Larries ladies begin title defence with impressive win

JOE MALLON MOTORS KILDARE LGFA SFC – GROUP A – ROUND 1 

ST LAURANCE’S 5-11 KILCULLEN 2-8 

County champions, St Laurence’s made a perfect start to the defence of their title when they had twelve points to spare over a hard-working Kilcullen team in Round 1 of the Joe Mallon Motors Kildare LGFA SFC in Old Grange on Tuesday night. The O’Sullivan sisters, Aoibheann and Caoimhe, contributed handsomely to the margin of victory with a haul of 2-6 between them. They were well supported in the scoring charts by Maire Kealy, who scored 2-1 including a second half penalty, and Gillian Wheeler, who scored 1-2.

The game was but thirteen seconds old when full forward, Kealy, gained possession in front of goals and with a clever flick sent Aoibheann O’Sullivan through for the opening goal. By the fifth minute Kealy had accounted for another 1-1, Eimear Glancy set the former Wicklow player up for the goal.

Kilcullen could have been shellshocked by this blitzkrieg start by the Larries but to their credit they kept their composure throughout and more than held their own in the possession stakes with strong running from the likes of Molly Aspell, Ellen O’Toole and Mischa Ginty in the first half. Unlike the home side, however, the Rags found it hard to get through for early scores. Ginty, their top scorer, Jayne Peacocke with a free and Leah Tyrrell did claim three points for the visitors before half time but three points by Caoimhe O’Sullivan, another from sister, Aoibheann and one from Gillian Wheeler, after a great run, gave Larries a nine-point half time advantage at 2-6 to 0-3. 

Kilcullen wrung the changes at half time with county player, Nanci Murphy, being the most telling addition for the second thirty minutes. Although Larries halftime substitute, Megan Alcock sent the lead out to ten points early after the restart, a point from a free and one from play by Peacocke as well a one from Murphy, after she waltzed through the home defence, gave the visitors a glimmer of hope and that hope became more of a flame when Amy Tyrrell sent Caoimhe Egan through for the goal at the end of the third quarter. 

When Peacocke pointed a free for a foul on Murphy in the 46th minute to bring the deficit back to five points, the defending champions looked under pressure. That pressure was eased in the 48th minute when Alcock was fouled for the penalty and Kealy made no mistake from the spot. Ciara Wheeler added a sweet goal for Larries in the 55th minute but Kilcullen never gave up and the impressive Peacocke got through for a goal two minutes from the end of normal time. That wasn’t enough to trouble the Larries who finished with Aoibheann O’Sullivan’s second goal and a point from Ciara Dempsey to see out a comfortable victory.

ST LAURANCE’S: Chloe Wright; Grace Nolan, Elaine Marron, Sadhbh Fennin; Emma Wheeler, Ava Marron, Niamh O’Connor; Ciara Dempsey 0-1, Ciara Wheeler 1-0; Eimear Glancy, Caoimhe O’Sullivan 0-4, Gillian Wheeler 1-2; Jean Miley, Maire Kealy 2-1 (1-0 pen), Aoibheann O’Sullivan 2-2. SUBS: Megan Alcock 0-1 for Jean Miley H/T, Ailbhe Hennessy for Eimear Glancy H/T, Amy Cullen for Niamh O’Connor 56, Joanna Ryan for Maire Kealy 58.

KILCULLEN: Roisin Browne; Ava Cronin, Ellen Coleman, Brona Dooley; Molly O’Loughlin, Olivia Monaghan, Niamh Liston; Molly Aspell, Ellie O’Toole; Hannah Crowley, Mischa Ginty 0-2 (1 free), Leah Tyrrell 0-1; Amy Tyrrell, Caoimhe Egan 1-0, Jayne Peacocke 1-4 (1-0 pen, 1 free) SUBS: Nanci Murphy 0-1 for Ellen O’Toole H/T. Aoife Griffith for Ellen O’Toole H/T, Mae Cowper-Gray for Brona Dooley H/T, Aídín Gordon for Leah Tyrrell.

REFEREE: Caroline Sexton.

RESULTS 

KILDARE LGFA ROUND 1 CHAMPIONSHIP 

Joe Mallon Motors SFC – Group A 

St Laurence’s 5-11 Kilcullen2-8 

Maynooth 5-9 Sarsfields 5-11 

Joe Mallon Motors SFC – Group B 

Suncroft 2-10 Balyna 4-15 

Kill 2-3 Carbury 4-23 

Joe Mallon Motors IFC – Group A 

Kilcock 0-9 Naas 4-10 

Leixlip 1-11 Na Fianna 1-6 

Joe Mallon Motors IFC – Group B 

Raheens 1-13 Carbury 2-9 

Cappagh 1-20 Confey 1-7 

Naas Racecourse Junior “A” Championship – Group A 

Clane 5-10 Two Mile House 1-18 

Sallins 2-10 Athy 6-11 

Naas Racecourse Junior “A” Championship – Group B 

Celbridge 4-8 Milltown 4-8 

Moorefield 0-9 Rathangan 8-6 

Naas Racecourse Junior “B” Championship – Group A 

Castlemitchell 6-17 Kildangan/Nurney 1-7 

Athgarvan 0-2 Rathcoffey 4-13 

Naas Racecourse Junior “B” Championship – Group B 

Rheban 3-6 Ellistown 4-14 

Naas Racecourse Junior “C” Championship – Group A 

Ballymore Eustace 4-19 Straffard 1-10 

Naas Racecourse Junior “C” Championship – Group B 

Newtown Gaels 0-4 St Kevins 6-23