Brave Reds hold out for glorious Leinster victory

3-8 3-6

LOUTH U16 Ladies are the new Leinster ‘B’ Champions after beating Westmeath on a 3-08 to 3-06 scoreline in Clane on Sunday.

Westmeath went into the final unbeaten in 2016 but Louth got ahead early and held the lead throughout a tight encounter with the entire Louth team showing great resilience to keep Westmeath out as they piled on the pressure during the six minutes of added time at the end of the game.

The wet weather on the day led to a number of handling errors from both teams. After a quarter of an hour the rain stopped and with conditions drying in the second half the standard of football improved from both sides.

Louth started the better of the two sides but despite dominating possession they failed to create many scoring chances. Captain Ciara Woods and Niamh Rice did manage to convert to give Louth a two point lead after ten minutes.

Louth’s backs defended exceptionally throughout but they were breached for the first time on fifteen minutes as Westmeath reduced the gap to one.

Louth responded with the opening goal of the match. The ball was worked down the right wing and Lauren Boyle played a great ball across the pitch to the space in front of the goals which led to a race for the ball between Niamh Rice and the Westmeath goalkeeper.

Louth’s speedy corner forward won the race to the ball, but only just and as she fisted the ball to the open net the keepers’ fist made contact with Rice’s face as she attempted to punch the ball clear. Bronagh McArdle and Boyle added further points for Louth with Westmeath adding a solitary point in reply leaving Louth five points ahead as half time approached.

Westmeath were handed a route back into the match as a ball played over the Louth full back line caused a moment’s hesitation between Orla McEvoy and Keeper Grainne Boyle which allowed the Westmeath corner forward to nip in between the two and she was pushed over as she went to strike the ball resulting in a penalty for Westmeath.

The penalty was well struck low to Boyle’s left and found the back of the net, reducing Louth’s lead to two points with the last kick of the first half. The half time score was Louth 1-04 Westmeath 1-02.

Louth knew that the penalty would give Westmeath a lift heading into the second half but they were determined not to give the girls from The Lake County a way back into the game and started the half on the front foot.

Woods got Louth’s opening point of the second half before left half back Seoda Matthews made a great run down the wing and found herself through on goal after a quick one-two with McNally 20 metres out and Matthews kept her composure to finish to the back of the net off the inside of the far post to give Louth a six point lead. Westmeath remained in contention with two points from frees.

Having set up Matthews goal earlier in the half McNally turned finisher with a good finish to the bottom corner after a good team move up the right of the pitch with Boyle again playing the role of provider.

Two minutes later McNally returned the favour setting up Boyle for a shooting opportunity with Boyle happy to take her point. Louth were leading 3-06 to 1-04 heading into the final quarter. Westmeath again

pointed from a free kick. With ten minutes left on the clock Westmeath reduced Louth’s lead to four points as they moved the ball at speed down the right and the ball was struck powerfully into the top corner leaving Boyle with little chance of making a save.

Rice and Woods both added points to give Louth a six point lead with five minutes remaining. Louth held out well during the final five minutes but Westmeath were given a boost when there were six minutes of additional time to be played.

Westmeath scored a point in the first additional minute and in the second minute they were handed a lifeline as they were awarded a second penalty.

This time the penalty was struck high to Boyle’s left and the gap was reduced to two points.

Louth’s half forward line dropped back and helped the defence withstand the onslaught of attacks coming from Westmeath as they pushed to try and get a game winning goal in the final minutes of the game.

Good defensive pressure forced Westmeath away from the goals and any attempted shot by the Westmeath forwards was struck under pressure.

With a minute left on the clock the siege was lifted after Westmeath had struck another shot wide under pressure McNally won the kickout and carried the ball up the field inside Westmeath’s 45 before drawing a foul.

Although nothing came from the free kick there was no time for Westmeath to get back up the field and Louth won by two points 3-08 to 3-06.

Louth’s management team of Chris Doyle, Trisha Duffy, Michelle Lowth and John Carr have been with this squad from their first days in county football as an U12 squad in 2012 when they were playing in Division 4 in Leinster, and they were understandably delighted when the full time whistle blew with victory placing them third in Leinster behind only Dublin and Meath who played out the Leinster ‘A’ Final in Clane after Louth’s game.

After the league campaign ended for Louth in April the management team approached Stabannon Ladies senior manager John Garvey to help train the squad for the Leinster Championship and his influence on the team was evident as the girls individually, and collectively, had their best performance of the year in the final.

Credit too must go to the team physio Frankie Sheerin who had all 30 squad members fit to play for the final after a number of players in the squad suffered from niggling injuries throughout the league campaign.

The U16 girls now have an All-Ireland semi-final date with Tyrone to look forward to. That game will be played in Inniskeen on Wednesday 13th of July.