Heartbreak for Waterford’s Under 16's.

Heartbreak for Waterford’s Under 16 girls in Munster final

In a tremendous game of football, Waterford’s under 16 ladies team went down to Cork in the Munster A final by the minimum margin 1-15 to 1-14 in extra time after the sides had finished level in normal time. Waterford were rocked before the throw in when influential centre forward was forced to cry off due to illness and had to be replaced by Hannah Power (Old Parish). Cork opened brightly with a brace of points in the first three minutes from mid fielder Ciara Hartnett and corner forward Sadhbh O Leary. Waterford had a very legitimate claim for a penalty turned down in the 5^th minute before Bronagh Condon opened the Déise account a minute later. This play for the next 10 minutes or so was very broken not helped by injuries to two Waterford players Kate McGrath and Megan Dunford but both recovered well and turned in fantastic performances. Cork stretched the lead to three points with scores from Grace Culloty and Abbie Scannell before Aoife Murray kicked a great point in the 13^th minute.

Saoirse Noonan the Cork full forward got her first point on 17 minutes to widen the gap once again. A pointed free from Ciara Hurley in the 20^th minute and a great point from way out the field from Kate McGrath had the Déise back to within one point. Cork’s half back Ciara McCarthy capitalised on loose play in the Waterford line to venture up field and score a good point on 26 minutes and full forward Saoirse Noonan kicked her second with three minutes to go to half time to leave cork ahead by three. Aoife Murray narrowed the gap with a wonderful score off her left foot in the 28^th minute and one minute later Hannah Power (Old Parish) had the sizable Déise following in raptures when she finished off a wonderful move to score the opening goal of the game to leave Waterford ahead at half time by a point 1-5 Cork 0-7.

Waterford opened the second half confidently with a point from Kate McGrath in the first minute and they extended their lead with a pointed free from Ciara Hurley and another point from Aoife Murray to leave the Waterford girls four points ahead after 7 minutes. Laura Cleary got Cork’s first score of the second half a point in the 8^th minute but the Waterford reply was quick a pointed free from Ciara Hurley after a great defensive interception by Megan Dunford set up another Waterford attack.

Ciara Hurley kicked a huge free from 40 yards out in the 14^th minute and grabbed the kick out to slot over another point to leave Waterford ahead by six points with 15 minutes to go. One minute later came the decisive move from a Cork point of view, possession given away by Waterford while on the attack led to good inter play by Cork’s Laura Cleary and Saoirse Noonan led to Noonan’s unstoppable shot beating Waterford’s goalie Roisin Curran to narrow the gap to three points.

This spurred the Cork girls on to greater efforts and they were rewarded with points from a free by Laura Cleary and a well taken score by Lorraine O Neill to narrow the gap to the bare minimum. Ciara Hurley steadied the nerves somewhat with a free on 23 minutes. Cork through everything at Waterford at this stage and the bravery of the Deise girls was a joy to witness. Kate McGrath got injured again bravely blocking down a Cork attempt to set up a score. In the 26^th minute Lorraine O Neill kicked a point when a dubiously awarded free came back off the post into play and with one minute to go Saoirse Noonan kicked the equalising point to the joy and relief of the Cork supporters. Both sides had final chances to win the game before Keith Delahunty blew the final whistle to leave two wonderful teams deadlocked 1-12 apiece.

Cork opened the first period of extra time more brightly with two points from Laura Cleary and one from Ciara Hartnett left Cork three points to the good. Ciara Hurley pulled one back for Waterford just on the stroke of half time to give the Deise hope for the last 10 minutes. The second half of extra time was a tense affair with both defences on top and scoring chances were at a premium. A number of efforts from the Waterford forwards just dropped short of their intended target. In the last minute of extra time Aoife Murray had a half chance but her rasper of a shot was always rising and went over the bar to the relief of the Cork girls to leave the score Cork 1-15 Waterford 1-14. Keith Delahunty then blew the final whistle to end what was an absolute cracker of a game and the contrast between the joy and relief on the Cork girls’ faces and the agony and tears of the Waterford girls was heart breaking for all involved. Both teams served up an amazing game of football, the skill levels were brilliant and as for the level of fitness, not one girl went down with cramp on either side during almost 90 minutes of pulsating football.

While defeat is always hard to bear especially when it was as close as it was today, the management and players of the Waterford team should be well proud of their achievements in the Munster A championship. Roisin Curran had a sound game in goal and could not be faulted for the Cork goal. The full back line of Laura Casey, Niamh Power and Laura Casey were tireless in their efforts. Half backs Aishling Mullaney, Megan Dunford and Laura Cusack were well on top of a very strong Cork half forward line. Hannah Power (St Pats) and captain Emma Murray set up many attacks for the forwards. In the half forward line Kate Mc Garth, Hannah Power (Old Parish) and Chloe Fennell gave the Cork backs many anxious moments while the full forward line of Bronagh Condon, Aoife Murray and Ciara Hurley had their scoring boots on, getting a total of thirteen points between them. A team is only as good as the subs and the rest of the panel Grace Heffernan, Beth Norris, Katie Murray and Edwina Curran gave their all for the cause when they came on during the game. The remaining girls of the panel who did not see action today Caoimhe Veale, Emma Power, Becky Hogan, Maeve Ryan and Lauren Galvin are to be commended for their efforts and dedication during the campaign and all the girls are a credit to their families and their various clubs. Team Management of Pat Sullivan, Trish Fitzgerald, Johnny Troy, Margaret Foley and first aider Mick Norris put in a lot of work with these girls and should be well proud of their efforts.

