Murray hits scoring heights as Wexford set up last eight Sligo clash

WEXFORD HAD few problems with a poor Louth outfit in the qualifying round of the TG4 All-Ireland Intermediate ladies’ football championship at Clane on Sunday.

The Slaneysiders, who came close to causing an upset against Kildare in the Leinster final, showed no discernible hangover from that disappointment as Catríona Murray and Fiona Rochford scored a brace of majors each to see their side through to a quarter-final match-up with Sligo.

With Maria Byrne and Aleisha Cullen both out, two Fionas, Bennett and Rowe, came into the starting line-up. Yet, it was Murray who bounced back from a shaky day on dead-balls last time out to steal the show with a personal salvo of 2-9.

At the other end of the field, Wexford dominated, keeping the lively duo of Kate Flood and Paula Murray to just two points from play between them. While the Wee county also managed seven points in the Leinster championship game between the sides, they looked even poorer in this clash.

In truth, they lacked any belief in what they were trying to do. Wexford were more athletic, better prepared and dominated from the off. They still produced wayward and ill-advised passes that weren’t punished because of their opponents’ weakness, but that seems par for the course for the victors at this stage.

Wexford started brightly with a goal inside two minutes. Fiona Rochford sent Murray into the clear and the Baile Dubh Tíre attacker made no mistake with a cool finish under Una Pearson. Ellen O’Brien popped over from the wing before Murray registered her first free after Niamh Mernagh was fouled.

The scores continued to flow against the light breeze for the Slaneysiders. Rochford and Murray clipped over a brace apiece

to move their side 1-6 to nil ahead at the end of the opening quarter.

Paula Murray hit back with a pair of her own at the other end but it only provided a momentary respite.

After O'Brien sent Rochford away on the left, the St. Anne's forward saw her powerful shot saved by Pearson.

However, she got on the rebound and netted quickly as Louth failed to clear the danger. After Bennett pointed, a magical floated finish by Murray, into the top left corner, made it 3-8 to 0-2.

Flood popped over Louth's third point but Clara Donnelly ended the half with her first score as Wexford went in 3-9 to 0-3 up. Nothing really changed after the break as Shane McCormack’s side continued where they left off.

Murray registered her fifth point within two minutes of the re-start. Then Rochford nonchalantly curled her second goal past a stumbling Pearson. Louth’s afternoon got worse when Aoife Gregory was sin-binned for a late hit.

Rochford, Bennett and Murray (two) were all on target in those ten minutes of numerical advantage as Wexford eased 4-14 to 0-3 clear.

A quick couple of points from Susan Byrne and Rebecca Carr did give Louth a little breather.

While some Wexford players might have taken the foot off the gas a little, there was no such let-up by Rochford as creator and Murray as scorer. Clara Donnelly was the benefactor of a Rochford assist before Murray added her last two points.

Again Louth nailed back-to-back scores through Gregory and Byrne but Wexford still had time for minors from Siobhán Cloake and Rochford to round out a comprehensive victory.

Their quarter-final clash with Sligo is scheduled for the weekend of August 13.

W exfo rd: Natasha Walsh; Brídín Doyle, Marica Cullen, Ciara Corrigan; Niamh Mernagh, Róisín Murphy (capt.), Eleanor Neville; Clara Donnelly (0-2), Niamh Moore; Kellie Kearney, Fiona Rochford (2-4), Ellen O’Brien (0-1); Fiona Rowe, Catríona Murray (2-9, 0-5 frees), Fiona Bennett (0-2). Subs. - Siobhán Cloake (0-1) for Kearney, inj. (35), Trina Sinnott for Bennett (41), Maeve Quill for Doyle (41), Caoimhe Denton for Neville (53), Emer Cahill for Rowe (53), also Bríd Byrne, Marguerite Doyle, Niamh Cloke-Rochford, Ann Byrne, Caoimhe Roche, Maria Byrne.

Louth: Una Pearson; Gráinne Murray, Janine Kelly, Rebecca Howell; Susan Byrne (0-2), Eimear Murray, Cliona Smith; Róisín Kavanagh, Rebecca Carr (0-1); Aoife Russell, Catherine McGlew, Ciara Nolan; Kate Flood (capt., 0-1), Paula Murray (0-2, 1 free), Emma McArdle. Subs. - Aoife Gregory (0-1) for McArdle (24), Shayleen McDonagh for McGlew (24), Emily Norton for Nolan (28), Nolan for Howell, inj. (46).

Referee: Kieran McKeever (Armagh).