Four first half goals saw Louth Ladies ease to victory
Louth 4-20 Kilkenny 1-1
Four first half goals saw Louth ease to victory over Kilkenny in the Gaelic Ground, Drogheda on Sunday afternoon.
Those goals saw Louth lead by 4-5 to no score at the break, with Clan na Gael’s Ciara Woods helping herself to a first half hattrick. The other goal was scored by the Glen Emmets’ Rachel Leonard.
However, the Wee County would not have been happy with amassing nine scores from 19 first half shots, as they finished with 15 wides by the end of play, despite dominating possession.
This supremacy saw Kevin Larkin’s side win 21 out of 40 on Kilkenny’s kickout, with Aoife Russell, Moya Corrigan, Aoife Halligan, Shannen McLaughlin and Gemma McCrave all getting their hands to breaking ball on the kickout. Midfielder Halligan finished with 19 possessions in this victory.
Louth would have also been happy to get a full game into the returning Mia Duffy. The St Kevins player helped herself to 0-3 in her first game since returning from a long term injury.
Minor players also flourished on the day, with Moya Corrigan and Zara Sweeney handed starts, while another member of this year’s minor panel, Grace Keenan also entered the fray at half time.
Following early scores from Zara Sweeney and Eimear Byrne, Louth raised their first green flag thanks to Ciara Woods, who was found by a clever Kate Flood footpass after 10 minutes.
Ciara Woods was awarded a place on the starting team, having played a key part in Louth’s late comeback win over Limerick last week coming off the bench.
Woods made the most of this, firing in her second goal from close range, after collecting an Aoife Russell shot which dropped short.
Eimear Byrne, Lucy White and Zara Sweeney tagged on further points, before Eimear Byrne teed up Rachel Leonard, who drove the ball to the bottom corner for Louth’s third major.
Goal number four arrived soon after, which saw Ciara Woods seal her hattrick, which was set up by Aoife Russell, who finished with 33 possessions over the hour.
Louth was ahead by 4-5 to no score at the break, lead which could have been bigger, having had the majority of possession and attacks in that half.
Second Half:
Louth kept the scoreboard ticking following the restart, thanks to Mia Duffy, Zara Sweeney (2), and Rachel Leonard, 3 minutes after the restart.
Two more points from Leonard (including 1 free), Mia Duffy, and Aoife Russell, left Louth ahead by 4-13 to no score by the end of the third quarter.
Mia Duffy, who finished with 15 possessions over the hour, then set up Grace Keenan to score from play, before the same player added her third score of the game.
Before the end, subs Seóna Halligan (2) and Emma Gartlan added their names to the scoresheet, which featured ten different players in the end.
Despite being second best, Kilkenny continued to battle and scrap for every ball, and they were rewarded with a well-taken goal from wing forward Sarah Dunne, who worked tirelessly for her team. Dunne collected a clever pass from Ruth Crowley, who also continued to battle for the Kilkenny cause, as did defender Ailbhe Galwey, while Kate Purcell landed their first score with a close range free.
As anticipated, Louth won emphatically, leaving them with four points after their first two games of their group. Kevin Larkin’s side are on the road for their next assignment, when they take on Derry.
Louth: Rebecca Lambe Fagan; Moya Corrigan, Eimear Murray, Victoria Fee; Gemma McCrave, Shannen McLaughlin, Aoife Russell (0-2); Mia Duffy (0-3), Aoife Halligan; Zara Sweeney (0-5), Eimear Byrne (0-2), Lucy White (0-1); Rachel Leonard (1-3) (1f), Kate Flood, Ciara Woods (3-0).
Subs: Emma Gartlan 0-1 for Byrne (HT), Grace Keenan 0-1 for Flood (HT), Seóna Halligan 0-2 for McLaughlin (35), Caoimhe Boyle for Murray (46), Katie Halligan for Fagan (47).
Kilkenny: Jane Ryan; Emma Stewart, Ailbhe Galwey, Leah Brett; Jennifer O’Keefe, Riona Crowley, Siadhbh Mooney; Ruth Crowley, Sarah Smith; Sarah Dunne (1-0), Kate Purcell (0-1) (1f), Niamh Ward; Rionach Butler, Alessandra Audoire, Emma Devoy.
Subs: Danica Tervit-Kruger for Devoy (40), Kate Ryan for Audoire (53), Sarah Corcoran for Mooney (55).
Referee: Anthony Campbell (Co Derry).