First Defeat for Waterford In 2019

Waterford senior Ladies Football team suffered a first loss of 2019 in this year’s Lidl National Football League at Fraher Field today where they had to give second best to what was a very strong Armagh side.

The Ulster side travelled to Dungarvan on the back of two good wins meaning confidence was high on the long trip south, and from the evidence that those watching this game saw today it could be said that it will take a good team to stop them winning promotion this year.

However, there might be some that maybe the side might grow too confident and while they should reach the last four of the league in a knockout game anything is possible and we might see then that good side that end Armagh’s interest in the competition.

Waterford in their opening two games had a win over Wexford in round one and last time out they had a draw against Kerry in Tralee which in the bigger picture was not a bad result for any visiting side to the Kingdom.

However having dropped five points from a possible six in their last two games, if Waterford are to reach the knockout stages of the competition and better last year’s final placing where they lost out to eventual division two winners Tipperary in the semi finals Ciaran Curran cannot drop too many more points in their remaining four games, the next of which takes place in two weeks time when Cavan provide the opposition.

The visitors won the toss in this game and opted to play with the gentle breeze that blew at their backs in the first half into the town end of the ground.

The side jointly managed by Fionnuala McAtamney and Lorraine McCaffrey were always in control in this game and were 1-7 to 0-3 in front at the break.

The visitors were four points up before Waterford hit their first score of this game on nine minutes.

The brilliant Aimee Mackin opened the scoring for the visitors on two minutes and they followed it up with points from Caroline O’Hanlon, Niamh Coleman and Kelly Mallon in a four minutes spell between the fourth and eight minutes.

Waterford’s first score came off the boot of Liz Devine on nine minutes, but any hope of eating into the visitors lead were dashed within sixty seconds as Blaithin Mackin finished past Kelly Moroney in the Waterford goal after the ball was played in from the bank side of the field.

The same player added a minor score on 12 minutes and while Waterford hit the next two scores, both from Maria Delahunty frees in a two minute spell either side of the midway point in the opening half, these scores were cancelled out before the break with efforts from the long serving Caroline O’Hanlon and Kelly Mallon to go in at the break with a comfortable lead.

Both sides swapped scores at the start of the second half. Aimee Mackin who caused the Waterford defence plenty of problems throughout was first on the score sheet in the second half followed by a score from Waterford’s longest serving player Michelle Ryan.

What hopes Waterford had of getting something from this game were dashed in the third minute of the second half when Aimee Mackin sidestepped Kelly Moroney and finished to an empty net to give her side a 2-8 to 0-4 lead.

Three minutes after Shauna Grey was sin binned on 33 minutes Waterford had the ball in the visitors net, Eimear Fennell the Waterford goal getter after the ball was played quickly to her from a free, but the score in the bigger picture on the day would prove to be a mere consolation.

Aoife McCoy and Kelly Mallon from a free hit points for the visitors on 39 minutes. Aileen Wall and Kelly Mallon from a free swapped scores, before Maria Delahunty put over a free at the end of the third quarter.

Aimee Mackin scored possibly the luckiest goal of her football career on 47 minutes as her attempt for a point deceived all and fell into the Waterford new to her side 3-11 to 1-7 in front.

Aimee Mackin and Caroline O’Hanlon extended the visitors lead before the latter player was sin binned on 52 minutes by referee Stephen McNulty who at times was over fussy in some of his calls over the course of the hour.

Mackin hit the visitor’s last score of the afternoon on 55 minutes which Liz Devine who worked hard for Waterford throughout the game responded to two minutes later for the last score of the game.

The home side had their numbers cut in the third of nearly 6 added minutes in the second half when substitute Lauren McGregor was sent to the line for a sin binning.

Waterford: Kelly Moroney; Rebecca Casey, Caoimhe McGrath, Megan Dunford; Aisling Mullaney, Karen McGrath, Kate McGrath; Emma Murray, Kelly Ann Hogan; Shauna Dunphy, Maria Delahunty, Aileen Wall; Eimear Fennell, Liz Devine, Michelle Ryan.

Subs: Katie Hayes for Aisling Mullaney (40), Lauren McGregor for Shauna Dunphy (44).

Scorers: Eimear Fennell 1-1, Maria Delahunty 0-3 (0-3f), Liz Devine 0-2, Michelle Ryan, Aileen Wall 0-1 each.

Armagh: Caroline O'Hare;  Clodagh McCambridge, Maebh Moriarty, Sarah Marley; Megan Sheridan, Tiarna Grimes, Shauna Grey; Niamh Coleman, Caroline O'Hanlon; Aoife McCoy, Niamh Marley, Colleen McKenna, Blaithin Mackin, Kelly Mallon, Aimee Mackin.

Subs: Niamh Reel for Shauna Grey (59).

Scorers: Aimee Mackin 2-4, Blaithin Mackin 1-1, Kelly Mallon 0-4 (0-2f), Caroline O'Hanlon 0-3, Niamh Coleman, Aoife McCoy 0-1 each.

Referee: Stephen McNulty (Wicklow)