Goals cost Kildare as Dublin do just enough
The concession of second half goals to Kate Sullivan and Ellen Gribben proved pivotal at O’Dwyers GAA in Balbriggan on Sunday as Kildare fell to their third successive defeat in Division One of the Lidl National Football League.
Following an opening-round draw with Cork, Pat Sullivan’s Lilywhites lost out to Armagh and Galway and were hoping to pick up their first competitive win of 2026 and had built up a four-point lead at the midway stage in the action on the weekend just gone.
Yet their opponents Dublin were also looking to pick up their maiden victory of the league and ultimately prevailed after outscoring their provincial rivals 2-5 to 0-4 in the second half of the game.
Cappagh’s Aoife Rattigan got the ball rolling with a fifth-minute point from a right-hand angle. Kildare played with a strong wind throughout the opening period and were aiming to create a substantial gap between themselves and Dublin as a result. Moments before her sister Gillian had a shot for a point that drifted narrowly off target, Ciara Wheeler doubled the Lilies advantage with a fine score from close-range.
Rattigan went on to add her second point of the game and with Molly Aspell chipping over an excellent white flag effort on the run, Kildare were motoring along quite nicely in their third away fixture of the year.
Dublin struggled to impose themselves on the play, but that soon changed for the Jackies. Back on their panel this year after displaying some impressive form at club level with Kilmacud Crokes, Michelle Davoren was lining out in the corner-forward position for the hosts.
She has strong connections to Kildare through her father Mick Davoren (a former Lilywhite footballer) and showcased her own ability by firing a shot to the opposition net on 17 minutes.
This came as a set-back to the Lilies who suffered another blow when wing-back Hazel McLoughlin was sent to the sin-bin moments later. Yet they coped well in her absence as Dublin netminder Abby Shiels’ fine stop off an Aoife Murnane shot rebounded into the path of Rattigan - who duly finished home with considerable aplomb.
Though Sullivan was irate when raiding centre half-back Ruth Sargent wasn’t awarded a penalty, the Waterford native would have been pleased that Rattigan’s major propelled his team towards a 1-4 to 1-0 interval buffer.
This was far from insurmountable for Dublin, however, and the defending All-Ireland senior champions were firmly back in the reckoning when Niamh Hetherton kicked a superb two-pointer from the right-hand side within 60 seconds of the restart.
There was a sense Dublin were going to push on during this juncture, but Kildare dug deep in defence and also achieved some joy at the opposite end of the pitch. Despite having to deal with rainy conditions on top of the gale-force wind, the Lilies moved three points clear when Alannah Prizeman knocked over a close-in free on 38 minutes.
In the wake of this score, Dublin’s joint management team of Paul Casey and Derek Murray opted to introduce six-time All-Ireland champion Carla Rowe off the bench for her seasonal return to inter-county football. She joined another multiple Celtic Cross winner in Kate Sullivan as a substitute on the day and this influential duo left a lasting impression on this contest.
After she linked up to good effect with Hetherton off a direct ball from centre-forward Orlagh Nolan, Sullivan unleashed a powerful shot to the Kildare net in the 42nd minute. This score helped to wipe out their opponents’ cushion and thanks to a pointed free from Rowe just shy of the third-quarter mark, the Lilies found themselves in arrears for the very first time.
Kildare were continuing to create some good opportunities as the half progressed, but Mayah Doyle and Mia Doherty were desperately unfortunate to see their efforts in the 48th and 51st minutes respectively coming back off the post.
Whereas the Lilies were searching for points off these chances, a clinical Dublin raised another green flag in between these missed efforts when another substitute in the form of Gribben fired home confidently off a well-worked move.
Although Elsa Kearney also added to the Metropolitan outfit’s tally, Kildare kicked late points of their own through the boots of Prizeman, Rattigan and Aspell to reduce the gap to three with the final whistle fast approaching.
Ciara Wheeler did have an opportunity to snatch a draw in stoppage-time, but her firm strike was blocked by a Dublin defender and this ensured that Kildare came up short in the end.
Abby Shiels; Niamh Crowley, Hannah Leahy, Catarina Almeida; Sophie McIntyre, Hannah McGinnis, Niamh Donlon; Rachel Hartnett, Annabelle Timothy; Laura Grendon, Orlagh Nolan, Kate Donaghy; Michelle Davoren 1-0, Niamh Hetherton 0-2 (tp), Orla Keighran.
Kate Sullivan 1-0 for Donaghy (26), Elsa Kearney 0-1 for Keighran (h-t), Carla Rowe 0-2 (1f) for Grendon (40), Ellen Gribben 1-0 for Timothy (46), Jodi Egan for Davoren (51), Siobhan Birnie for Almeida (55), Gemma Connolly for Sullivan (64).
Corla Nallen; Emma Wheeler, Lisa Shaw, Mia Doherty; Hazel McLoughlin, Ruth Sargent, Laoise Lenehan; Nanci Murphy, Gillian Wheeler; Molly Aspell 0-2, Ciara Wheeler 0-1, Lia Reilly; Mayah Doyle, Aoife Rattigan 1-3 (0-1f), Alannah Prizeman 0-2 (2f).
Aoife Murnane for Reilly (16), Aine Mernagh for E Wheeler (19), Ruth Dillon for Rattigan (30), Aisling Irhue for Shaw (53), Rattigan for Prizeman (55).
Paul McCaughey (Westmeath).
