Mixed results for Waterford Ladies sides.

Last gasp Tipp goal denies Waterford under 14s victory

A last gasp goal scored by Caitlin Kennedy in the Munster B under 14 ladies final ensured that the two teams will have to meet again after a pulsating clash ended level in Clonmel on Thursday night last. When the teams met previously in the championship there was little to separate the teams but the Deise girls did just enough to emerge victors on that day. This game was to prove no different with the teams level on six occasions. Points were traded all the way through and the teams went in at the interval on six points apiece. The Waterford points being shared by Sheena Mc Guckian and Sarah Lacey. In the second half Waterford got off to a good start with points from Sarah Lacey ,Sheena Mc Guckian and substitute Aoife Fitzgerald to leave Waterford three points ahead entering added on time and holding on, but Caitlin Kennedy intervened and got the all important equalising goal and ensured that the teams will have to do battle again. Final Score Waterford 0-11 Tipperary 1-8.

Waterford Under 16s claim Munster title

In a thrilling Munster final played in very windy conditions in Kilmacthomas on Sunday last. Waterford ladies overcame a resolute Tipperary team to claim the title on a five point margin. Playing into the strong wind in the first half Waterford ably led by captain Chloe Fennell took the Tipperary team by surprise with an exhibition of scores with goals from Chloe Fennell and two from Abi Dunphy along with three points from Kaiesha Tobin to leave the Deise girls ahead at half time on a score line Waterford 3-5 Tipperary 1-2.

The second half proved to be a different story however as the Tipp girls, led by Kate Davey quickly wiped out Waterford’s lead to score 2 goals and four points with Waterford’s only answer a point by Abi Dunphy. Tipp went ahead for the first time on 42 minutes with a point but a point from Abbie Dalton a goal from Abi Dunphy, a point from Chloe Fennell and a pointed free from Kaiesha Tobin left Waterford five ahead. The Deise girls were rocked back with a Tipperary goal and a sin binning which left Tipp with a numerical advantage for the rest of the game, but the girls dug deep and three points from Katie Duggan Sullivan, Kaiesha Tobin and Abbie Dalton and some heroic defending left Johnny Troy’s charges in front and Munster champions at the final whistle on the score line Waterford 4-12 Tipperary 4-7

 

Disappointment for Intermediates in League Final

Waterford’s intermediate ladies football team’s unbeaten record in division 3 of the Tesco Homegrown league came to a halt when they were beaten by Sligo in Parnell Park on a scoreline of  2-12 to 2-8. Waterford started the game very brightly and led with a point from Grainne Kenneally in the second minute which was cancelled out by Katie Walsh in the 4^th Waterford hit a purple patch between the 6^th and the 18^th minutes with a goal and a point by Sinead Ryan and a point by Aileen Wall left the Deise five points up. It was to get better for the girls when Wall and Ryan combined and a defence splitting pass from Aileen Wall to Sinead resulted in the full forward rounding the goalkeeper and finishing the ball to the net. At this stage Waterford were well on top with the backs patiently playing the ball out of defence and working for each other. Sligo started to get a grip on the game and points from Karen Moloney, Katie Walsh and Stephanie O Reilly brought the Connacht girls back into the game. The game was turned on its head in the 27^th minute with a very harsh decision by the referee gifted Sligo a penalty and a yellow card for Emma Murray. Katie Walsh despatched the penalty to bring Sligo back into the game. On the stroke of half time Aileen Wall scored a fine point to leave the half time score Waterford 2-4 Sligo 1-4.

Waterford having been so economical in the first half, having only kicked one wide, started the second half in wasteful fashion with three wides in the first three minutes. This energised Sligo and a point from Sarah Reynolds and a goal from full forward Katie Walsh left the Yeats County up by a point in the 8^th minute. Sligo stretched their lead in the 10^th minute with a point from Stephanie O Reilly and Katie Walsh kicked another one in the 11^th minute to stretch the margin to three. Waterford’s day went from bad to worse when Grainne Kenneally was sin binned for an innocuous looking tackle. Michelle Ryan cut the deficit with a well taken point. Sligo weathered the storm and sub Jacqui Mulligan and Katie Walsh scored points to extend the lead to five. Sinead Ryan and Maria Delahunty gave Waterford hope with two points. Delahunty scoring a free for a foul on Aileen Wall who was hauled down with a clear goal chance and no card resulted. Waterford’s misery was compounded a minute later when Emma Murray received a second yellow card in a decision that the referee clearly got very wrong. The young Comeragh Rangers girl contested the ball in the air, with her eyes totally focussed on the ball, with the Sligo half forward. The referee called Emma Murray back and sent her off to the amazement of almost everyone who was there. Sinead Ryan pointed a free in the 28^th minute but Sligo came back and midfielder Bernice Byrne fisted over a point to ensure that the league title was going back West.

While the better team won on the day this was a bitter pill for Waterford ladies to swallow. Their league form up to Saturday has been excellent but a below par performance means that Waterford languish in Division 3 for another season, despite getting six more league points than Sligo and scoring 26 goals in the divisional stage of the League. Next up for the girls is a defence of their Munster Intermediate crown and the thoughts of the task ahead and facing Division 4 league champions Limerick in the first round should help the girls to put this defeat very much behind them.