Louth ladies in seventh heaven against Cats
LOUTH KILKENNY 7-24 1-1
LOUTH ladies started their Lidl National League Division 4 campaign with an anticipated, but still very impressive, win over Kilkenny on Sunday afternoon.
With their male counterparts in football and hurling suffering defeats, Michael McKeown’s side flew the Wee flag in style, knocking seven goals past the out-classed Cats in Portlaoise.
The game was over as a contest inside the opening quarter as the Reds rattled the Kilkenny net five times.
Paula Murray got the ball rolling before Kate Flood fired home a brace.
Susan Byrne and Lauren Boyle also hit the net and Flood completed her hat-trick before the interval, making it 6-12 to 1-1 at the break.
The goal train slowed after the interval, but Susan Byrne added her second and Louth doubled their first-half point tally, while keeping Kilkenny scoreless.
The Reds are sure to face a stiffer test at home to Carlow this weekend. The Barrowsiders drew 1-4 apiece with Limerick in much tighter game last Sunday.
LOUTH: Una Pearson; Eilis Hand, Michelle McArdle, Shannen McLoughlin; Ceire Nolan, Deirbhile Osborne, Bronagh McGrane; Sinead Woods, Emma Singleton; Paula Murray 1–4, Aoife Russell 0–4, Susan Byrne 2–0; Emma McArdle 0–2, Kate Flood 3–4, Lauren Boyle 1–3. Subs: Alannah Conlon 0–1 for E McArdle, Leanne Sharkey 0–4 for L Boyle, Roisin Kavanagh for S Woods, Eimear Murray for S McLoughlin, Grainne Murray for E Hand, Rachel Kane for M McArdle, Niamh Quigley for E Singleton, Sarah Englishby for C Nolan, Roisin Osborne for S Byrne, Rebecca Howell 0–2 for A Russell, Orlagh McGeeney for K Flood, Ruth Hanna for P Murray, Fionnuala Begley for B McGrane.