Classy Carlow cruise into Leinster Final
Carlow’s Aoibhinn Webb tries to escape the grasp of Offaly’s Nicole Buckley.
Carlow are through to the TG4 Leinster Junior Football Championship Final after another hugely impressive victory, beating Offaly by ten points on a beautiful Saturday afternoon in SETU.
Offaly got off to a great start, but goals from Cliodhna Ni She and Aibha Kiernan had Carlow up by five at half time. The hosts kicked on after the break as further goals from Aoibhinn Webb and Maria Healy put the result beyond doubt.
The game was a dead rubber for Carlow, who were already assured of their place in the provincial decider following comprehensive wins over Longford and Kilkenny.
Offaly needed to match or better Longford's result in their game against Kilkenny to guarantee a place in the final; but Longford ran out 5-25 to 0-1 winners, overturning Offaly's substantial points surplus.
All of which means that Carlow and Longford will collide this coming Saturday when the sides converge upon Newbridge for the Leinster Final.
Carlow were made to absorb a huge amount of pressure early on, with Caoimhe Lynam kicking Offaly into the lead with a free in the third minute. A great run from Anna Grehan produced a second score in the seventh minute before a long-range effort from Emma Hand a minute later gave the visitors their third.
Carlow were level in the 11th minute, however, when Sara Doyle kept play alive, preventing the ball from going out before popping it back into the danger zone where Cliodhna Ni She was on hand to slip the ball beyond Lauren Dunne and into the Offaly net.
Doyle then kicked back-to-back scores to move the home side two points in front midway through the half.
Aoibhinn Webb had drifted across to the opposite wing where she delivered a fabulous ball across the face of goal, with Aibha Kiernan arriving to palm the ball goalward with 19 minutes on the clock.
Emma Hand pulled one back for Offaly but that was soon cancelled out with a lovely score at the other end from Webb.
Carlow were guilty of inviting a lot of pressure on their back line in the first half, but their defence proved up to the task, with Offaly reduced to speculative, long-range shots that did not land.
Despite the slow start, it was the hosts who led at the interval, with a scoreline of 2-3 to 0-4 giving Carlow a five-point cushion at half time.
The second half began with scores from Sara Doyle, Megan Townsend and Cliodhna Ni She as Carlow stretched their lead to eight points.
But all that work was undone when Offaly broke free and Marie Byrne played in Saorah Doyle who raised a green flag for the visitors with 37 minutes played. Caoimhe Lynam knocked over a point moments later to leave four in the difference with 20 minutes remaining.
Ed Burke began emptying the Carlow bench after that. The substitutes added a renewed sense of vigor as Sara Doyle pointed brilliantly again from distance.
Lynam cancelled that score with free at the other end, but the hosts turned it on then, with substitute Maria Healy scoring two superb points either side of a third Carlow goal courtesy of Aoibhinn Webb. The Bennekerry-Tinryland star found herself on the opposite wing once again, going herself on this occasion, as the ball looped over the head of Lauren Dunne and into the net.
Offaly replied with scores from Lynam and Eve Kelly, but Carlow bombed forward again where Healy danced beyond three defenders before tucking the ball home for a fourth goal of the afternoon for he side.
That brought an end to proceedings, with Carlow safely through to the Leinster final on the back of a 100% campaign.
Maria Healy 1-2, Aoibhinn Webb and Cliodhna Ni She 1-1 each, Sara Doyle 0-4, Aibha Kiernan 1-0, Megan Townsend 0-1.
Caoimhe Lynam 0-4 (2f), Saorah Doyle 1-0, Emma Hand 0-2, Anna Grehan and Eve Kelly 0-1 each.
Shannen Cotter (Bennekerry-Tinryland); Aoife Carroll (Kildavin), Anne Roche (Old Leighlin), Niamh Murphy (St Anne's); Aoibhinn Webb (Bennekerry-Tinryland), Niamh Forde (Old Leighlin), Ruth Bermingham (Bennekerry-Tinryland); Roisin Bailey (St Anne's), Caoimhe O'Neill (Old Leighlin); Kate Burke (Old Leighlin), Cliodhna Ni She (Bennekerry-Tinryland), Amy Hanley (Old Leighlin); Megan Townsend (Eire Og), Sara Doyle (St Brigid’s), Aibha Kiernan (St Brigid’s).
Maria Healy (St Anne's) for Kiernan (HT), Sarah Nolan (Bennekerry-Tinryland) for Burke (41), Beibhinn Nolan (Old Leighlin) for Murphy (44), Bronagh Nolan (Old Leighlin) for Ni She (47), Grace Lawlor (Bennekerry-Tinryland), for Townsend (53).
Lauren Dunne; Brooke McDermott, Roisin Mealiff, Saoirse McGuinness; Fiona Dempsey, Roisin Ennis, Nicole Buckley; Meabh Rouse, Emma Maher; Faith McDermott, Caoimhe Lynam, Anna Grehan; Marie Byrne, Saorah Doyle, Emma Hand.
Eve Kelly for McDermott (40), Ava Dolan and Tara Tyrell for Rouse and Dempsey (both 48).
Brian Foley (Wicklow).