This is the end of the championship road for these girls on the inter-county stage for this year. We wish Cork all the best in their efforts in the All Ireland series. We thank the girls for giving us so much enjoyment in their campaign. We know that this group of girls are resilient and have proved today that they are as good as the best in the country. The future is bright for Ladies football in county Waterford and I have no doubt that many of these girls will make their mark at senior inter county level in the not too distant future.

Waterford Intermediate ladies clinch a place in League Final

Waterford Intermediate lady footballers by virtue of a hard earned victory clinched a place in the Tesco Home-grown Division 3 League final to be played in Parnell Park Dublin on Saturday may 10^th. Waterford faced Leitrim in the semi final in Birr on Sunday last and the girls from the west set out their stall early and attacked from the throw in. Led by sharpshooting forward Áine Tighe took the game to the Deise girls and had three points on the scoreboard in the first six minutes, indeed it could have been much worse for the Deise in these opening minutes as Tighe also had two opportunities for goal and it took a timely interception by Karen McGrath and a wonderful save from keeper Aimee Jordan to keep Waterford in the game at this early stage.

The Deise girls settled down and gradually imposed themselves on the game; Michelle Ryan opened the scoring with a pointed free in the 7^th minute. Aileen Wall hit the crossbar on 9 minutes and Michelle Ryan repeated the act two minutes later before Michelle got her second point of the game on 13 minutes. Elaine Power got Waterford’s third point on 14 minutes when she finished a wonderful passing movement involving Mairead and Linda Wall to level the scores. Aimee Jordan was called on again to make a wonderful save from Aine Tighe before the Leitrim corner forward Michelle Heslin put the Connacht team back in front. The other Leitrim corner forward Roisin Fowley got in on the scoring act in the 22^nd minute when she finished a wonderful move to the Waterford net. Linda Wall steadied Waterford nerves with three unanswered points between the 23^rd and 26^th minutes before Aine Tighe scored her fourth point of the game for Leitrim on 27 minutes to put them back in front again by two. Michelle Ryan and Aine Tighe exchanged pointed frees in injury time to leave Leitrim enjoying a slender two point cushion at the break Leitrim 1-6 Waterford 0-7.

Waterford opened the second half brightly, a Leitrim attack was intercepted by Mairéad Wall and great inter-passing at speed by the Wall sisters, Mairéad, Linda and Aileen led to Linda getting inside the defence and putting a wonderful shot past the Leitrim keeper Michelle Guckian. Leitrim came back attacking strongly and were rewarded with a point from mid fielder and Captain Sarah McLoughlin. Linda Wall was on hand to kick over the equalising point shortly afterwards to leave it all square at 1-7 a piece. For the next 5 minutes or so it was all Leitrim and they once again stretched their lead out to three points, all from the boot of Aine Tighe. Aileen Wall kicked a got point on 12 minutes to narrow the gap and Michelle Ryan pulled another one back a minute later when she was fed a good pass by substitute Hannah Landers to put the minimum between the teams. Hannah Landers herself was to score the equalising point after good work by Aileen Wall in dispossessing the Leitrim full forward.

Leitrim went back in front on 17 minutes when Michelle Heslin got her second score of the game, but this was short lived as hard working Mairead Wall was rewarded with a good point.

With 10 minutes to go Michelle Ryan put Waterford noses in front only for it to be pegged back once again by Aine Tighe on the 23^rd minute. Three minutes later came the decisive score for Waterford some indecision in the Leitrim defence led to Shauna Dunphy being alert and the Comeragh Rangers girls made no mistake and planted the ball in the Leitrim net to give Waterford a lead that they would not surrender. A pile driver from Aileen Wall was brilliantly deflected over the bar by the Leitrim goalie in the 28^th minute. Leitrim’s midfielder Sarah McLoughlin brought the deficit back to a goal with one minute remaining. In injury time Michelle Ryan had the presence of mind and coolness when her free came back off the post to collect the rebound and bury it in the net for Waterford’s third goal. From the kick out Shauna Dunphy put the ball over the bar for the final score of the game to leave Waterford in front by seven points on the final score Waterford 3-14 Leitrim 1-13.

This result ensures that Waterford have now qualified for the National league final against Armagh who comprehensively defeated Tipperary in the other semi final. This game will be played on Saturday 10^th May and gives the Deise ladies an opportunity to atone for their display against Armagh last time out. Management will be well pleased with the result today and the work ethic displayed. The will be especially pleased with the impact that the substitutes made when they came on and these players ensured that there will be healthy competition for places in the final. In defence Karen McGrath, Grainne Kenneally and Mary Foley were superb. Michelle McGrath and Elaine Power gave Waterford a decided advantage at mid field and were the spring board of many Waterford attacks. The three Wall sisters and Michelle Ryan were outstanding in the forward line. Team management made four substitutions during the game and these were very astute changes. Grainne Enright and Shona Curran steadied the team down when they came on in the back line and the two forwards who were introduced Hannah Landers and Shauna Dunphy gave a fresh impetus to the attack and both ended up on the score sheet.

Waterford lined out as follows: Aimee Jordan, Nora Dunphy, Grainne Kenneally, Mary Foley, Louise Ryan, Karen McGrath, Megan O Connor, Michelle McGrath, Elaine Power(0-1), Linda Wall(1-3), Michelle Ryan (1-5), Mairead Wall  (0-1), Liz Devine, Margaret Revins, Aileen Wall (0-2) Subs Used Grainne Enright, Shona Curran, Hannah Landers (0-1) and Shauna Dunphy (1-1)