Stirring Kildare comeback falls just short
Kildare's Siofra Galvin takes on Meath's Aine Sheridan Photo: Sean Brilly
Trailing by eight points inside the last quarter Kildare staged a dramatic late fightback, outscoring Meath, 1-6 to 0-2, but it wasn’t enough and they bowed out of the TG4 Leinster LGFA SFC by the slenderest of margins at a breezy Cedral St Conleth’s Park, Newbridge on Sunday afternoon. Instead, it is Meath, managed by former Kildare goalkeeper and Allenwood man Shane McCormack, who go forward to face Dublin in the final next weekend.
While Kildare scored that late 1-6 it was the concession of 2-3 without reply in the second quarter which gave the Lilywhites a mountain to climb as they trailed by six points, 2-6 to 0-6, at half time.
Despite playing against the stiff breeze in the first half Kildare took the game to the Royals and led 0-5 to 0-3 by the 15th minute. Róisín Byrne, with two points, and Neasa Dooley exchanged early points with Kerrie Cole, Vikki Wall and Orlaith Sheehy to see the sides level on three occasions in the opening eleven minutes before two Allanah Prizeman frees for fouls on Byrne gave the Lilywhites that two points advantage at the end of the first quarter.
The second quarter belonged to Meath though as they turned the game in their favour thanks to goals from Emma Duggan and Sarah Wall as Kildare’s only response was a Prizeman point from play in first half injury time.
Meath stretched the six point half time lead out to eight points early in the second half through Duggan and Ciara Smyth points and at one point in the third quarter they led by nine points but Kildare kept the scoreboard ticking over with Prizeman frees and a point from play from substitute, Ellen Dowling.
The Kildare comeback began in the 52nd minute when Ciara Wheeler’s second attempt at goal was adjudged to have crossed the line after Meath keeper, Robyn Murray, parried her initial attempt. Another Dowling point from play and a Prizeman free brought it back to a two point game at 2-12 to 1-13 with three minutes of normal time remaining. A point from play by Ciara Smyth and a Duggan free pushed Meath out to four again before that dramatic finish where points from Mia Doherty, Byrne and Dooley brought it back to a one point game in the six minutes of injury time allowed but Kildare couldn’t deny Meath the victory, even though the Royals finished with 13 players after Emma Duggan was yellow carded in the 64th minute.
Robyn Murray; Áine Sheridan, Mary Kate Lynch, Katie Newe; Aoibhín Cleary, Sarah Wall 1-0, Karla Kealy; Orlaith Sheehy 0-1, Marion Farrelly 0-1; Megan Thynne, Niamh Gallogly 0-1, Ciara Smyth 0-2; Emma Duggan 1-6 (2 frees), Vikki Wall 0-1, Kerrie Cole 0-2 SUBS: Katie Birmingham for Orlaith Sheehy 43, Amy Gaffney for Megan Thynne 50, Megan Collins for Kerrie Cole 51, Ciara Lawlor for Marion Farrelly 60.
Mary Hulgraine; Ruth Sargent, Laoise Lenehan, Mia Doherty 0-1; Lisa Shaw, Laura Dunlea, Molly Aspell; Lauren Murtagh, Siofra Galvin; Ciara Moran, Ciara Wheeler 1-0, Neasa Dooley 0-2; Aoife Rattigan, Alannah Prizeman 0-8 (6 frees), Róisín Byrne 0-3 SUBS: Lara Gilbert for Ruth Sargent (inj) 26, Lia Reilly for Ciara Moran 40, Gillian Wheeler for Aoife Rafferty 42, Ellen Dowling 0-2 for Siofra Galvin 44, Lara Curran for Lisa Shaw 53, Ciara Price for Lauren Murtagh 62
Barry Redmond (Wexford)
