Second half goals prove costly as Louth exit Intermediate Championship

TG4 All Ireland Intermediate Ladies Football Championship Group 1 Round 3

Louth 0-3 Kildare 2-8

It was a day to forget for the Louth Ladies in Hawkfield last Sunday , as they succumbed to an 11-point defeat at the hands of a talented Kildare outfit, who will no doubt be looking to add an All-Ireland title to their cabinet later this summer.

Despite the final scoreline, the Wee County were right in this contest at half time, soaking up the pressure and staying in touch as they trailed by 0-6 to 0-2.

However, a mix of conceding an early second half goal from Lara Curran, coupled with the loss of the influential Niamh Rice to a yellow card soon afterwards proved decisive. It allowed the Lilys to take full control of the contest, while a second goal via Grainne Kenneally put the result beyond doubt.

Having made the quarter finals for the last two seasons, it now leaves Kit Henry’s troops on the verge of relegation having lost to both Kildare and Leitrim. They will now have to overcome Roscommon on the weekend of July 8/9th to avoid a return to the Junior ranks for the first time since 2019.

The sides traded early scores in an even opening exchange, Roisin Byrne bagging a point from a free inside the first 60 seconds, while two minutes later Louth replied via a lovely score from Kate Flood.

Louth were pushing forward fast whenever in possession, with a long, high ball into Flood near the edge of the square being their main tactic in attack.

Lauren Boyle, one of two late additions to the starting 15 prior to throw in, was another who they tried to get onto the ball as much as possible, while providing much of the ammunition from her midfield berth was the other late change Niamh Rice.

However, while their passing was going exactly where they wanted it too, Kildare were doing well in the one-on-one battles with Boyle and Flood. As the half continued, they began reading and anticipating Louth’s direct approach.

Thus, it kept the visitors’ opportunities to shoot limited and they would only find the target once more in first half.

Meanwhile the Lilys were going through the phases in the Louth half, often needing to get through two walls of defenders, given all but Boyle tended to be sacrificed from the Louth forward line as they looked to make their opponents work for every score.

But Kildare were patient, always waiting for the killer pass, which more often than not came from either Ellen Dowling or Lara Gilbert.

Five points in a row followed for the home side, with Roisin Byrne notching over three (two frees), and Dowling and Aoife Rattigan bagging one each as they opened up an early five-point cushion on 17 minutes.

Louth didn’t back down from the challenge and despite falling behind they continued to make life tough for the Lilywhites, pressurising their attackers and forcing them into mistakes.

But what was really keeping them in touch was Kildare’s shooting. They finished with five wides in the first half alone, alongside another effort being blocked down for a 45. This stopped them from getting away from Louth.

A Laura Collins free kept Kit Henry’s charges ticking over, but there was another setback just before halftime when Flood had to leave the field injured. But at 0-6 to 0-2 and having had much more time on the ball in the final few minutes, Louth fans were hopeful of a comeback.

The pressure defensively continued for the first five minutes or so after the restart, as the Wee County pushed forward on Kildare. Sadly, a mistake in midfield proved costly, as the girls in white struck the net on 35 minutes to open up a seven-point cushion.

A loose handpass from Rachel Beirith was intercepted by Grace Clifford, allowing Kildare to break down the wing. Byrne would eventually tee up Lara Curran, who managed to get free from two defenders before unleashing an accurate strike that left keeper Rebecca Lambe Fagan with no chance.

To their credit, Louth didn’t flinch and worked the ball right back up the field from the resulting kickout, but were denied a goal of their own. Lauren Boyle got free in the corner, but sadly her attempt was well saved by Mary Hulgraine.

Their chances were thwarted even more when a minute later Niamh Rice was sent to the sinbin, having been deemed to have fouled once too often by referee Kevin Corcoran.

From here the tie went into a lull, Kildare happy to sit back and let Louth chase them down. A returning Kate Flood got one back for the Wee County on 45 minutes, but it ended up being their last score of the contest.

Any hopes of comeback were completely dashed on 55 minutes. Dowling did well to get past her marker in the corner before putting it into the hands of substitute Graine Kenneally, who from close range blasted it into the net to make sure it was Kildare who progressed to the Quarter-Finals.  

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Louth: Rebecca Lambe Fagan; Eimear Murray, Caoimhe Boyle, Rachel Beirith; Seoda Matthews, Aoife Russell, Eilis Hand; Aine Breen, Niamh Rice; Mia Duffy, Aoife Halligan, Lucy Whyte; Lauren Boyle, Kate Flood (0-2), Laura Collins (0-1). Subs: Roisin Maguire for Flood (31), Holly Lambe Sally for Beirith (40), Kate Flood for Whyte (45), Michelle O’Hagan for Boyle (62), Adeen Dunne for Halligan (62).

Kildare: Mary Hulgraine; Lauren Burke, Laoise Lenehan, Aoife Clifford; Lara Gilbert, Ruth Sargent, Lauren Murtagh; Grace Clifford, Aoife Rattigan (0-1); Claire Sullivan, Neasa Dooley, Roisin Byrne (0-6, 0-4 frees); Ellen Dowling (0-1), Trina Duggan, Lara Curran (1-0). Subs: Grainne Kenneally (1-0) for Rattigan (HT), Ciara Price for Dooley (41), Orlaith Sullivan for Price (52), Mia Doherty for Duggan (58), Fiona Troute for Burke (58).

Referee: Kevin Corcoran (Mayo)