Gaelic Games

Women’s football round-up: Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh stars as Kerry beat Dublin

Armagh keep up their winning streak over Laois

Dublin's Niamh Crowley with Louise Ni Mhuircheartaigh of Kerry. Photograph: Ben Brady/Inpho

Sat Jun 17 2023 - 21:53
TG4 All-Ireland Senior Championship – Group 3: Kerry 2-8 Dublin 1-9

Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh amassed a magnificent haul of 1-6 at Parnell Park as Kerry withstood a late surge from Dublin to seal victory in the opening round of the TG4 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Group 3.

2-8 to 1-4 in arrears with eight minutes gone in the second half of a physically demanding encounter, Mick Bohan’s Leinster champions posted five points without reply before ultimately coming up just short.

Following traded points between Ní Mhuircheartaigh and Dublin’s Kate Sullivan in the early moments, a quick 1-1 salvo from the Corca Dhuibhne ace moved the Lidl National Football League Division 1 champions four points clear by the fifth minute.

Dublin had a goal of their own after a superb run by Caoimhe O’Connor put Orlagh Nolan through for a neat close-range finish, but a brace of pointed frees courtesy of Ní Mhuircheartaigh kept Kerry in the driving seat.

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The three-time All Star added two more points to her already impressive tally as the opening half wore on, though Hannah Tyrrell knocked over a free for Dublin in between these efforts.

Dublin captain Carla Rowe also kicked a fine point off an extended move, only for a majestic Hannah O’Donoghue score with the outside of her right boot to give Kerry a 1-6 to 1-3 interval lead.

Although Niamh Ní Chonchúir stretched the Kingdom cushion on the resumption, Dublin looked set for a major lifeline when they were awarded a 34th-minute penalty.

But Rowe’s strike was saved by Kerry goalkeeper Ciara Butler and while Tyrrell converted another free, Kerry swiftly raised their second green flag of the tie when Cait Lynch passed inside for team captain Siofra O’Shea to palm home.

Another place-ball effort by the outstanding Ní Mhuircheartaigh had the Munster outfit within sight of a big win, before Dublin finally built up a head of steam with four points on the bounce – two each from Tyrrell and Rowe.

Kerry lost defender Emma Costello to a yellow card with 14 minutes remaining on the clock and full-back Kayleigh Cronin also ended the contest in the sin bin as the tension began to ramp up in the Donnycarney venue.

Tyrrell registered her fifth point of the action on 50 minutes, but in spite of their numerical deficiency in the final-quarter, Kerry held out to take a firm grip on the Group 3 table.

KERRY: C Butler; E Lynch, K Cronin, C Murphy; A O’Connell, E Costello, L Galvin; L Scanlon, C Lynch; N Ní Chonchúir (0-1), S O’Shea (1-0), A Galvin; H O’Donoghue (0-1), D O’Leary, L Ní Mhuircheartaigh (1-6, three frees). Subs: N Carmody for L Galvin (36), A Dillane for Murphy (43), A Harrington for O’Donoghue (50), C Evans for Ní Chonchúir (60).

DUBLIN: A Shiels; N Crowley, L Caffrey, F O’Connell-Bell; A Kane, M Byrne, L Magee; E O’Dowd, C Darby; C O’Connor, O Nolan (1-0), J Egan; H Tyrrell (0-5, four frees), K Sullivan (0-1), C Rowe (0-3, one free). Subs: N Hetherton for O’Connell-Bell (h-t), S Wylde for Darby (36), D Lawless for Egan (40), O Martin for Sullivan (45), N Donlon for Kane (58).

Ref: Jonathan Murphy (Carlow).

TG4 All-Ireland Senior Championship – Group 1: Laois 2-8 Armagh 3-12

Armagh have had Laois’ number in league and championship lately, and they continued their dominance over the O’Moore County again in this TG4 All-Ireland Senior Championship Group One opener.

The Orchard County defeated Laois in an entertaining match to claim the Lidl NFL Division Two trophy back in April. They were arguably more impressive here and had seven points to spare Laois on this occasion.

Armagh’s Kelly Mallon and Laois’ Sarah-Anne Fitzgerald traded points early on before the Ulster county pulled away at Laois Hire O’Moore Park.

