Season ends in final defeat for Minor ladies against Laois
THE SEASON ended in disappointment for Wexford as Erone Fitzpatrick fired home a winning goal in the last minute to earn the Leinster ladies’ football Minor ‘C’ championship title for Laois in Athy on Sunday.
The Slaneysiders were leading by a point after Amy Wilson brilliantly hauled in a long ball and fired home her fourth goal of the afternoon. However, the talented Fitzpatrick came up with the decisive goal as time wound down.
It was a tough ending to a testing season for Wexford Minors. Both of these sides are better than a third tier final suggests but results, performances and championship structure ensured this is where they both ended up.
The O’Moore County got off to the better start, with Fitzpatrick netting her first goal in the third minute. Wexford were struggling to get a foothold until Jade Nolan was sin-binned, but they quickly responded to their opponents’ misfourtune.
Three goals in two minutes followed for the Slaneysiders with Wilson, Jane Rossiter and Ciara Banville all finding the net in their side’s purple patch. It left Wexford five points ahead but they couldn’t build on it.
Fitzpatrick netted again in the 20th minute for Laois and with their other Senior star, Emma Lawlor, on fire too, the girls in blue and white were right back on level terms by the half-time interval (3-4 to 2-7).
While the big name Laois players were firing, so was Sarah Harding-Kenny for Wexford.
She went through to goal two minutes into the second-half and suddenly her side had the lead back.
The advantage disappeared almost as quickly as it opened as Alice Walsh netted for Laois as both sides attacked in waves and forwards dominated. When Lawlor scored her team’s fourth major in the 41st minute, things were looking bleak for Wexford (4-9 to 4-5).
However, a couple of fouls on Ciara Banville gave Wilson two chances to convert from the spot and the former Wexford Youths starlet made no mistake, firing both past Sinéad O’Rourke to make it 6-6 to 4-9 with eleven minutes left.
Fitzpatrick and Lawlor chipped away at the advantage with points but Wilson’s fourth and final goal looked to be enough to earn her side victory with just two minutes on the clock.
However, the sensational Fitzpatrick had other ideas and she won the title for Laois with her last-gasp goal.
Wexford: Sally Walker; Lauren Roche, Orla Fortune, Aisling Halligan; Ciara O’Connor, Niamh Dunne, Rosie McGuckin; Sarah Harding-Kenny (1-0), Sherene Hamilton (capt.); Emily Coakley, Rachel Bennett (0-2), Ciara Bridges (0-2); Jane Rossiter (1-0), Amy Wilson (4-2, 2-0 pens.), Ciara Banville (1-0). Subs. - Julia Dempsey for McGuckin, also Doireann Cullen, Michelle Carty, Mairéad Crean, Eve Hession, Emily Rochford, Mollie Bates, Eimear O’Hagan, Grace Cloney, Lara O’Shea, Cliodhna O’Connell, Geri-Rose O’Connor.
Laois: Sinéad O’Rourke; Isabelle Fennelly, Jade Nolan, Elaine Daly; Ciara Hughes, Aoife Daly, Lisa Walsh; Nicola Ryan, Isabelle O’Toole; Erone Fitzpatrick, Emma Lawlor, Caoimhe Fitzpatrick; Alice Walsh, Sarah Walsh, Megan Walsh. Sub. - Rebecca Balfe for M. Walsh.