Under-13 girls show promise

Good display in Leinster blitz

THE WEXFORD Under-13 development squad took part in Division 3 of the Leinster Under-14 blitz in the same group as Laois ‘B’, Wicklow, Carlow and Offaly ‘B’.

The first game was against Laois ‘B’ and it was a thriller. The wind dominated the game and the defenders were to the fore. Wexford never looked in trouble and won by 0-2 to 0-1.

In the second match they played the Wicklow first team and this was the best performance of the day. Wexford powered into a nine-point lead and looked in total control at half-time.

Wicklow re-grouped and bit by bit they started to eat into the lead. With one minute to go Wicklow got a controversial free on the 21-yard line and they calmly slotted it over the bar to secure an unlikely draw in what was definitely a game of two halves. The final score was Wexford 3-3 to Wicklow 2-6.

The third game was against the Carlow first team and Wexford had to dig deep to rescue a win. Carlow got off to a great start and got a quick goal to which Wexford seemed to find no response.

Over the next five minutes Carlow looked in total control and scored two more points, but just at the half-time whistle, Wexford scored a fantastic goal which was worked the whole way up the pitch from the goalkeeper.

In the second-half there was no other score until two minutes from time when Wexford got the all-important second goal to secure a vital win by 2-0 to Carlow’s 1-2.

Going into the final group match, Wexford knew a win against Offaly ‘B’ would put them in the final. Wexford got off to a great start and never looked back after an early goal to secure the win by 2-4 to 1-1. This was a great achievement for this fantastic group of girls to get to the final unbeaten.

In the final Wexford face dWicklow again and this proved to be a game too far for the girls. A quick Wicklow goal was a sign of things to come.

Wexford fought bravely to get back into the game but bit by bit Wicklow extended their lead. Wexford forward Aoife Wafer suffered a nasty injury late in the first-half and was taken off to hospital in the ambulance for observation.

This rattled the Wexford team and they never really got into it for the rest of the match and lost by 3-4 to nil.

The girls should be really proud of themselves as most of this squad is twelve and they can all play again next year in this tournament. They have shown a fantastic attitude and eagerness to learn over the last nine months, and it was fantastic to end the development programme by getting to an Under-14 Leinster final and win a medal. It shows what can be achieved when the attitude and encouragement is there.

Squad: Jean Kavanagh-Doyle (Naomh Eanna), Kate O’Reilly (Kilmore), Maeve Buckley (St. John’s Volunteers), Aoife Codd (Baile Dubh Tíre), Shauna Whitty (Gusserane), Lauren Delaney (Davidstown-Courtnacuddy), Donna Delahunty (Davidstown-Courtnacuddy), Polly Frost (Crossabeg-Ballymurn, capt.), Katie Breen-Sherlock (Baile Dubh Tíre), Emma Carr (St. Fintan’s), Aoife Wafer (Ballygarrett), Emma Tomkins (Clonee), Erin Cahill (Starlights), Sinéad Kirwan (Glynn-Barntown), Aoife Cullen (Gusserane), Ciara Hennessy (Crossabeg-Ballymurn), Clodagh Foran (Gusserane), Amy Molloy (Fethard St. Mogue’s), Anna Roche (Davidstown-Courtnacuddy), Ellie Roche (Kilmore), Mia Kelly (Davidstown-Courtnacuddy), Sinéad Hegarty (St. Martin’s).

Mentors: Robbie Garland, Tony Carr, Nicola Fortune and Jenny O’Brien.

The mentors, players and County Board would like to wish Aoife Wafer a speedy recovery.

A reminder that the Wexford ladies’ Gaelic football Guinness world record attempt takes place in Páirc Charman, Wexford, on Monday, August 1, at 11 a.m.

This is a unique opportunity to be part of a Guinness world record attempt, and each participant will receive a certificate stating so.

The entry fee is €5 per person for all Under-16, and €10 per person for all others. Participants can be male or female (the minimum age is ten years there is no maximum age limit).

Participants do not need to be members of the L.G.F.A. Teams can be mixed; male and female, young and old. All team entries on the official team sheet together with the entry fee must be sent to Yvonne Flynn, Wexford L.G.F. Secretary, Ballynaleck, Crossabeg, Co. Wexford, by Sunday, July 24.

There will be lots of other fun and games including a bouncy castle, bottle stall etc.