Niamh Reel, Bláithín Mackin, Lauren McConville and Eve Lavery all raised white flags for the away side before they struck for the first of their two goals in the opening half.

Centre forward Aoife McCoy found Reel inside and she coolly slid to the left of Eimear Barry in the Laois net.

Mo Nerney replied for Laois to stop the rot. However, a second pointed free from Mallon was followed with a second Armagh goal.

it came after they intercepted a Laois kick-out and quickly went for the jugular. Caitríona O’Hagan played it across to McCoy inside, and she managed to get enough of a palm to it to trickle the ball home.

Laois finished the half well with points from Nerney (free), Orla Hennessy and Fitzgerald (free), but the home side still trailed by eight at half-time.

Laois’ Katie Donoghue and Armagh’s Caitríona O’Hagan traded points at the start of the second half before the home team grabbed a goal back.

Laura Marie-Maher saw her shot blocked down by Armagh but Donoghue was there to drive home the rebound.

Armagh responded positively to that goal with points from O’Hagan, Lavery and McCoy to regain control.

Nerney replied for Laois with a free before they struck for a second goal when Donoghue again supplied the finishing touch.

However, Armagh held their nerve well after that. While Fitzgerald curled over a point for Laois to leave three between the teams, a Lavery point for Armagh was followed by the clinching goal.

McCoy rounded Laois goalkeeper Barry and finished to the net to make sure Armagh made a winning start to their campaign.

LAOIS: E Barry; S Farrelly, C Dunne, A Kelly; S Havill, E Healy (capt), L Nerney; A Healy, O Hennessy (0-1); A Kirrane, LM Maher, G Moran, SA Fitzgerald (0-3, one free), M Nerney (0-3, three frees), K Donoghue (2-1).

Subs: T Byrne for Moran (54 mins), Ellie O’Connell for Nerney (60).

ARMAGH: A Carr; S Grey, C McCambridge, L Kenny; G Ferguson, L McConville (0-1), C Towe; N Coleman, E Lavery (0-3); B Mackin (0-2), A McCoy (2-1), E Druse; N Reel (1-1), K Mallon (capt) (0-2, two frees), C O’Hagan (0-2).

Subs: M Ferguson for Grey, A Mackin for O’Hagan (both 44 mins), N Marley for Towe (51), B Hendron for Mallon (60).

Referee: P Smith (Waterford).

Group 2: Donegal 2-10 Waterford 1-8

Donegal got their campaign up and running with a deserved win over Waterford at Páirc MacDiarmada in Lifford.

It was a much changed Donegal side from that which went down to Waterford in the league. Former All Star Niamh Hegarty and Karen Guthrie have returned to the Donegal squad for the championship and they were joined for this opener by another former All Star, Geraldine McLaughlin, who came on after the restart.

Hegarty and Amy Boyle Carr scored the goals for the newly crowned Ulster champions who led by four points at half-time.

Hegarty scored a goal and two points for Donegal – the goal was from the penalty spot after she herself had been fouled – as they led by 1-6 to 1-2 at the interval.

Susanne White posted two points and Boyle Carr and Katie Dowd got one each for Donegal.

Lauren McGregor scored the Waterford goal after nine minutes while Aine O’Neill and Kelly Ann Hogan scored the points for the visitors.

Susanne White and McGregor traded early points on the resumption before Boyle Carr broke through for a well taken goal.

That put Donegal ahead by 2-7 to 1-3 five minutes after the restart with Waterford failing to convert several scoring chances.

Katie McGrath landed Waterford’s second point of the half but they struggled to close the gap on the home side, with Ciara McGarvey landing two frees for Donegal after being introduced.

Player of the match Hegarty brought her tally to 1-3 in the closing exchanges while McGregor and Kelly Anne Hogan struck points for Waterford but they couldn’t get the goal they needed to get back in contention.

DONEGAL: C Friel; N Carr, A Asokhu, N McLaughlin; A Boyle Carr (1-1), L Ryan, T Hegarty; E Gallagher, N McLaughlin; R Rodgers, K Long, K Dowd (0-1); N Hegarty (1-3, 1-0 pen), K Herron, S White (0-3, two frees).

