Carlow claim victory to move closer to All-Ireland knock-out stage
Clíodhna Ní Shé and Bronagh Nolan congratulate Aibhna Kiernan on scoring a goal in the first half against Sligo Photo: Pat Ahern
Carlow travel to London next Saturday for their final Group game knowing that they have all but secured an All-Ireland semi-final spot following their comprehensive ten-point victory over Sligo in Round 2 of Group B of the TG4 LGFA Junior Championship in SETU Campus on Sunday afternoon.
After a tight opening quarter in which the sides were level on three occasions, Carlow took control of this game as the second quarter approached following a fine Sara Doyle goal in the 13th minute. Sligo had led twice in the opening exchanges through Tara Breheny and a Leah Duffy free but Carlow drew level on each occasion through a Cliodhna Ní Shé free and one from play from Doyle. Full forward Doyle and Duffy then exchanged points before Doyle’s goal gave the Barrowsiders a lead they were never to relinquish. Only three points separated the sides when Carlow won their opening League encounter so a Sligo response was expected. The Yeates county didn’t disappoint and points by midfielder Sinead Regan and Duffy left just a single point between them at 1-3 to 0-5 in the seventeenth minute. Player of the Match, Aoibhinn Webb, got the first of her three points in the 20th minute but Sligo full forward, Ciara Gorman quickly cancelled that one out. Attack minded Carlow wing backs, Ruth Bermingham and Webb, got forward for a point each as half time approached and Ed Burke’s charges were given the platform for victory when corner forward, Aibha Kiernan, got through for their second goal on the stroke of half time and they went in 2-6 to 0-6 up.
Kiernan, Ní Shé and Doyle gave Carlow the perfect start to the second half with three quickfire points but Sligo began another fight back in the 35th minute. Centre half forward, Denise McGrath, fired over three points in a row in as many minutes. Ní Shé’s point for Carlow in the 43rd minute halted that Sligo comeback.
McGrath, with her fourth point for Sligo, reduced the deficit to six points again in the 47th minute but Webb, Ní Shé, Kiernan and substitute, Maria Healy, added points in the six minutes of added time allocated by the Referee to see Carlow emerge as comfortable winners.
Nicole Hanley; Aoife Carroll, Anne Roche, Siofra O’Neill; Aoibheann Webb 0-3, Niamh Forde, Ruth Bermingham 0-1; Róisín Bailey, Caoimhe O’Neill; Edel Hayden, Clíodhna Ní Shé 0-4 (1f), Amy Hanley; Bronagh Nolan, Sara Doyle 1-3, Aibha Kiernan 1-2. SUBS: Maria Healy 0-1 for Edel Hayden 56.
Ellen McGuire; Cora Gilligan, Claire Dunne, Aoibheann Durcan; Sarah Feeney, Ciara Walsh, Tara Breheny 0-1; Sinead Regan 0-1, Sarah Cunney; Cara King, Denise McGrath 0-4, Shona Dalton; Leah Duffy 0-3 (1f), Ciara Gorman 0-1, Anna McDaniel. SUBS: Lauren Normanly for Cora Gilligan 39, Holly Gilligan for Aoibheann Durcan 45, Aife Haran for Ciara Gorman 47, Gemma O’Callaghan for Shona Dalton 52, Rachel McGoldrick for Sarah Feeney 64.
Ian Culbert (Wicklow)
