Well done to our Seniors who overcame a determined, physical and well coached Kildare team this evening in DCU Centre of Excellence, Ballymun Road to reach the semi-final stage. Dublin will play Offaly this Sunday in the semi-final at an Offaly venue yet TBC.
Kildare started this Leinster Championship preliminary game in confident fashion and fully derserved their 3 point to no score lead after ten minutes thanks to their top scorer Susie O'Connor who unerringly sent over the placed balls. But an unfortunate error from Kildare's goalie (who otherwise had a very good game) allowed the fast thinking and inrushing Aisling Carolan to slot the sliotar to the back of the net. An Orla Beagan pointed free gave Dublin the lead for the first time. The sides were level with ten minutes of the half remaining 1-3 to 0-6. By this stage the girls in blue were playing well having come to terms with the pace of the game. They added three well taken points from play from Ali Twomey, Siobhan Kehoe and Laoise Quinn, who had replaced Marie Moynihan after 20 minutes, to leave the half time score Dublin 1-06 Kildare 0-06. A missed Dublin penalty just on the stroke of half time would surely have put the game beyond Kildare's reach.
Just as they had done in the first half Kildare started the second half very well and had reduced Dublin's lead to a single point after 10 minutes 1-07 to 0-09. Were the Dublin players about to be overrun? Not a chance! For the remaining 20 minutes of the game Dublin proved the better side, getting stronger as the game went on, outscoring Kildare 8 points to 2. Siobhan Keogh, Laoise Quinn, Louise O'Hara and Emma Flannagan scored four delightful points from play as a result of direct running and clever passing. Frees from Orla Beagan (2) and centre back Alison Maguire (3) contributed to the full time total. Full time score Dublin 1-15 Kildare 0-11
Dublin now go on to play Offaly away this coming Sunday, 15 May. They will need to up their performance for this game. Memories of a very bad day at the office when losing to Offaly on a cold, wet, miserable February Sunday afternoon in rain sodden Banagher in the National League will have the players fully focussed on the task in hand. We wish players and management all the best in Sunday's semi-final.
Scorers: Dublin Alison Maguire 0-5 frees, Orla Beagan 0-3 frees, Siobhan Kehoe and Laoise Quinn 0-2 each, Ali Twomey, Louise O'Hara, Emma Flannagan 0-1 each.
Kildare: Susie O'Connor 0-7 ( 6 frees, 1 @45), Emer Reilly 0-2, Melissa Lyons and Noelle Early 0-1 each.
Dubin team:
- Kate Whyte. Lucan Sarsfields.
- Catríona Power. NaomhMearnóg.
- Mairead Luttrell Ballyboden SE.
- Aine Woods. Naomh Uinsionn
- Elaine O Meara. Na Fianna.
- Alison Maguire. Naomh Uinsionn.
- Eve O’Brien. Na Fianna.
- Miriam Twomey. NaomhMearnóg.
- Orlaith Durkan. Skerries Harps.
- Ali Twomey. Lucan Sarsfields.
- Sarah O Donovan. Naomh Uinsionn.
- Orla Beagan. Lucan Sarsfield.
- Aisling Carolan. OliverPlunket ER.
- Mairi Moynihan. Lucan Sarsfields.
- Siobhan Kehoe. NaomhFionnbarra.
- Síle Níc Coitir. BallyBoden SE.
- Siofra Walsh. Kilmacud Crokes.
- Mary Cronin. Naomh Uinsionn.
- Laoise Quinn. Oliver Plunket ER. replaced Mairie Moynihan after 20 mins
- Louise O Hara. Erin's Isle. replaced Sarah O'Donovan in second half
- Leah Butler. Naomh Jude.
- Grainne Quinn. Naomh Bríd.
- Emma Flanagan. Lucan Sarsfields. replaced Orla Durkan in second half
- Claire Rigney. Lucan Sarsfields.
- Caragh Dawson. Naomh Jude.
- Aoife Molloy. Naomh Jude.
- Alex Griffen. Naomh Brid. replaced Ali Twomey in second half.
- Aine Fanning Naomh Uinsionn. replaced Siobhán Kehoe in second half.
- Aoife Bugler. Oliver Plunket E
- photos