Subs: S McGroddy for L Ryan (h-t); C McGarvey (0-2, two frees) for White (41 mins), G McLaughlin for N McLaughlin (54), S McFeely for Dowd (60).

WATERFORD: E O’Brien; C Murray, Karen McGrath (0-1), A Murray; A Waring, Kate McGrath, E Murray; K Murray, A O’Neill (0-1); KA Hogan (0-2), A Fitzgerald, C McCarthy; S McGuickian, C Hynes, L McGregor (1-4, three frees).

Subs: Abby Murphy for Fitzgerald (41 mins).

Referee: S Curley (Galway).

Group 2: Galway 3-11 Cork 1-11

Two goals from Ailbhe Davoren and one from Kate Slevin in the final minute secured a six-point opening day victory for Galway in the TG4 All-Ireland Senior Championship at Pearse Stadium in Salthill.

The Tribeswomen trailed 1-9 to 1-8 entering the final quarter but 1-2 unanswered, including Davoren’s second goal set up by Nicola Ward and Eva Noone, finally gave the team managed by Fiona Wynne and Maghnus Breathnach a buffer.

Cork refused to yield as Katie Quirke and Doireann O’Sullivan left them just 2-11 to 1-11 behind but when Nicola Ward went on another trademark run in the final minute, she found Slevin inside who finished the job.

Both teams took their time to settle before Cork opened with a Doireann O’Sullivan free on four minutes. But the pace picked up not long after with Hannah Noone equalising for Galway on three minutes.

Both attacks asked probing questions but it was Galway who first reaped dividends when Leanne Coen, Louise and Nicola Ward combined to put Davoren through for their first goal on nine minutes.

That left it 1-1 to 0-1 but Cork were back in charge within four minutes. Two Doireann O’Sullivan frees reduced arrears to the minimum. But when Eimear Kiely’s 45 dropped into the square on 13 minutes, Doireann O’Sullivan couldn’t find a way past keeper Karen Connolly but her sister Ciara was on hand to stroke into the net.

Cork were two ahead but the Tribeswomen equalised by the quarter hour with cousins Roisin and Tracey Leonard finding the target. The sides were level twice more as after the O’Sullivan sisters raised Cork white flags, Coen and Tracey Leonard did likewise for Galway.

It was 1-5 apiece on 20 minutes before the Munster champions restored their lead. Captain Máire O’Callaghan was introduced for the injured Sarah Leahy and she set up Ciara O’Sullivan.

However, Galway had the final say as a Roisin Leonard free, and Davoren gave the hosts a 1-7 to 1-6 interval lead.

Again, the second period was slow in accelerating as Cork gained the advantage with Doireann O’Sullivan landing two frees, the second won by Melissa Duggan.

Roisin Leonard profited from a splitting pass by cousin Treacy to level at 1-8 apiece. And after Doireann O’Sullivan tallied again, Slevin’s first free levelled the teams for the eighth time.

But after another, they set up Davoren for her second goal and Galway didn’t look back with Slevin concluding a great result for the maroon and white when she slotted home their third goal in the dying moments of a very good contest.

GALWAY: K Connolly; K Geraghty, S Ni Loingsigh, A Ni Cheallaigh; A Molloy, N Ward, S Brennan; L Ward, L Coen (0-1); O Divilly, H Noone (0-1), L Noone; T Leonard (0-2), A Davoren (2-1), R Leonard (0-3, one free). Subs: K Slevin (1-3, two frees) for R Leonard (41), E Noone for L Noone (41), S Healy for Brennan (41), S Divilly for Molloy (54), C Miskell for T Leonard (53).

CORK: M O’Sullivan; M Duggan, E Meaney, R Phelan; E Cleary, S Kelly, A Ryan; S Leahy, H Looney; K Quirke (0-1), D O’Sullivan (0-8, eight frees), C O’Sullivan (1-2); L O’Mahony, E Kiely, D Kiely. Subs: M O’Callaghan for Leahy (15), L Coppinger for Cleary (42), D Kiniry for O’Mahony (51), L Fitzgerald for D Kiely (52).

Referee: Seamus Mulvihill (Kerry).

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