Kildare ladies thump Laois to earn back-to-back promotions

Lidl Ladies NFL Division 2 Round 5

Kildare 3-11

Laois 0-7

Kildare ladies have been promoted to Division 1 following a thumping win over Laois in Manguard Park. Promotion was always one of the potential permutations of the day and quite an achievement to be even able to say that as The Lillies began just their fifth game of the campaign.

The weight of that potential achievement did not appear heavy on the home side as they looked so cool and calm it teetered on lackadaisical at times in the opening half.

Laois would get the opening point of the game via a booming long-range free from Mo Nerney as the visitors came out swinging early on.

Kildare’s star forwards would fire them ahead in game as Neasa Dooley sped away from her opposite number on more than one occasion before converting for a score.

Laois were pushing high early on, leaving space in behind and Kildare looked more than ready to counter that with long balls over the top. To good effect too as Róisín Byrne was left with more than enough space to grab a couple of scores for herself.

Just past the 15-minute mark, Kildare led 0-4 to 0-1 with two for Dooley and two for Byrne. Despite a need for an uptick in performance, Kildare’s scoring powerhouses both seemed to be very much in the mood to the visiting side to the sword.

There would be no score again until we reached half an hour as Kildare dominated this game. Kildare mixed their ideas well at times with some wonderfully sharp interplay and the occasional long ball to keep Laois honest. However, far too often excessive time and speed was taken out of the ball and it looked like it would be a single score lead going in at the break.

The Lillies would surge in first half injury-time and after Aoife Rattigan set-up Róisín Byrne for a point, the home side turned the ball over high up the pitch.

Kildare’s pressure forced an error at the back and a stray pass landed in Neasa Dooley’s lap. The Athy forward took a stride to draw the ‘keeper before finding Rattigan who finished coolly from a tight angle. There was palpable relief in the ground as Kildare had a lead representative of their dominance and Dooley exhaled following her nervy assist.

There would be a point more for each side before the break as the sides went in at 1-6 to 0-2 at half-time.

Just as they had before the restart, the teams exchanged a point a piece and the necessary gusto needed for a big comeback did not seem to be in Laois’ locker.

Róisín Byrne’s disappointment over a couple late free’s missed last time out against Tipperary appeared to be well behind her as she knocked over a couple after the break. Byrne’s overall performance was up on the day compared to the previous game and as rare as one low-scoring game is for her, imagine the likelihood of two in-a-row. Laois would suffer the backlash as the Sarsfields forward kicked 1-5 on the day.

After an Ellen Dowling point, Byrne finding the net minutes later truly ended this tie as a contest.
The tireless Lara Gilbert made her way forward for another wave of Kildare attack. She found Byrne in space who drilled her effort into the roof of the net. Byrne’s rocket finish put Kildare 2-9 to 0-3 ahead.

Kildare would find the net again just four minutes from time as substitute Sarah Munnelly set up Grace Clifford for the chance. Clifford found the net in ruthless style as she guided her effort into the bottom left corner and got her goal after missing an easier chance earlier in this game.

The commanding win sends Kildare into Division 1 following confirmation of results elsewhere. A remarkable achievement and one that only heaps further praise and significance on that enormous Division 3 league final win over Clare last year. Kildare now dine at the top table in both league and Championship.

Scorers: Kildare, Róisín Byrne 1-5 (0-2 frees), Neasa Dooley 0-4, Aoife Rattigan 1-0, Grace Clifford 1-0, Ellen Dowling 0-1, Sarah Munnelly 0-1.

Laois, Mo Nerney 0-5 (0-4 frees), Lauren Kearney 0-2.

KILDARE: Anna Dunlea; Fiona Troute, Mia Doherty, Aoife Clifford; Ellie O'Toole, Ruth Sargent, Lara Gilbert; Grace Clifford, Aoife Rattigan; Trina Duggan, Ellen Dowling, Claire Sullivan; Neasa Dooley, Róisín Byrne, Hazel McLoughlin. Subs: Lisa Shaw for Trina Duggan (46 minutes), Lara Curran for Róisín Byrne (50 minutes), Sarah Munnelly for Claire Sullivan (53 minutes), Holly Tyrell for Aoife Rattigan (57 minutes), Aine Mernagh for Fiona Troute (57 minutes).

LAOIS: Eimear Barry; Sinead Farrelly, Clodagh Dunne, Mary Cotter; Susie Delaney, Andra Moran, Kate Wall; Anna Moore, Orla Hennessy; Roisin Allen, Emily Lacey, Katie O'Donoghue; Mo Nerney, Lauren Kearney, Grainne Lalor. Subs: Alice Walsh for Roisin Allen (15 minutes), Ciara Malone for Kate Wall (30 minutes), Grainne Moran for Katie O'Donoghue (Half-time), Aisling Fitzpatrick for Emily Lacey (60 minutes).

Referee: Paul McCaughey