The Kildare Minors ability to take goal opportunities at vital stages in the game secured win
Dublin 1-11
Kildare 4-07
As the old saying goes, ‘goals win games’ was extremely apt for the Kildare Minors win over Dublin in the Leinster Championship this afternoon.
The five point margin at the final whistle wasn’t in any way a reflection of the game, Dublin enjoyed more of the possession over the sixty plus minutes, but the Kildare minors picked off goals at opportune moments including to late goals that secured the win.
Dublin opened the scoring in the opening minute with a point from Ava Lambe. The sides were level in the ninth minute when Kildare’s Muireann O’Loughlin converted a free.
Three points in a two minute spell from Kate Donaghy, Megan McAuley and another from Donaghy gave Dublin a three point advantage. Kildare hit back with points from Edwina Birchall and Sophie Ngai to leave the bare minimum between the sides.
The next Kildare attack was deflected out for a 45’, the resultant attempt dropped short, Dublin failed to clear the ball and Ava Cullen blasted the ball to the net.
Kildare won the resultant kick-out, drove at the Dublin goal and were awarded a penalty for a foul inside the square which Sophie Ngai dispatched to give Kildare a five point lead.
Dublin though responded to the setback and points from Ava Lambe and Heather Bolger were quickly followed by an excellent goal from Niamh Crowley after some fine team play and with five minutes to the break the sides were level again.
A Kate Donaghy point in the 26th minute guaranteed Dublin went in at half-time a point to the good with the score at the short whistle, 1-07 to 2-03.
A point from a Shauna Feely free seconds after the restart extended Dublin’s lead to two. Points from Kildare’s Niamh Farrelly from two frees and points from Dublin’s Ava Lambe and two from Kate Donagh, one from play and the other from a free seen Dublin lead by three with just fifteen minutes left in the game.
A Niamh Farrelly free pulled a point back for Kildare with ten minutes to go, Dublin were still enjoying plenty of possession but a couple of wides stopped the Dublin momentum and Kildare pounced to take advantage.
A point in the 58th minute Molly O’Loughlin reduced the deficit to a single point, but two late goals from Sophie Ngai and Grace Murtagh sealed the win for Kildare.
The result was cruel on Dublin who will now turn their attention to the Leinster Minor B semi-final on the 22nd of June.
Dublin Scorers
10. Kate Donaghy 0-05 (1f)
15. Ava Lambe 0-03
9. Niamh Crowley 1-00
14. Megan McAuley 0-01
11. Heather Bolger 0-01
13. Shaunah Feely 0-01
Kildare Scorers
12. Sophie Ngai 2-01 (1-00 pen)
14. Ava Cullen 1-00
27.Grace Murtagh 1-00
10. Niamh Farrelly 0-03 (3f)
19.Muireann O’Loughlin 0-01 (1f)
13. Edwina Birchall 0-01
4. Molly O’Loughlin 0-01
Dublin
1. Lauren Quinn
2. Amber Taylor
3. Megan Dignam
4. Rachel Callery
5. Sarah Power
6. Aine Rafter
7. Hannah McGinnis
8. Annabelle Timothy
9. Niamh Crowley
10. Kate Donaghy
11. Heather Bolger
12. Sophie McIntyre
13. Shaunah Feely
14. Megan McAuley
15. Ava Lambe
Dublin Substitutions
19. Niamh Donlon for 5. Sarah Power (HT)
24. Ella Connolly for 14. Megan McAuley (44)
20. Eabha Ni Maolagain for 4. Rachel Callery (56)
28. Ciara Murry for 11. Heather Bolger (59)
29. Sarah Rooney for 15. Ava Lambe (59)
23. Shannon Russell for 12. Sophie McIntyre (66)
Kildare
1. Niamh Barnes
2. Aine Mernagh
3. Niamh Hayes
4. Molly O’Loughlin
5. Olivia Monaghan
19.Muireann O’Loughlin
7. Siofra Galvin
8. Amy Larn
9. Hannah Breen
10. Niamh Farrelly
11. Ellie Kendrick
12. Sophie Ngai
13. Edwina Birchall
14. Ava Cullen
15. Ciara McDonald
Kildare Substitutions
18 Joy Duggan for 9. Hannah Breen (31)
21.Zara Beatty for 15. Ciara McDonald (37)
27.Grace Murtagh for 19.Muireann O’Loughlin (39)
22.Claudia Gray for 5. Olivia Monaghan (61)
23.Keevey Collins for 18 Joy Duggan (62)