Brave Louth girls push Laois all the way in entertaining tie

LAOIS LOUTH 3-10 3-7

A BRAVE Louth pushed Laois all the way in this entertaining Leinster Minor Championship contest at a cold and windy St. Brigid’s Park on Saturday afternoon.

Laois backed by the breeze led from an early stage when centre back Anna Lawlor hit the opening score after just fifty seconds after a superb 50 metre run.

They dominated the early exchanges and led by 2-01 to 0-00 after seven minutes with corner forward Grainne Lawlor getting both of their goals.

The first goal in the fifth minute coming after Della Doherty saw her shot coming back off the crossbar and the Sarsfield player was quickest to react loose ball to the Louth net.

Just a minute later Lawlor was at it again when she got behind the Louth backline and made no mistake from close range.

Louth gradually settled and had their first score courtesy of a Roisin Crowe point in the tenth minute with Roisin Maguire also on the mark three minutes later. The Midlanders then got a major boost as a Della Doherty shot was blocked by a Louth defender but the ball fell kindly for Lisa Keane who found the net with a fine shot putting them in a strong position 3-2 to 0-2 in front in the 18th minute.

Maguire and Sarah Gilmore hit Louth points while Orla Hennesy and Doherty replied in similar fashion for the visitors before Louth got a real boost in the 23rd minute as St. Kevins player Roisin Maguire did well to dispossess a defender before firing the finding Roisin Crowe who brilliantly beat her marker and hit a wonderful low well placed shot past Nadine Dempsey in the Laois goal. Sarah Gilmore and Lisa Keane then swapped points to leave Laois 3-4 to 1-06 ahead at the break.

Both teams had early chances in the second half with both sides hitting a number of wides before Louth gave themselves real hope when a brilliant shot from Sarah Gilmore flashed over the head of the visiting keeper and into the net 3-6 to 2-7 with twelve minutes still to be played.

But Laois showing real charachter responded brilliantly by hitting the next four points with midfielders Sarah Larkin, Julia Murphy and Grace Salmon all on target

Louth came back strongly as Roisin Maguire got possession from a quickly taken free found herself in space and shot to the net despite goalie Dempsey getting a hand to it but was unable to prevent it crossing the line in the 56th minute to set up a frantic finale 3-10 to 3-07.

After Doherty missed a free to seal the win, Louth continued to press and created two big goal scoring chances with sub Ella McBride seeing her goal bound shot kept out by some wonderful Laois defending and another sub Kodie McEnaneny almost snatch a draw as her shot went inches wide in what was the games last play.

Louth mentor Brian Brady while disapointed to have lost felt there was little to choose between the sides. ‘The bad start cost us but we never give up and had chances to get at least a draw today. We started with nine U/15s and finished with 12 also under fifteen so the best is still to come from this group. Two years ago we lost to Laois at Under 14 by 6-22 to 0-00 so the improvement since then is ther for all to see.’

Laois manager Paul Mullhall said: ‘We had two evenly matched teams intent on playing good football out there, the good start was key for us, but Louth were always capable and kept taking their points. They came back strongly at us and we didn’t score for close on fourteen minutes and the goal midway through the second half gave them a big chance but I was delighted with our response as we hit four points without reply which was also important. It was very cold out there and great credit must go to both teams who contributed to a very good match.’

LOUTH; Rebecca Lambe Fegan, Holly O’Donoghue, Caitlin O’Reilly, Eimear Kindlon, Ciara Quinn, Caoimhe Boyle, Sophie Turley, Neasa Reilly, Niamh Cunningham, Roisin Crowe, 1-01, Kayla Boyle, Mia Duffy, 0-1,Sarah Gilmore,1-03, Roisin Maguire,1-02 Ciara Nic Criosta. Subs used, Ciara McNally, Kodie McEananey, Cara McKeever, Rachel Leonard, Ella McBride, Trinity Larkin, Rebecca Mooney and Katy McArdle