Kildare ladies canter to win over Westmeath in final league game

Lidl National Football League Division 2 Round 7

Kildare 2-9

Westmeath 1-7

The Kildare ladies rounded off their regular season Division 2 campaign with a win over Westmeath in Manguard Park. The Lillies had already booked their place in the league final with Tyrone on April 7, but, despite changes to the side, continued their long unbeaten run.

Westmeath would get the scoring under way with a brilliant point from Leanne Slevin after just 60 seconds of action.
That lead would be short-lived as Kildare hit the front with a goal from Ruth Sargent. Sargent, who has missed games through injury this year, was on the end of a Neasa Dooley effort across the face of goal to tap home.

Just a couple of minutes later, The Lillies were in again when Ellen Dowling slipped a super ball through to Róisín Byrne. Byrne, who drew plenty of defensive attention towards her and offloaded to Dooley who was arriving late. The Athy forward side-
stepped the advancing ‘keeper before tapping home off her weaker side.

Dooley would follow her realising of a green flag with the point of afternoon with a driven shot from just inside the 45’, making the score from distance look effortless.

Westmeath would respond with four of the next five points in this game as they hammered away at Kildare’s lead.

The leading side would get their first score in 14 minutes through Claire Sullivan, who was the finishing touch on a fine team move.

Next on the scoresheet was Róisín Byrne as she took a ball fired into her by Trina Duggan and turned sharply before drilling her shot between the posts.

Byrne’s score from nothing was a subtle reminder that Kildare were not over-exerting themselves in this game, but in certain moments showed indications of what lies beneath.

Kildare led 2-5 to 1-5 at the break and in truth the bulk of scoring in this game was in the rear view mirror. The Lillies would close out for victory with little fanfare as both sides rang in the changes with 21 substitutions being made, which undoubtedly disrupted this game’s flow.

A lacklustre second half will do little to worry Kildare manager Diane O’Hora who has secured back-to-back promotions since taking over this team.

“A lot of our players haven’t been (to Croke Park), but these players appreciate it and they know these opportunities don’t come around that often in your footballing career, especially in ladies football. They will be dying to get in there and back on that pitch, the best quality of pitch in the country. There will be huge excitement and they will be chomping at the bit.”

There were 13 changes made to Diane O'Hora's squad at the start of 2024, with a mix of freshening up and enforced switches at play.

However, those who have remained on from their treble-winning campaign in 2023 will have taken to the Croke Park pitch just eight months ago, when they won the All-Ireland Intermediate Championship against Clare in HQ.

O'Hora added, “You can only get three or four hard sessions in and then everything else is about being fresh for the final so looking forward to that now.”

Scorers: Kildare, Neasa Dooley 1-2, Ruth Sargent 1-0, Róisín Byrne 0-3, Claire Sullivan 0-1, Lara Gilbert 0-1, Hazel McLoughlin 0-1, Ellen Dowling 0-1 (0-1 frees).

Westmeath, Leanne Slevin 1-2 (1-0 Penalty, 0-2 frees), Sarah Dillon 0-3, Rebecca Higgins 0-1, Karen Hegarty 0-1 (0-1 frees).

KILDARE: Niamh Barnes; Fiona Troute, Mia Doherty, Alex Reynolds; Lara Gilbert, Ruth Sargent, Lauren Murtagh; Grace Clifford, Claire Sullivan; Aoife Rattigan, Ellen Dowling, Trina Duggan; Neasa Dooley, Róisín Byrne, Hazel McLoughlin. Subs: Mary Hulgraine for Niamh Barnes (Half-time), Niamh Farrelly for Róisín Byrne (35 minutes), Leah Doran for Lauren Murtagh (47 minutes), Aine Mernagh for Fiona Troute (47 minutes), Holly Tyrell for Aoife Rattigan (48 minutes), Lara Curran for Ellen Dowling (52 minutes), Aoife Kilkenny for Hazel McLoughlin (54 minutes), Elaine Keogh for Trina Duggan (58 minutes), Lisa Shaw for Claire Sullivan (58 minutes), Erin Brereton Foley for Neasa Dooley (58 minutes).

WESTMEATH: Lauren McCormack; Laura Kiernan, Lucy Power, Melek Fagan; Chloe Kelly, Fiona Coyle, Rachel Dillon; Kelly Boyce Jordan, Vicky Carr; Ashley Ruane, Rebecca Higgins, Meadbh Mangan; Sarah Dillon, Leanne Slevin, Tracey Dillon. Subs: Caoimhe Kilmurray for Rebecca Higgins (28 minutes), Caoimhe Clarke McMahon for Meadbh Mangan (Half-time), Karen Hegarty for Lucy Power (Half-time), Aoife Temple for Lauren McCormack (35 minutes), Chloe Moran for Chloe Kelly (35 minutes), Susanna Buckley for Tracey Dillon (38 minutes), Mairead Newman for Rachel Dillon (38 minutes), Sinead Seery for Vicky Carr (47 minutes), Jemma Seery for Fiona Coyle (48 minutes), Joyce Conway for Sarah Dillon (48 minutes).

Referee: Kevin Phelan, Laois

MAIN PLAYER
Neasa Dooley
The Athy forward never looks especially concerned about the context of any match as she gallops up the field towards goal, but she seemed to be particularly enjoying the relaxed atmosphere of Kildare's final league fixture. Dooley hit 1-2 on the day, which included one of the points of the season.

TURNING POINT
The change in this game came as quickly as four minutes in when Westmeath's bright start was followed by two Kildare goals, from Ruth Sargent and Neasa Dooley.

TALKING POINT
After a blisteringly brilliant 2023, this Kildare team continues to add to its legacy as they secured back-to-back promotions regardless of the result of the league final. But Diane O'Hora's team are now looking to win their fourth trophy in her relatively short time in charge.

WHAT NOW?
Kildare face Tyrone in the Lidl Ladies Division 2 league final in Croke Park on April 7.