Leinster Intermediate Championship Quarter Final

Kildare v Longford, 1^st June

St Conleth’s Park Newbridge

Kildare 2.16 Longford 3.08

Neasa Dooley hit 1-03 as Kildare sealed their place in the Leinster IFC semi-final after a tight tussle with Longford at St Conleth’s Park on Saturday afternoon. The Lillies survived a late onslaught from their opponents in a lengthy injury time to insure their victory.

The sides were level at two points apiece after five minutes with Kildare’s Trina Duggan intercepting a pass making a 60 yard run to pop the ball over the bar leveling the game. The game’s opening goal came on eight minutes when a long ball played over the top found Longford’s Aisling Greene and she made no mistake from close range. Both sides traded points once more, Neasa Dooley’s white flag a highlight. Despite being swarmed by the Longford defence and her back to goals, she found the extra inch to take the score.

Two goals in sixty seconds had those in the terraces in full voice. Longford’s Keri Harmon’s shot deflected off Neasa Dooley and past Kildare keeper Cliodhna Malone. On the resumption, Dooley was on hand at the other end of the pitch to finish to the net for the home side’s opening goal. This left Longford leading by one; 2-03 to 1-05. Dooley’s goal spurred Kildare on as they upped a gear and hit three unanswered points; two from Ellen Dowling and one from Ciara Wheeler. Captain Grace Clifford led by example and hit Kildare’s second goal, dancing around defenders to slot home. A stoppage due to injury saw Ciara Wheeler replaced by Molly Price. Longford ended the half strongly hitting two scores with Greene and Anna McDonnell both raising white flags. At the break, Kildare were in front, but only just – 2-08 to 2-05.

Kildare started the second half brightly with four unanswered points with Mikaela McKenna, Neasa Dooley and Lara Curran all finding the target, pushing the home side seven points clear on 42 minutes. Kildare were dealt a blow and were reduced to 14 players when corner back Rachel Cribbin was sent to the sin bin in reaction to her markers challenge in the tackle. In that ten-minute spell, Kildare reacted well outscoring their opponents by four points to one leaving the home side with a ten-point cushion heading into injury time.

To their credit, Longford did not throw in the towel and reduced the deficit to seven points, Keri Harmon launched a ball towards goal where Michelle Farrell reacted quickest getting in ahead of her marker to palm the ball to the net. A free from Aoife Darcy closed the gap, Longford had their tails up as Kildare desperately tried to stem the flow. Longford were in search of goals and came close on two occasions from frees where Aisling Greene’s shots were cleared from the mass of Kildare defenders on the goal line. The referee had signalled for a penalty late on after a mass of players around the Kildare goals fought for possession but after consultation with his umpires awarded the free out to the relief of the Kildare players. Longford did have the final say in the contest with midfielder Mairead Reynolds slotting the ball over just as the referee blew the fulltime whistle to see a relieved Kildare side hold on for a five point victory on a full time score of Kildare 2-16 Longford 3-08.

For the Lillies, this victory sets them up with a semi-final tie against Wexford in two weeks while Longford will face into the Qualifiers.  

Kildare Scores: Neasa Dooley 1-03, Grace Clifford 1-00, Ellen Dowling 0-03, Mikaela McKenna 0-03, Lara Curran 0-03 (3Fs), Trina Duggan 0-01, Ciara Wheeler 0-01, Aoife Rattigan 0-01.

Longford Scores: Aisling Greene 1-02, Michelle Farrell 1-01, Keri Harmon 1-00, Aoife Darcy 0-02 (2Fs), Mairead Reynolds, Kara Shannon, Anna McDonnell (0-01 each)

Kildare: Cliodhna Malone, Rachel Cribbin, Siobhan O Sullivan, Shauna Kendrick, Claire Sullivan, Lara Gilbert, Trina Duggan, Sarah Munnelly, Grace Clifford (C), Lara Curran, Ciara Wheeler, Aoife Rattigan, Ellen Dowling, Neasa Dooley, Mikaela McKenna.

Kildare Subs: Ciara Farrell, Molly Aspell, Emily Birch, Mollie Dagg, Gemma Hartnett, Amy Horan, Eve Kehoe, Dervla McGinn, Hazel McLoughlin, Rose Mernagh, Sally Murphy, Molly Price, Louise Scully, Orlaith Sullivan, Sarah Rose Merrick.

Kildare subs introduced: Molly Price for Ciara Wheeler, Orlaith Sullivan for Aoife Rattigan, Molly Aspell for Lara Curran, Sally Murphy for Ellen Dowling.

Longford: Emer Esler, Rachel Farrell, Leanne Keegan, Laura Gallagher, Mairead Moore, Eimear O Brien, Niamh Darcy, Jacinta Brady, Mairead Reynolds, Keri Harmon, Michelle Farrell, Kara Shannon, Anna McDonnell, Aisling Greene, Aoife Darcy.

Longford Subs: Aine Barry, Sarah Shannon, Clare Farrell, Aisling Cosgrove, Una Clarke, Dearbhaile Rooney, Emer Heaney (C), Orla Nevin, Ciara Healy, Aisling McCormack, Caoimhe Lohan, Aoife O Brien, Eve Nerney, Ciara Foxe.

Longford subs introduced: Claire Farrell for Niamh Darcy, Sarah Shannon for Leanne Keegan.

Referee Ciaran Groome (Offaly)

Report: Donal Fitzpatrick (Kildare)

Photo Cred with thanks to Michelle Sharkey (Game on Photos)