Wicklow to face Offaly in Leinster decider
Garden county side will face Offaly in Leinster decider
WICKLOW 1-18 LOUTH 2-03
WICKLOW’S battle to reclaim their Leinster Junior Championship title from last year started on Saturday night when they took on Louth in Dunleer, Co Louth in the semi-final.
The sliotar was thrown in with Louth midfielder Aoife Gregory winning possession and sending a long ball into full-forward Caoimhe Matthews, who rounded Wicklow’s full-back.
She was soon stopped in her tracks by Wicklow’s keeper, Bernie Byrne, with the sliotar going out over the end line.
In the third minute, Wicklow got their first score from good connecting play from Kellie O’Neill to Laura Manley who put it safely between the posts. Louth followed up with a free from just inside the 45 from Aoife Gregory.
Caoimhe Matthews caused trouble for the Wicklow backs and wasn’t deterred by the keeper’s presence when she placed a lovely low ball to the back of the net. Bernie Byrne placed a lovely ball into the hand of Sinead Byrne from the puck out, who hand-passed onto Laura Hogan and she added a lovely point. After eight minutes, the score was Louth 1-01 to Wicklow 0-02.
Wicklow responded well with Laura Manley added another two points from frees.
Coming close to the half way stage of the first half, both teams had eventually settled, bunching had stopped and both teams had found their feet.
Wicklow’s half-back line was doing trojan work to keep the opposition out, so the only way around them was to send high balls over them into the full-forward line – a tactic that saw Louth’s Caoimhe Matthews strike again for her second goal. There was a quick huddle over on the sideline by the Wicklow management and quickly made a few positional changes, bringing the Wicklow captain back into full back to marshall Matthews for the remainder of the game.
Sarah Forde was brought into the middle of the field and Mary O’Neill moved into the corner-back position.
Two points quickly followed for Wicklow from Sarah Byrne and Kellie O’Neill.
There was an exchange of points between them from frees with one coming from Laura Manley from the side line, 21 meter out at a very tricky angle into a strong wind. It was free taking at its best.
In the 24th minute, Wicklow’s first goal chance came but was swallowed up the Louth defence. With Wicklow still in possession, there was no panic and they played it around and out to Laura Manley who slotted it between the posts.
The last two points of the half came from Wicklow’s Sarah Byrne, leaving the score at half-time Wicklow 0-9 Louth 2-3.
Wicklow made two changes at half-time. An injured Denise Walsh, who put in a very good performance in the first half, came off for Sheenagh Byrne and Chloe Dwyer made way for Sile Whelan.
Louth also made changes, with Clodagh Fennell replacing Rita Mullen and Courtney Dowling coming on for full back Rachel Hamilton.
Wicklow started the second-half strongly with a point from Laura Hogan.
With the aid of a strong wind, Wicklow’s forwards had a lot of possession. A quick ball in found Sile Whelan in front of goal, where she was quickly surrounded by the backs, but, with quick thinking, she managed to hand-pass the sliotar over the bar.
In the sixth minute, Wicklow made another substitution with an injured Mary O’ Neill making way for Aine O’Keefe.
With Wicklow having more possession, this half brought more wides, some unforced.
Laura Manley sent a long ball into the corner for Sile Whelan where she rounded her player and was sent to the ground as she met the next player.
Not fazed at all, Manley slotted over the free.
It was all Wicklow in the second-half, with Laura Hogan adding another point.
Louth made some surges but were stooped by a solid half-back performance.
Wicklow made another substitute in the tenth minute with Erynn O’Brien coming in for Sarah Forde.
Wicklow’s first and only goal eventually came in the 12th minute when there was a scuffle around the goal mouth and the sliotar was eventually put to the back of the net by Sile Whelan.
The rain started to come down which made the surface very slippy. Laura Manley tapped over another free from inside the 45 and two more points were added by Sile Whelan and Manley. Louth changed their goal keeper in the 20th minute.
Wicklow finished the match well with Laura Hogan adding a point. Wicklow’s last sub was Sheenagh Byrne who came in for Aoife Weir who had a very solid performance.
The last score of the match came from Laura Manley, leaving the final score Wicklow 1-18 Louth 2-3. Wicklow will now face Offaly in the Leinster final in two weeks time.
Bernie Byrne had excellent puck outs; the backs, Nora O’Neill, Sarah Forde, Denise Walsh and Lisa Hogan put in solid performances. At midfield, Laura Manley was immense throughout the match, her work rate and free taking was excellent. In the forward line, Laura Hogan and Aoife Weir put in good runs and good passing but on the full forward line Sarah Byrne, Kellie O’Neill, and Sile Whelan were the biggest threat.
Team: Bernie Byrne, Denise Walsh, Mary O’ Neill, Sarah Forde, Kelly Byrne, Nora O’Neill, Lisa Hogan, Laura Manly 0-9 (0-6 frees), Clare Byrne, Chloe Dwyer, Sinead Byrne, Laura Hogan (0-04), Aoife Weir, Kelly O’Neill (0-01), Sarah Byrne (0-02). Subs: Sile Whelan (1-02) for Chloe Dwyer, Shannagh Goetelen for Denise Walsh, Aine O’Keefe for Mary O’Neill, Eyrnn O’Brien for Sarah Forde, Sheenagh Byrne for Aoife Weir; Jessica Driver, Annalise Dunne, Katie Daynes, Clare Grace, Jessica Byrne, Carmel Nolan, Aisling Shannon, Ciara Kelly.