Carlow stutter to seven-point victory over Longford in Leinster opener
The Carlow team that beat Longford in the opening round of the TG4 Leinster JFC on Saturday afternoon in Emmet Park.
The Carlow Ladies were in Emmet Park on Saturday afternoon at the home of Killoe Young Emmets to kick-start their TG4 Leinster Junior Football Championship against Longford.
The format sees Carlow, Longford, Offaly and Kilkenny compete in a round robin, with the top two teams facing off in the final in mid May.
Carlow were nowhere near their best and struggled to impose their game on a very stubborn Longford side. Ed Burke's team ultimately won the game by seven points, thanks in no small part to goals from St Brigid’s forward Aibha Kiernan.
Carlow were the better team for most of the first half, but for all their dominance led by just two points at the break - and could have been a point behind had in not been for a crucial intervention from goalkeeper Nicole Hanley. The game remained tight until the final quarter where the visitors eventually pulled away to leave with the win.
Carlow reached the Leinster Junior final in 2025 and as such came into the championship as favourites alongside an Offaly side who were relegated from Intermediate last year.
Carlow’s credentials are further backed up by their recent National Football League Division 4 success, a title they won after an unbeaten campaign that included a 22-point win away to Longford at the start of March. But this was a different Longford side that arrived in Emmet Park and Dave Lamber's charges put in an excellent defensive performance, pushing Carlow to the pin of their collar.
The visitors took the lead early through Bronagh Nolan but that was soon cancelled out by Kamille Burke after Longford broke on the counter attack, before a free from Aoife Darcy nudged the hosts in front after ten minutes.
A free from Cliodhna Ni She brought Carlow level and they were back in front when Nolan pointed again, reacting fastest after Aibha Kiernan had rattled the crossbar.
Another free from Darcy levelled matters midway through the half, but Carlow went route-one from the kick-off out, getting the ball to Kiernan who made no mistake from close range to raise a first green flag of the afternoon in the 18th minute.
Carlow were dominating possession and territory, but struggled to break down a stubborn Longford defence, with hosts content to play on the break. Ni She extended the lead in the 24th minute, but Darcy third free brought the gap back to three points.
Longford finished the half in the ascendancy, with Sorcha Dawson finishing another breakaway move. The hosts were then awarded an injury-time penalty when Katie Crawford was hauled down in front of goal. Michelle Farrell took the responsibility, but Carlow goalkeeper Nicole Hanley produced a wondrous save to keep her side in front at half time, up 1-4 to 0-5.
Both sides had scoring chances after the restart but it was Carlow who broke the second-half deadlock with another free from Cliodhna Ni She five minutes in. The visitors were unable to build on that momentum, however, while Longford were much more clinical as Darcy pointed a free of her own in the 40th minute.
Carlow became increasingly reliant on dead balls as their attack just never got going. Ni She landed a close-range free to stretch the lead to three points heading into the final quarter.
Longford were almost level only for Lauren Maguire's shot to come back off the crossbar. Shauna Hagan knocked over the rebound, but a scintillating run through the middle from Carlow captain Roisin Bailey set up Aibha Kiernan to score her second goal with just 12 minutes left on the clock.
Darcy cut the gap to four points with another free, but Ruth Bermingham cancelled that out with a well-taken score heading into the final five minutes.
Carlow then put the game to bed when Kiernan added to her tally before Bailey knocked over two lovely scores of her own.
Darcy kicked a consolation score at the end of the game for Longford, but the day belonged to Carlow.
Ed Burke's side are at home this coming weekend when they welcome Kilkenny to SETU.
Aoife Daly 0-6 (5f), Kamille Burke, Sorcha Dawson and Shauna Hagan 0-1.
Carlow: Aibha Kiernan 2-1, Cliodhna Ni She 0-4 (3f), Bronagh Nolan and Roisin Bailey 0-2 each, Ruth Bermingham 0-1.
Aoife Cooney; Aisling Scanlon, Leanne Keegan, Emma Doris; Sorcha Dawson, Emma Bleakley, Emma Farrell; Sian Gallagher, Shauna Hagan; Aoife Nolan, Michelle Farrell, Hannah Burke; Katie Crawford, Kamille Burke, Aoife Darcy.
Lauren Maguire for Dawson (HT), Funami Talabi for M Farrell (34), Amy Creegan for McGrath (48), Rachel Fallon for Doris (55).
Nicole Hanley (Old Leighlin); Aoife Carroll (Kildavin), Anne Roche (Old Leighlin), Siofra O'Neill (Old Leighlin); Aoibhinn Webb (Bennekerry-Tinryland), Niamh Forde (Old Leighlin), Ruth Bermingham (Bennekerry-Tinryland); Roisin Bailey (St Anne's), Caoimhe O'Neill (Old Leighlin); Edel Hayden (Eire Og), Cliodhna Ni She (Bennekerry-Tinryland), Amy Hanley (Old Leighlin); Megan Townsend (Eire Og), Bronagh Nolan (Old Leighlin), Aibha Kiernan (St Brigid’s).
Sara Doyle (St Brigid's) for Townsend (34), Niamh Murphy (St Anne's) for S O'Neill (4).
Angela Gallagher (Dublin).
