Kerry Lady Footballers prove too strong for Waterford

Kerry’s lady footballers duly qualified for the All Ireland Ladies Football quarter finals with a nine point win in Birr over Waterford on Saturday last. Playing with the aid of a strong breeze, Waterford got down to business immediately when a long diagonal foot pass from Lauren Mc Gregor to Caoimhe McGrath was quickly fed into Gráinne Kenneally and the Ballyduff girl had no hesitation and despatched the ball to the Kerry net after only 29 seconds to give Waterford a dream start. Kerry opened their account in the 3^rd minute with a point from Laura Rodgers and points in quick succession from Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh and Laura Rodgers tied the game up after 6 minutes of play. Waterford were having difficulty in creating scoring chances at this stage as Kerry were deploying two sweepers in an attempt to starve the inside forward line of possession.

Maria Delahunty put Waterford in front with a pointed free in the 9^th minute, when Kerry goalkeeper Edel Murphy was penalised for delaying the kick out. Sarah Houlihan opened her account with a brace of points in the 11^th and 12^th minutes to put Kerry back in front before Róisín Tobin levelled matters with a well taken score in the 13^th minute. Kerry edged in front with a free from Sarah Houlihan on 14 minutes, but this was quickly cancelled out when Maria Delahunty kicked a great point from 30 metres out following some excellent inter-play by the Waterford forwards.

Kerry’s crucial first-half score, a goal came from midfielder and former captain Bernie Breen, who was on hand to slot the ball home from close range after an extremely patient build-up. Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh provided the killer pass and Breen stayed cool to side-step a defender and find the net in the 17^th minute, to put Kerry three points in front. Waterford hit back and it took an incredible double save by Edel Murphy to prevent Caoimhe McGrath and then Gráinne Kenneally from scoring what would have been a vital Waterford goal. Maria Delahunty expertly pointed the resulting 45 with ease, but it was scant reward for the Waterford efforts. Delahunty narrowed the gap to the bare minimum with a free in the 20^th minute but 3 quick unanswered points courtesy of Lorraine Scanlon, Jane Lynch and Sarah Houlihan left Kerry four ahead with 24 minutes gone in the half. It could have been more as Katie Hannon made a wonderful save from Kerry’s number 10 Laura Rodgers in the 25^th minute. Waterford came back and added two points, which could on another day ended up as goals, from Róisín Tobin in the 27^th minute and Lauren Mc Gregor on the stroke of half time to leave the Kingdom with their noses in front at half time on a score-line Kerry 1-9 Waterford 1-7.

Kerry opened the second half with an added intensity and four points in quick succession from player of the match Sarah Houlihan and one from midfielder Bernie Breen left Waterford with a mountain to climb, seven points down after only nine minutes of the second half. Waterford’s task got even harder a minute later when Emma Sherwood goaled from close range to leave ten between them. Lorrainne Scanlon and Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh added salt to the Waterford wounds with points in the 11^th and 12^th minutes.

Waterford, however never gave up, a strong run by Gráinne Kenneally resulted in her been taken down in the square and captain for the day Katie Hannon came up from her goalkeeping position to despatch the ball to the net for Waterford’s second goal in the 13^th minute. Kerry’s reply was strong and decisive, a point from Laura Rodgers and a goal from Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh following a point blank save by Waterford goalie Katie Hannon left Kerry 13 points to the good in the 16^th minute. Waterford kept fighting Maria Delahunty kicked over another point and the Kerry post was hit for the third time in the game. Sarah Houlihan kicked her 9^th point of the match for Kerry. Sub Nicola Fennell kicked another point for Waterford with 6 minutes to go and Maria Delahunty and Kerry sub Andrea Murphy exchanged points in the closing minutes to leave the final score Kerry 3-19 Waterford 3-10.

Kerry now move on to play Monaghan in the quarter finals in two weeks time, while the Waterford girls exit the championship. After the match Kerry manager Alan O Neill was fulsome in his praise for the Waterford efforts stating that the Déise girls give his team two good battles in the championship and the “rub of the green” favoured Kerry in the match. Waterford manager Pat Sullivan was disappointed with the result but was delighted that Waterford had put in some excellent performances during the year against top class opposition. He was delighted that Waterford won the league and would be playing at a higher level in the league next year. He was happy with the level of development over the year and confident with hard work in the winter the team would continue to show progress.

Scorers for Waterford: G Kenneally 2-0, K. Hannon(1-0pen) M Delahunty 0-6 (3f, 1 45), R Tobin 0-2, L McGregor & N Fennell 0-1 each.

Scorers for Kerry: S Houlihan 0-9 (2f), L Ní Mhuircheartaigh 1-2, B Breen 1-1, E Sherwood 1-0, L Rogers 0-3, L Scanlon 0-2, J Lynch & A Murphy 0-1 each.

WATERFORD: K Hannon; L Wall, M McGrath, M Dunford; A Mullaney, M Wall, H Power; K McGrath, C McGrath; E Murray, M Delahunty, R Tobin; L McGregor, G Kenneally, A Wall.

Subs: K Murray for McGregor (39), S Dunphy for Mullaney (42), N Fennell for K McGrath (50), C Hurley for L Wall (54), C Fennell for Power (60).

KERRY: E Murphy; A O’Connell, A Desmond, K O’Sullivan; D Hallissey, C Kelly, E Lynch; B Breen, E Sherwood; L Rogers, L Scanlon, J Lynch; S Houlihan, A Brosnan, L Ní Mhuircheartaigh.

Subs: A Galvin for Brosnan (39), A Leonard for E Lynch (48), C Buckley for J Lynch (54), A Murphy for Rogers (54), C O’Sullivan for Houlihan (54).

Referee: M Kenny (Mayo).