McGettigan shines bright for Wicklow
Sinead bags eight points in Longford
TWO late points from the outstanding Sinead McGettigan helped secure Wicklow’s second victory in this year’s Lidl LGFA Division 4 campaign and leaves the Garden County within reach of a semi-final spot providing Leitrim and Carlow do them favours in the final round of games this weekend.
With the Wicklow women facing bottom-of-the-table Kilkenny and likely to leave the MW Hire Dunmore pitch with the three points on Sunday afternoon, that will leave Derek Byrne’s side on 10 points.
Should Leitrim get the better of Longford and Carlow see off Limerick in their final games, then Wicklow will secure the fourth semi-final berth as both Longford and Limerick are on eight points. Two draws would also be sufficient.
The disappointment of the defeat to Carlow in Echelon Park Aughrim the previous weekend was quickly forgotten when the final whistle sounded in Glennon Brothers Pearse Park on Sunday afternoon as Wicklow inflicted defeat on Pat Tiernan’s side who were enjoying their very first home game of the campaign.
This was an absorbing game of football and Wicklow will be delighted with the victory as the young side look to push on in the league and prepare themselves for the championship battle to come.
In the end, it was the individual brilliance of Sinead McGettigan that proved the difference between the two sides, the St. Patrick’s player finishing with seven points from play (she also scored from a free) on a day when the Wicklow footballers stepped up to the mark in a significant way.
Longford played some excellent attacking football, spearheaded by Grace Shannon, but at times they failed to capitalise with scores.
Shannon’s powerful runs were a constant problem for Wicklow. Her efforts were complimented by the ball winning of Niamh Brady and hard work of the Lohan sisters, Clodagh and Caoimhe.
The visitors opened the scoring with a point from the influential Ella Parke in the fourth minute, but Grace Shannon replied for Longford with a point 60 seconds later.
The hard-working Caoimhe Lohan fired over a good point in the 13th minute for the home side before the mighty McGettigan replied for the Garden County with the first of those nine points.
Grace Shannon edged Longford in front with a point following a well-worked move and the same player found the net in the 19th minute to give Longford a 1-3 to 0-3 lead.
Both sides exchanged points, but it was the visitors who edged in front when the hard-working Aoife Gorman found the net with a well-struck goal.
An exchange of points between Sinead McGettigan and Niamh
Brady left it 1-6 to 1-5 in favour of Wicklow at the break.
Longford started the second half strongly with a Clodagh Lohan goal, but Niamh O’Brien replied with a point for Wicklow. Niamh Brady sent over a free for Longford, with Sinead McGettigan replying for Wicklow as this clash started to heat up.
Scores were proving hard to come by for Longford in the second half, and it was the nerring accuracy of Sinead McGettigan that ensured Longford were always under pressure.
The Longford management emptied their bench and Ella O’Reilly was particularly prominent upon her introduction.
Clodagh Lohan levelled the game with a point, following a well-worked move, but Longford fought hard to take the lead, and
Wicklow closed out the game with those two sweet points from McGettigan.