Heartache for Larries Ladies as Leinster dream comes to an end
Caoimhe O'Sullivan, who top-scored for St Laurence's, rounds Emma Ballesty of Milltown in the LGFA Leinster Senior Championship.
St Laurence's venture into the AIB Leinster LGFA Senior Club Championship came to end at the opening hurdle after a defeat in the quarter-finals.
After a superb win over Eadestown in the Kildare final, hopes were high for a run in the provincial campaign. But they came up against a superb Miltown side, and after a tough but entertaining 60 minutes it was the Westmeath champions who had four points to spare as they advanced to the semi-finals.
After the recent deluge of rain, underfoot conditions were tough for both sides, and a stiff breeze meant scoring chances were difficult to convert.
We were only three minutes in when Miltown got the perfect start after a long ball to full forward Sinead Slevin resulted in a foul. Dublin referee Ray McBride awarded a penalty and Leanne Slevin stepped up to fire high past Chloe Wright for the games opening score.
St Laurence's had to wait seven minutes for their opening score and it came courtesy of Caoimhe O'Sullivan after she got on the end of Gillian Wheeler's diagonal pass.
The next score didn't come until the the 16th minute when Leanne Slevin convert a 20 metre free. Slevin nearly had a second goal shortly afterwards but Wright did well to palm away an effort that came through a crowd of players.
Miltown would go the last 14 minutes without a score as the Larrries started to gain control around the middle. A superb defensive performance restricted the Westmeath side to shots from distance and after 17 minutes Aoibheann O Sullivan reduced the gap to two.
St Laurence's were guilty of some poor shooting and six first half wides didn't help their cause, but they closed the gap to one right on the stroke of half time. Caoimhe O'Sullivan added her second with a 30 metre effort but Miltown lead 1-1 to 0-3 at half time.
Miltown upped the tempo after the break and after a relatively quite opening half it was Sarah Dillon who hit two points in the opening eight minutes to open a three point for the third time.
It looked like the swift movement of the Westmeath champions would provide more scores, but the Larries came back into the game just as it threatened to slip away.
Marie Kealy took advantage of a ball been brought forward for dissent to reduce the gap on 43 with an free. 60 seconds later, Caoimhe O'Sullivan added her third of the afternoon, and the Kildare champions were back within a single point as we entered the final quarter.
Another free for Marie Kealy was played short when a chance to level matters was squandered. It seemed to inspire Miltown.
The next ten were all about Miltown's defence and the quick transition into attack. Aoife Kenny and Kelly Boyce-Jordan were at the heart of everything good in defence and with Leanne Slevin and Tracey Dillon driving forward from midfield four much needed points arrived. St Laurence's started to run out of ideas.
Kate Whyte fired over a brilliant score on the run and a free from Leanne Slevin opened that three point lead again. Sarah Dillon landed an inspirational point on 54 as she had to do all the hard work herself before slotting the score of the game. Despite the close attention of Niamh O'Connor, Dillon showed her class getting that yard of space to create the chance.
As the game entered the last five minutes, Lara Kiernan added her name to the Miltown scoresheet and even with six minutes of injury time to follow, the Westmeath ladies had one foot in the semi final.
St Laurence's threw everything at Miltown in the closing minutes but a Marie Kealy point was all they could manage before the final whistle.
The Westmeath champions were full value for their win and their greater experience told in the end.
Chloe Wright; Emma Wheeler, Niamh O'Connor, Niamh Miley; Elaine Marron, Ava Marron, Amy Cullen; Gillian Wheeler, Ciara Wheeler; Ailbhe Hennesdy, Miah Ryan, Louise Waters; Aoibheann O'Sullivan 0-1, Marie Kealy 0-2 (1f), Caoimhe O'Sullivan 0-3.
Jean Miley for O'Sullivan (34), Ciara Dempsey for Waters (36), Megan Alcock for Hennessy (51), Ciara Downey for Miley (56).
Karen Walsh; Emma Ballesty, Aoife Kenny, Gemma Keena; Louise Kiernan, Kelly Boyce-Jordan, Rachel Dillon; Leanne Slevin 1-2 (1-0pen, 0-2f) Tracey Dillon; Orlaith Sheerin, Grainne Byrne, Laura Kiernan 0-1; Kate Whyte 0-1, Sinead Slevin, Sarah Dillon 0-3.
Emma Murtagh for Ballesty (43), Jilly Ballesty for Boyce-Jordan (63).
Ray McBride Dublin.
