First win of the year for Kildare senior ladies
Kildare's top scorer, Aoife Rattigan, under pressure from Meath's Sarah Wall and Niamh Gallogly in their NFL Division 1 clash at Manguard Plus Park, Hawkfield. Photo: INPHO/Grace Halton
The Kildare senior ladies welcomed Meath to Manguard Plus Park on Saturday evening, with the Lilywhites picking up their first victory in Division 1 of this season's Lidl National Football League after a hugely impressive display under the floodlights.
Goals in the first half from Gillian Wheeler and Mayah Doyle, and subsequent green flags raised by Alannah Prizeman and Aoife Murnane in the second half helped Kildare to a seven-point win over the Royals.
Following an opening-round draw with Cork, Pat Sullivan’s Kildare side lost out to Armagh, Galway and Dublin in each of their previous three games prior the weekend. Meath, on the other hand, came to Hawkfield on the back of their second win of the campaign - a magnificent victory over then table-toppers, Waterford.
The game was slow to get going in terms of scores, but once Kildare finally got the ball rolling they never looked back, leading 2-6 to 0-4 at half time.
They again dominated the third quarter to put the result beyond doubt.
Meath put some respectability on the scoreline with 1-4 in the final 15 minutes, but only after Kildare had taken their foot off the accelerator.
Corla Nallen; Aoife Mernagh, Mia Doherty, Hazel McLoughlin 0-1; Lisa Shaw, Ruth Sargent, Laoise Lenehan; Nanci Murphy, Gillian Wheeler 1-0; Aoife Murnane 1-1, Ciara Wheeler, Molly Aspell; Aoife Rattigan 0-6 (5f), Mayah Doyle 1-0, Alannah Prizeman 1-0.
Ruth Dillon for Prizeman (44), Laura Dunlea for Doyle (48), Meabh McDonagh for C Wheeler (53), Siofra Galvin for Shaw (55), Aisling Irhue for Murphy (60).
Robyn Murray; Aine Sheridan, Orla Smith, Karla Kealy; Sinead Murphy, Sarah Wall, Katie Bermingham; Orlaith Sheehy, Niamh Gallogly 0-1; Marion Farrelly 0-1 (f), Meadhbh Byrne, Megan Thynne; Emma Duggan 0-3 (1f), Rachel Casserly 1-4, Orla Finnegan 0-1.
Ciara Smyth for Finnegan (HT), Lauren Woods for Farrelly (39), Ciara Lawlor for Kealy (48), Alannah Reilly and Meena McConnnell for Byrne and Murphy (both 49), Olivia Gore for Sheehy (52), Aoife Farrell for Bermingham (57).
Anthony Marron (Dublin).
