall extended
Waterford’s lead but points from Sarah Houlihan and Miriam O’Keeffe followed to
level matters by the twenty first minute.
Another brace of scores
from the brilliant Maria Delahunty followed which gave Waterford a two point
advantage on the score board but the visiting side would go in at the break
just one behind thanks to a late Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh score.
The first goal was
going to be important in this game and it came two minutes after the restart
when Maria Delahunty and Katie Murray combined to set up Michelle Ryan who used
every inch of her towering frame to get the ball past Laura Fitzgerald in the
Kerry goal.
Lorraine Scanlon and
Katie Murray swapped scores before Sarah Houlihan made it a three point game.
Jessica Fitzgerald on her debut at this level made a good save from Louise Ní
Mhuircheartaigh before Maria Delahunty hit her seventh score of the game and
then Waterford struck for a second goal when Róisín Tobin finished off an
Aileen Wall delivery.
Louise Ni
Mhuircheartaigh pointed with four minutes remaining as Kerry began to put
plenty of pressure on the Waterford goal. But they found a Waterford side that
closed them down at every opportunity and then attack out of their own half
with pace.
The visitors did
however did manage to get through the Waterford defence late on but there was a
degree of luck to it as Laura Rogers dipping shot managed to get in the top
corner of Jessica Fitzgerald’s net.
This is a Waterford side that will not go into
Saturday’s game short of confidence. Pat Sullivan has done a fantastic job with
the team since he took over, mixing young players he would have worked with on
the underage scene together with more experienced players that he would have
inherited from previous managers.
All going well he will
name a very strong starting team on Saturday afternoon, but he will have a big decision
to make along with his management team in does he bring the experienced Katie
Hannon back into the team in place of Jessica Fitzgerald who has done well when
called upon this year.
The rest of the team
should prove to be straight forward in picking with Kate McGrath, Caoimhe
McGrath and Megan Dunford in the full back line with Dearbhaile Ni hAodha,
Karen McGrath and Michelle McGrath in front of them.
In the middle of the
field Mairead Wall and Emma Murray have impressed up to now and should retain
their places while in attack Katie Murray, Grainne Kenneally and Róisín Tobin
form a good half forward line while the inside line of Michelle Ryan, Maria
Delahunty and Aileen Wall would strike fear into many a side.
For Kerry Aisling
Leonard is going to be key in their full back line, while Lorraine Scanlon and
Emma Sherwood are a formidable centre field pairing while just like Waterford,
Kerry have a dangerous full forward line in Sarah Houlihan, Louise Ní
Mhuircheartaigh and Laura Rogers.
Nobody in the Waterford
camp will need telling what sort of a task they face on Saturday afternoon.
They are up against a very experienced outfit who will punish any mistake or
lack of discipline shown in the Waterford defence.
But this is as has been
said many times in the last two or three years, this is an excellent Waterford
side.
If Pat Sullivan’s side
can open up an early lead as they have done against both Kerry and Cork in the
championship to date and maybe even raise an early green flag, then they will
be very difficult to beat.
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