Waterford Ladies too strong for Offaly

In testing condition on Sunday last, Waterford ladies continued their good start to the LIDL Division 3 League when they comfortably overcame a game Offaly side in Gracefield GAA pitch Portarlington. Buoyed by their narrow success last week over Tipperary ,Waterford started well against the elements and Aileen Wall opened her account with a well taken point in the 3^rd minute. Offaly were quick to reply with  a point from midfielder Aoife Norris in the 6^th minute. Points from Abbeyside club mates Róisín Tobin in the 7^th minute and Maria Delahunty stretched the Waterford lead to two. Waterford captain Sinéad Ryan added a point in the 16^th minute which was followed by another by her sister Michelle to leave Waterford comfortably in front 0-5 to 0-1 after 21 minutes.

Offaly managed to claw their way back into the match with a brace of frees, one from Orlagh Heavey and the other from Mairead Daly, coupled with points from play by Aoife Norris and Mairead Daly to leave matters all square with 27 minutes of the first half gone. Offaly’s revival was short lived however as Aileen Wall struck for a fine goal just on the stroke of half time to leave the score Waterford 1-5 Offaly 0-5 at the interval.

The Deise girls came out with all guns blazing in the second half and three points from Maria Delahunty put daylight between the teams in the first seven minutes of the second half. Aileen Wall scored another point in the 8^th minute while Delahunty added Waterford’s fifth unanswered point of the second half to leave it Waterford 1-10 Offaly 0-5.

Mairead Daly replied with a pointed free for Offaly in the 12^th minute but two goals in quick succession on from Sinead Ryan and then other from Maria Delahunty in the 13^th and 15^th minutes effectively killed off the game as a contest. Manager Pat Sullivan emptied his bench with a raft of substitutions and points from Chloe Fennell and Hannah Power (Old Parish) wrapped up a convincing win for the Déise Ladies.

This was a good win for the Waterford side who had many outstanding performers on the day. Maria Delahunty, Kate McGrath, Aileen Wall and Mairead Wall all impressed. Waterford’s next outing in the league wil be in two weeks time with an away trip to Fermanagh who despite their heavy loss to Tipperary will be looking to defeat the Déise Ladies.

Waterford lined out as follows: Katie Hannon; Kate McGrath, Mairead Wall, Linda Wall; Róisín Tobin (0-1), Liz Devine, Hannah Power (Saint Patrick’s); Caoimhe McGrath, Louise Ryan; Grainne Kenneally, Michelle Ryan (0-1), Nicola Fennell; Maria Delahunty (1-5), Sinead Ryan (1-1), Aileen Wall (1-2). Subs Used: Chloe Fennell (0-1), Aisling Mullaney, Aoife Landers, Hannah Power (Old Parish) (0-1), Bronagh Condon, Carragh McCarthy, Lauren McGregor and Laura Mulcahy.

Results from Division 2:

Leitrim 4-11 Down 1-4

Tipperary 6-14 Fermanagh 0-1

Wexford 1-14 Roscommon 1-6

Offaly 0-7 Waterford 3-12