The record at the moment is 399 and we are looking for 1,000 people. The criteria is each player plays ten minutes and must touch the ball once, and it will be 15-a-side. The game will be played under the ladies’ football rules for both men and women.

For every 15 people that a club puts forward to participate, they will be entered into a draw for €1,000.

Crossabeg-Ballymurn 9-15 Starlights 8-9 (AET): Crossabeg-Ballymurn and Starlights met in the Minor Division 2 county semi-final in Oylegate, and what a great game of football was witnessed by the large crowd as the girls from Over The Water won out after extra-time by 9-15 to 8-9.

The final score is a bit harsh on the Starlights as it was close right up to the second-half of extra-time when the local girls scored 3-2 without reply to qualify to play Clonee in the final.

At the end of the first-half the Starlights were ahead by 5-4 to 3-7, and at full-time it was 7-7 to 5-13. At the end of the first-half of extra-time it was 8-9 to 6-13.

Crossabeg-Ballymurn: Laura Bury, Sinéad Reck, Mary Eviston, Hannah Kehoe, Laura Kelly, Kaitlyn Whelan-Kinsella, Aine Fortune, Diúri McDonald, Derbhla Doyle (1-4), Emily White (0-1), Emma Byrne (3-2), Ava Kelly (1-0), Karleigh Kinsella (1-1), Rianna Cullen (3-4), Aoife Nolan, Amy Fortune (0-3), Brona Flynn, Chloe Kavanagh, Tegan Frost, Sarah Nolan.

Starlights: Gráinne McCabe, Lauren Finn, Tricia Doyle, Leah Furlong, Aoibhe Donoghue, Siobhán Fanning, Gina Murphy (0-1), Anna Flood (0-1), Anais Curran, Sarah Figgis (1-0), Aideen Byrne (3-7), Bonnie Kinnaird (3-0), Sarah Doyle, Aoife Devereux (1-0), Taylor Kinnaird, Lauren Whiteley, Kathleen Redmond, Mackenzie O’Leary, Megan Sinnott, Eve Fenlon, Ciara Boland.

Referee: Mick Lanigan (Shelmalier).

The visitors from HWH-Bunclody claimed the points against the Crossabeg-Ballymurn Under-14 girls in Crossabeg on a scoreline of 3-10 to 3-8 after a hard-fought and close game of football.

Crossabeg-Ballymurn: Ciara Hennessy, Anna Doyle, Leah Doran, Rioghna Hourihane, Kellyanne Dempsey, Loren Doyle, Mary Moran, Polly Frost (0-4), Lucy Walsh, Ella Kelly, Leah Scallan, Anna Nolan, Mikayla Shiggins-O’Leary, Amy Whelan (3-3), Emily Fortune, Hannah Byrne, Shaunine McDonald, Laura Neville (0-1), Matilda Meaney, Rachel Hayden, Sarah Cosgrave, Molly Davis.

HWH-Bunclody: Jasmine Dundon, Naomi Kavanagh, Tracey Furlong, Rachel Kehoe, Kayla Nolan, Yvonne Kelly, Rebecca Murphy, Rachel Murphy (2-6), Lisa Kelly, Róisín O’Sullivan (0-1), Aisling Cowman, Derbhla Ní Cheallaigh (1-0), Rachel Rothwell, Orla Biaiko (0-1), Muireann Doyle (0-2).

Referee: Lar Doyle (Taghmon-Camross).

TUES. JULY 19 Senior championship (8 p.m.): St. James’ v. Crossabeg-Ballymurn ‘A’.

Junior ‘B’ championship quarter-finals: Davidstown-Courtnacuddy v. Castletown ‘B’ (7.30 p.m.); Starlights v. Glynn-Barntown (7.15 p.m.); St. Anne’s ‘B’ v. St. Brigid’s (7.15 p.m.).

WEDS. JULY 20 Junior ‘A’ championship (7.30 p.m.): Baile Dubh Tíre v. Ballygarrett.

Under-16 Division 1 championship: Kilmore v. Taghmon-Camross.

Under-16 Division 3 South championship play-off: Ballygarrett v. Glynn-Barntown.

Under-16 Division 3 South championship: Fethard St. Mogue’s v. Bannow-Ballymitty; St. Fintan’s v. Slaney Gaels.

THURS. JULY 21 Junior ‘B’ championship quarter-final (7.30 p.m.): Clonee ‘B’ v. Crossabeg-Ballymurn.

Under-16 Division 1 championship: Clonard v. Shelmalier.