Lidl NFL- Tough day at the office for Kilkenny Ladies Footballers

Kilkenny were unable to build on their promising showing at home to Derry the previous weekend when they came up against a ruthless Wicklow in this Lidl LGFA NFL Division 4B fixture in Baltinglass on Sunday afternoon.  

The Garden County, stung after their defeat to a tenacious Limerick at the same venue seven days earlier, were in no mood for mercy as they laid relentless siege against a battling but tormented defence. 

It was clear from the early stages of this game that the Cats would not come close to matching or bettering their 1-8 tally scored against the Oakleafers in MW Hire Dunmore given that they were experiencing chronic difficulties in winning their own kick-outs which gave Wicklow the platform to seek their inside attackers with quick ball.  

All three of the Garden County full-forward line finished the game with hat-tricks and a combined points total of 14 (five frees) as the likes of Ailish O’Neill, Siobhan Farrell and Jennifer O’Keeffe tried their best to stem an almost relentless tide that saw Gavin Wynne’s side head for the dressing rooms leading by 6-10 to 0-1.  

Kilkenny had moments in that opening half. Clara Doheny looked to have real potential if the supply of ball could be improved but the first move inside to the full-forward after seven minutes broke down due to a stray pass that was cut out by the hungry Eimear O’Sullivan.  

Caitlinn Moore and Becky Lomax combined nicely after 14 minutes but the athletic Aoife Gorman disrupted and a superb ball from Kate Purcell to Caitlinn Moore moments later was lost when Wicklow goalkeeper Ellen Griffin proved alert on her line.  

Kilkenny captain Kelley Comerford was catching the eye in this game as she fought valiantly to hold off the Wicklow invaders along with Laura Power, Sarah Smith, Kate Furlong and Ellen Lawlor.  

The first wide from the visitors arrived after 25 minutes when a move started by Jenneifer O’Keeffe progressed through Caitlinn Moore and Kate Furlong and on to the hands of Doheny who fired wide due to pressure from Wicklow captain and full-back Sarah Jane Winders.  

The Cats would finally get on the scoreboard just before the half-time break when Kate Purcell fired over sweetly.  

Worryingly for John Gorey’s side, they had played with the aid of the noticeable breeze in that opening half and were trailing by 6-10 to 0-1.  

It was 8-18 to 0-1 when Sarah Smith of Kilkenny City drifted over a beautiful score off her left, and it was also around this time that the scoreboard decided to pack it in.  

Wicklow made a raft of substitutions while driving on relentlessly for scores that may come in handy if score difference becomes a factor.  

Thomastown’s Niamh Sheehy pulled off an excellent save after 20 minutes of the second half and Kilkenny would register two wides and see a double block on a goal chance over the remainder of the game.  

The final whistle brought an end to a very difficult afternoon for the visitors who, while not found wanting for effort or courage, met a Wicklow side who were abrasive, hungry and eager to impress ahead of their must-win battle with league leaders Leitrim next time out.   

Wicklow: Ellen Griffin; Megan Healy, Sarah Jane Winders, Roisin Byrne; Grainne Flynn, Lucy Dunne (0-1), Eimear O’Sullivan; Aimee Maher, Aoife Gorman (0-3); Helena Dowling, Niamh Cullen, Sarah Delahunt (1-1); Clodagh Fox (3-4), Meadhbh Deeney (3-2), Marie Kealy (3-8, 5f).

Subs: Sophie Lacey for E Griffin (H/T), Orla Minogue for M Healy (H/T), Yasmin Dagge for H Dowling (H/T), Erika Dagge (0-1) for N Cullen (37), Sarah Evans (0-1) for E O’Sullivan (37), Ruby Keogh for A Maher (55), Megan Healy for L Dunne (58).  

Kilkenny: Niamh Sheehy; Siobhan Farrell, Ailish O’Neill, Jennifer O’Keeffe; Laura Power, Kelley Comerford (capt.), Sarah Smith (0-1); Kate Furlong, Ellen Lawlor; Kate Purcell (0-1), Shauna Coady, Caitlinn Moore; Becky Lomax, Clara Doheny, Colleen Booth.

Subs: Ellie Moran for C Booth (45).  

Referee: Raymond McBride (Dublin)