Kildare ladies all square with Tyrone in league final dress rehearsal

Kildare 2-8

Tyrone 3-5

In a rehearsal of the Lidl National League Division 2 final due to be played on Sunday 7 April, Kildare maintained their magnificent run of victories when drawing with Tyrone in this, Round 6 clash on Sunday.

Despite both sides guaranteed promotion before the clash in the decider, both teams went at this in true championship fashion.Kildare were somewhat unlucky in the end to only get the draw but no doubt the management will be happy to extend their unbeaten record and did so without the services of top scorer Róisín Byrne.

Granted there were a few players showing their worth for a Croke Park date next month and a few reshuffles but there was no quarter asked nor given as Maria Canavan’s second penalty of the game sealed a Tyrone draw in the closing minutes.

Both sides had led through the game while they were level on just three occasions. Kildare threatened at times threatened to pull away but throughout another impressive display from Tyrone reeled them back through an improved second half.

An entertaining first half that saw Kildare lead by only three points despite having plenty of ball through the half, perhaps with the level of possession they could have been further ahead although the Tyrone defence spearheaded by an impressive Caitlin Campbell marshalled the situation well.

Kildare started well two points up by the tenth minute with Lara Curran and Ellen Dowling tagging on scores from play. Tyrone carved out several early openings despite being under an early barrage of Kildare pressure. Grace Clifford and Dowling combining well. Emma Conroy had the best early chance for the hosts but steered her effort wide.

The young Moy player did open the Tyrone account with a point, Campbell went close on goal but two points from Curran and Dowling opened the gap to three before a first Tyrone penalty. Horisk went down in a challenge getting on the end of a Mc Hugh long ball.

After consulting with his umpires Gavin Finnegan awarded the spot kick, Maria Canavan’s shot well saved by Niamh Barnes.
Horisk was on hand two minutes later though to crack home a goal, Barnes caught out the park and punished. The sides were level though for just two minutes, Curran teeing up Dowling for the easiest of goals. Canavan and Dowling exchanging late first half points to leave the visitors ahead by three.

Kildare got off to a flier after the break, they carved our several chances and again enjoyed plenty of ball. Dowling and Aoife Rattigan with a fine long ranger nudged the visitors five ahead through the opening ten minutes of the second half. Tyrone chances limited as Mia Doherty and Fiona Troute put the press on the home attack.

The hosts best chance came from Meabh Mallon, she closed in on goal on twelve minutes but her effort was collected well by Barnes while

Kildare rang the changes. They perhaps unsettled the visitors, Canavan got Tyrone’s first score of the second half on eighteen minutes through a free and after Sasha Byrne closed in on goal only to be denied, the Errigal attacker landed a great score from play to leave it a three point game.

The final ten minutes was full of drama, Sarah Munelly scuffed a goal chance against Donnelly before a superb move from centerfield produced a red hand goal to level things. McHugh done well dropped a great ball through to Byrne and quick hands teed up Loughran who done well to roll in the goal with Doherty on her heels.
Canavan with a well executed point from distance put Tyrone ahead with five minutes left.

Tyrone though don’t make things easy, a misplaced pass inside their own half was eventually punished with a well taken Ellie O’Toole goal. Aoife Kilkenny’s angled point in the closing minutes looked to be enough to carry on a remarkable winning run of twenty games before late drama at the other end.

Another long probing ball found Loughran, she went down under Doherty and goalkeeper Barnes, a penalty given but no super save from this spot kick this time as Canavan sent the ball to the net for a deserving draw.

An abundance of talent on show from both teams, at the back for Tyrone new girl Eimear Quinn, Caitlin Campbell and Joanne Barrett were kept busy and done well. At times Aoibheann Mc Hugh and Meabh Mallon took a grip of things against the experienced midfield pair of Grace Clifford and Claire Sullivan while Zoe Loughran proved a handful up front, Emma Jane Gervin improved in the second half as the players who came in through the game made a fair demand for a final spot. Plenty of selection headaches ahead for Sean O’ Kane.

Scorers: Tyrone, Maria Canavan 1-4, Zoe Loughran 1-0, Aoife Horisk 1-0, Emma Conroy 0-1.

Kildare, Ellen Dowling 1-4, Ellie O’Toole 1-0, Lara Curran 0-2, Aoife Rattigan 0-1, Aoife Kilkenny 0-1.

TYRONE: Caitlin Donnelly, Jayne Lyons, Joanne Barrett, Eimear Quinn, Caitlin Campbell, Emma Mulgrew, Aine Strain, Aoibheann Mc Hugh, Meabh Mallon, Emma Jane Gervin, Maria Canavan, Caitlin Mc Callion, Emma Conroy, Zoe Loughran, Aoife Horisk; Subs: Clara Daly for Lyons, Meabh Corrigan for Strain, Emer Mc Canny For McCallion, Sasha Byrne for Conroy.

KILDARE: Niamh Barnes, Fiona Troute, Mia Doherty, Aine Mernagh, Lara Gilbert, Elaine Keogh, Elle O’Toole, Grace Clifford, Claire Sullivan, Aoife Rattigan, Ellen Dowling, Trina Duggan, Neasa Dooley, Lara Curran, Hazel McLoughlin. Subs: Lauren Murtagh For Aoife Rattigan, Erin Bereton Foley For Neasa Dooley, Lisa Shaw for Hazel McLaughlin, Sarah Munnelly for Trina Duggan, Aoife Kilkenny for Lara Gilbert.

Referee: Gavin Finnegan