Kildare Minor Ladies into Leinster Final

Sunday, 22 May 2022 10:42

By Clem Ryan

Kildare 4-7 Dublin 1-11

Ladies Football Leinster Minor Championship

Kildare 4-7 (19) Dublin 1-11 (14)

Kildare will play Meath in the Leinster Minor A final following their five-point victory over Dublin yesterday in TU Blanchardstown.

The key difference between the two teams was Kildare’s ability to take their goal scoring opportunities despite Dublin having most of the possession.

Goals win games’, and this was the case with Kildare raising the green flag on four occasions to Dublin’s one.

Ava Cullen got the opening goal in the 18th minute to put Kildare 1-03 to 0-04 in front. A minute later Sophie Ngai converted a Kildare penalty to give her side a five-point advantage.

Points from Ava Lambe, Heather Bolger, Megan McAuley and Kate Donaghy plus a well taken Niamh Crowley goal gave Dublin a one point lead at the interval,by 1-7 to Kildare’s 2-03

Kildare struck for their third goal after 39 minutes from Sophie Ngai to give Kildare a two-point lead as the game headed into injury time.

Victory was sealed for the lily whites when substitute Grace Murtagh scored Kildare’s fourth goal in the 36th minute of the second half.

Kildare: Niamh Barnes, Aine Mernagh, Niamh Hayes, Molly O’Loughlin, Olivia Monaghan, Muireann O’Loughlin, Siofra Galvin, Amy Larn, Hannah Breen, Niamh Farrelly, Ellie Kendrick, Sophie Ngai, Edwina Birchall, Ava Cullen, Ciara McDonald. Subs: Grace Murtagh for Muireann O’Loughlin, Joy Duggan for Breen, Claudia Gray for Monaghan, Zara Beatty for McDonald, Keevey Collins for Duggan.

Kildare scorers: Sophie Ngai 2-01 (1P), Ava Cullen, Grace Murtagh 1-goal each, Niamh Farrelly 0-03 (3f), Muireann O’Loughlin, Edwina Birchall, Molly O’Loughlin 0-01 each.