Ladies chalk up third win on trot
IN A game that was on, then off, then on again, Wexford dispatched Leitrim in their fourth outing in Division 3 of the Lidl ladies’ football National League in St. Loman’s, Mullingar, on Sunday.
Due to be played in Aughnasheelin in Leitrim, the game was postponed with Wexford on the road and with no fit pitch available. However, St. Loman’s was eventually secured, meaning the journey wasn’t in vain.
The win, a twelfth in succession for Wexford adult teams encompassing hurling, camogie and both men’s and women’s football, moves the Slaneysiders into second place in the table, behind Tipperary, the last county to successfully defeat a Wexford team, back on January 29.
Wexford didn’t show any ill effects early on, starting the game eight hours after they departed home. Ellen O’Brien kicked them into an early lead before Fiona Rochford added a second shortly after.
Two good stops by Michelle Guckian prevented Aisling Murphy netting but Wexford kept tacking on the points with Niamh Butler and Fiona Rowe hitting the target. Points from Ailbhe Clancy and UCD Waves soccer player Dearbhaile Beirne halved the deficit.
Clara Donnelly fired wide when a goal opportunity was on midway through the opening half and soon Leitrim edged closer when Clancy nailed a free. After Rochford and Catríona Murray hit the target with minors, the former was denied by another superb Guckian stop.
Despite further raised white flags from Laura O’Dowd and Michelle Heslin, Rochford finished the first-half with her third point, enough to ensure the visitors went in at the break leading by 0-7 to 0-5.
The Connacht side were determined to add to their two wins from three games and went about it by levelling the scores with points from Bernie and O’Dowd. However, Wexford finally grabbed their first score of the half in the 45th minute, through Fiona Rowe, to go 0-8 to 0-7 up.
Again Leitrim levelled through Clancy but then came the game’s big moment in the 51st minute. After a superb team build-up, Niamh Butler cut in from the left and drilled a shot across goal to the corner of the Leitrim net.
Lifted by the major, Clara Donnelly kicked a cracking point off her left to make it 1-9 to 0-8. Beirne and Rochford exchanged points before a quickfire Leitrim double narrowed the gap to two heading into added time.
Wexford refused to be denied the win and Fiona Rochford’s fifth point sealed the victory in overtime. Next up for Anthony Masterson’s side, after a twoweek break, is a trip to Meath on March 19.
Wexford: Mary Rose Kelly; Brídín Doyle, Marica Cullen, Marguerite Doyle; Georgina Hearn, Róisín Murphy, Ciara Corrigan; Bernie Breen, Clara Donnelly (0-1); Niamh Butler (1-1), Fiona Rochford (0-5, 3 frees), Ellen O’Brien (0-1); Fiona Rowe (0-2), Aisling Murphy, Catríona Murray (0-1). Subs. - Maria Byrne for B. Doyle, also Sarah Merrigan, Lorraine Breen, Ann Byrne, Trina Sinnott, Elaine McCabe, Eleanor Neville, Emer Cahill, Sarah Harding-Kenny, Fiona Bennett, Rachel Bennett, Maeve Quill, Kellie Kearney, Siobhán Cloake, Chantelle Martin.
Leitrim: Michelle Guckian; Sinéad Tighe, Claire Owens, Eimhin Quinn; Lorraine Moran, Claire Bernie, Melissa Hewitt; Aoife McWeeney, Ailish O’Dowd; Dearbhaile Beirne (0-3), Emma Guckian, Kiera Keegan; Laura O’Dowd (0-3), Ailbhe Clancy (0-3, 1 free), Michelle Heslin (0-1). Sub. - Róisín Fowley (0-1). CLUB FIXTURES
FRI. MARCH 3 Division 2 league: Fethard St. Mogue’s v. St. James’ (8 p.m.).
Division 3 league: HWH-Bunclody v. Ballygarrett (7.15 p.m.).
SAT. MARCH 4 AT AWAY VENUE: Leinster Minor championship, Wexford v. Longford, 2 p.m.
Division 3 league: Clonee ‘B’ (5 p.m.).
Division 4 league: Rathgaroguev. St. Fintan’s (10.30 p.m.).
Division 5 South league: St. Anne’s ‘B’ v. Taghmon-Camross (4.30 p.m.). Clongeen v.
SUN. MARCH 5 Division 1 league: Clonee ‘A’ v. Kilmore ‘A’ (2.45 p.m.); Crossabeg-Ballymurn v. St. Anne’s ‘A’ (4.30 p.m.); Shelmalier ‘A’ v. Adamstown (TBC).
Division 2 league: Gusserane v. Kilanerin ‘A’ (5.30 p.m.); Clonard/ Volunteers ‘A’ v. Shelmalier ‘B’ (TBC).
Division 3 league: Horeswood v. St. Martin’s (4 p.m.).