Facile victory for U-16 girls
Weak Kilkenny outclassed
WEXFORD KICKED off their Leinster ladies’ football Under-16 ‘C’ championship campaign with a facile win over a poor Kilkenny outfit in Ballycullane on Sunday.
The old saying goes ‘you can only beat what’s put in front of you’, and the Slaneysiders did that with more than a little to spare. With neighbours Carlow and Wicklow to follow, Wexford can expect it to get a little harder in the coming weeks.
Ailis Neville opened the scoring from a tight angle in the opening minute and Ciara Banville doubled the advantage after a penetrative solo run. Hotshot Banville then made it 0-3 to nil after being fed by Neville.
Good work in defence by Rosie McGuckin and Mairéad Creane ended with Wexford winning a penalty that Neville converted. Orla Fitzgerald scored a nice point after good inter-change in midfield but would soon be lost to injury.
After Banville grabbed her third point, Ciara Bridges nailed a ‘45. A super solo upfield ended with a Creane point, before Michelle Carthy won the resulting kick-out and added another.
Shortly after being denied by the crossbar, Banville found the net with a fine finish to the top corner (2-8 to nil).
The scoring rate slowed somewhat in the second quarter. Neville and Banville both pointed before the latter cracked the crossbar again and Eimear O’Hagan turned in the rebound.
After three straight Banville points there was still time for the Taghmon forward to add another goal before the interval.
Leading by 4-13 to nil at the break gave Wexford the opportunity to introduce their substitutes in the second-half. Neville bagged her second goal shortly after the re-start with a tidy punched finish to the net.
Shortly after a handpassed goal was disallowed, Wexford came forward again and Jane Rossiter beat the visiting ‘keeper. Neville and O’Hagan pointed as the hosts took a 6-16 to nil lead into the final quarter.
Molly Bates got herself on the scoresheet before Elena Kenny registered her side’s seventh goal with a clinical low finish with six minutes remaining. Next up for Wexford is a trip to Carlow on March 25.
Wexford: Aoife Dunne; Rosie McGuckin, Grace Cooney, Lorna Fortune; Mairéad Creane (0-1), Michelle Carthy (0-1), Susan Boyle; Juliet Rochford, Ciara Bridges (0-1 ‘45); Molly Bates (0-1 free), Ciara Banville (2-8), Orla Fitzgerald (0-1); Ciara Roban, Jane Rossiter (1-1), Ailis Neville (2-3, 1-0 pen.). Subs. - Eimear O’Hagan (12) for Fitzgerald, inj., Elena Kenny (1-0) for Roban, Loren Doyle for McGuckin, Jade Power for Bridges, Clodagh Walsh (0-1) for Banville, Emily Rochford (0-1) for Boyle, also Aine Fitzgerald, Aisling Dunne, Michelle Cullen, Jade Power, Ellen Barry, Bonnie Kinnaird, Kathryn Dempsey, Geri Rose O’Connor, Sherene Hamilton, Alibeth Curran.