Tinahely 1-9 St Conleth’s 1-5
Ladies Leinster Senior Club Football Championship Round 1
St Conleth’s bowed out of the Leinster Ladies club SFC after they were beaten by Tinahely in Wicklow yesterday.
This game was right in the balance until the very end when a Jackie Kinch goal settled the game in the favour of the Wicklow side.
It all started so well for St Conleth’s as two points from Emma Lawlor and the third from Maire Byrne saw them open up a 0-3 to 0-0 lead.
Laura McGrath replied with two points for the hosts but St Conleth’s roared back ahead.
Maire Byrne played a neat one-two with Aoife Kirrane that set her through on goal, the half-forward then fired home a screamer to the roof of Shona Byrne’s net to leave the Laois champions looking good with a 1-3 to 0-2 lead after 12 minutes.
A fine score from team captain Alanna Havill opened up a five-point lead but Tinahely rallied with the home crowd roaring them on and finished the half strong with points from Laura McGrath and Aobha Harmon either side of a fine save by Claire O’Connell from a Aoife Gorman piledriver.
That left it 1-4 to 0-4 at half time but it all changed when play resumed as Aimee Kelly was sin binned.
By the time she returned, Tinahely fired over four unanswered points to take the lead for the first time.
Shirfva Havill drew St Conleth’s level in the 47th minute but then Kinch won it for Tinahely at the death.
SCORERS – Tinahely: Laura McGrath 0-6 (three frees), Jackie Kinch 1-0, Aobha Harmon 0-2, Ciara Byrne 0-1 St Conleth’s: Marie Byrne 1-0, Emma Lawlor and Alanna Havill 0-2 each, Shifra Havill 0-1
TINAHELY: Shona Byrne; Kate Hatton, Ciara Stokes, Shannagh Goetelen; Emily Mulhall, Áine Byrne, Eimear O’Sullivan; Niamh Kenny, Aoife Gorman; Sarah Byrne, Aobha Harmon, Eimear O’Brien; Ciara Byrne, Jackie Kinch, Laura McGrath. Subs: Roisin Byrne for K Hatton, Aimee Maher for Emly Mulhall, Loretta Gilbert for N Kenny
ST CONLETH’S: Claire O’Connell; Áine Haberlin, Ruanne Hunt, Nicole Byrne; Fiona Dempsey, Shifra Havill, Aoife Cummins; Aimee Kelly, Aoife Kirrane; Claire Fox, Alanna Havill, Maire Byrne; Becky Felon, Emma Lawlor, Eva Galvin. Subs: Gráinne Cotter for B Fenlon (43).
REFEREE: Finbarr Shanahan (Dublin)
SEE ALSO – Big Laois involvement as North London Shamrocks make history with first ever championship win
