Louth ladies fight off late challenge to stay unbeaten in the National League

LIDL LADIES NATIONAL LEAGUE DIVISION 3 ROUND 3

Louth 2-10 Sligo 2-9

Despite a second half scare which saw Louth almost squander a commanding lead, the Wee County held off a Sligo fightback to retain their 100% record in Division 3 of the LGFA Leagues.

However, the division’s basement side Sligo, who have yet to register a victory, gave the Wee County an almighty fright, putting Kit Henry’s team to the pin of their collar in what was quite simply a game of two halves.

Playing with the breeze at their backs in the opening half, Louth wasted no time and took charge of proceedings, leading by 0-5 to 0-0 after 20 minutes with four of their six starting forwards all getting on the scoresheet.

Winning breeds confidence, and Louth imbued that winning feeling early on, with most of their early scores coming from hard running and set up play from Shannen McLaughlin and Aoife Halligan, Meanwhile Aine Breen was once again influential, touching the ball 19 times in the match.

A defensive turnover from Shannen McLaughlin at one end led to Lauren Boyle kicking the opening score, and McLaughlin combined with Halligan to set up Grace Treanor to convert from close range, to give Louth an early lead.

Shooting into a stiff breeze, Sligo took a myriad of their first half kick outs short, however one restart was intercepted by Louth’s Laura Collins, who fed the marauding Mia Duffy who teed up Lauren Boyle. Sligo keeper Ellen Maguire atoned for her earlier error with a fine save.

Boyle got that miss out of her system, as she was involved in the interplay for Louth’s third score, which saw Grace Treanor set up Kate Flood for her first score of the day.

After converting a free for Louth’s fourth point, Laura Collins teed up Flood to find the range again, giving the Girls in Red that five-point buffer after 20 minutes.

After another Yeats County kickout mishap, Kate Flood took advantage to fire the ball past Maguire to stretch Louth’s lead even further with the opening goal. Laura Collins once again turned provider for another Flood score, who was simply on fire.

The same could not be said for Sligo, who struggled to find the range in that stiff breeze at the clubhouse end of Darver, with Anthony Brennan’s side only registering 0-1 from 12 shots. Tara Philips (via a free) doing the honours.

Along with poor shooting, Sligo did struggle to break down Louth’s defensive shape, with Caitlin O’Reilly executing a perfect example of bravery with a wonderful block as the sound of the ball ricocheting off her hands sent shockwaves around Darver, with Eimear Murray, Caoimhe Boyle and Eilis Hand also defending stoutly.

Laura Collins once again got an assist for Lauren Boyle who converted from play to make it 1-7 to 0-1 in the Wee County’s favour at the break. The second half came, and it was roles reversed with Sligo having the wind advantage.

Centre half back Lisa Powell epitomised this spirit with a hard run and point just minutes after the restart, which was the first of three consecutive points for the team wearing their traditional black jerseys.

In a fine passage of play, Sinead Regan, Leah Duffy and Powell combined to set up Sarah Curley who landed their third point, while the lively Tara Philips also found the range to leave six between the sides inside 39 minutes.

Louth tried to settle themselves down, and substitute Aoife Russell landed their first score of the half to restore a seven-point lead following more set up play by Aine Breen and Mia Duffy.

Sligo continued to give Louth something to think about, and they set the cat amongst the pigeons when Leah Duffy’s deflected effort hit the top corner to give her side hope, making it 1-8 to 1-4 after 40 minutes.

Louth’s hearts were in their mouths once again, when Sligo sub Megan McCormack blazed wide with the goal at her mercy moments later.

Laura Collins and Sinead Naughton traded free kicks, but you felt the tide was turning, with Sligo a much more dangerous proposition in this period.

Louth were on the ropes, however a timely intervention from another sub in Niamh Rice saw the Cooley player intercept a vital Sligo kickout.

She duly found Dearbhla O’Connor who saw Laura Collins in space. She finished superbly to the net, which appeared to seal a third win for Kit Henry’s side, who were now 2-10 to 1-5 in front with eight minutes left.

Rice continued her influence on the game with another big set up play that almost saw her combine with Collins for another major, only for the goal to be chalked off for being in the square when the ball was delivered.

You felt as though that it was a case of Louth closing the game out. However, you would be wrong as that was the last score Louth would register as Sligo managed a late fightback of 1-4 to set up a tense finish.

Akin to Sligo’s kickouts in the first half, Louth coughed up possession several times from short kickouts, with one such kickout falling straight to Sinead Regan whose lobbed effort flew over the bar and not under it.

Another short kickout, led to Tara Philips setting up sub Rachel O’Brien who fired to the bottom corner to set up a grandstand finish, and despite scores from Caoimhe Connor (0-2) and Megan McCormack, Sligo were denied at the finish.

Young defender Caoimhe Boyle produced a goal saving block as The Wee County just managed to hang on for a third league win on the bounce, one that leaves them second behind Kildare in Division 3.

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The Commentary Box: The Gerry Malone Column

Sligo: Ellen Maguire; Isabella Henry, Clare Dunne, Ciara Scanlon; Sarah Curley (0-1), Lisa Powell (0-1), Tara Brehony; Sarah Reynolds, Sinead Regan (0-1); Caoimhe Connor (0-2), Nicola Brennan, Leah Duffy (1-0); Tara Phillips (0-2, 0-1 free), Sinead Naughton (0- 1 free), Aoife Haran. Subs: Kate Hosey for Reynolds (25), Megan McCormack (0-1) for Haran (25), Rachel O’Brien (1-0) for Naughton (53).

Referee: Peter McCaughey