Leinster Ladies Club Senior Football Championship Preliminary Round
Seneschalstown 0-09 Leixlip (Kildare) 0-05
Seneschalstown opened their Leinster Club Championship campaign by grinding out a four point win over Kildare county champions Leixlip on Saturday afternoon in a bright and breezy Seneschalstown.
Leinster Ladies Club Senior Football Championship Preliminary Round
Seneschalstown 0-09 Leixlip (Kildare) 0-05
Seneschalstown opened their Leinster Club Championship campaign by grinding out a four point win over Kildare county champions Leixlip on Saturday afternoon in a bright and breezy Seneschalstown.
In a game where scoring proved to be difficult, Seneschalstown kicked three early wides before corner forward Grainne Nulty kicked a thirty metre free from the right of the posts. The resultant kick out was won by Mary Murray who off loaded to Stacey Grimes. Grimes then recycled the ball to Stephanie Byrne and she made no mistake with her point attempt. Eleven minutes had elapsed when the hosts kicked their third point through Grimes from a fourteen yard free after being fouled herself.
An eight minute scoreless spell followed before Grimes pointed from play after a mazy run through the defence. Grimes was found in space by Byrne before running at the defence. The visitors then registered their opening score on twenty two minutes when early substitute Emma Sexton punted over after receiving a pass from Maria Moolick. Seneschalstown responded four minutes later with an excellent Grimes point. Having lost the ball she picked it up under pressure and curled the ball between the sticks. The remainder of the half went scoreless as the home side took a four point lead to the break – 0-05 0-01.
Leixlip got off to the better start in the second hitting the first two points. Midfielder Joanna Timmons scored the first from thirty metres on the dugout side of the pitch. Then, on thirty six minutes her midfield partner Karen O’Shea pointed from a similar position. Grimes kicked her fourth point of the game on thirty eight minutes from a fourteen yard free after Orla Garry was fouled. O’Shea pointed for a second time for Leixlip leaving it a two point game. It was beginning to turn into a shootout between Grimes and O’Shea as the Seneschalstown free taker pointed twice either side of another O’Shea point. Grimes two points, from frees, came after fouls on Louise Coyle and Grainne Nulty respectively.
With six minutes remaining, Grainne Nulty fired over Seneschalstown’s last point after being played through by Coyle. Nulty went for goal but her effort went just over to open up a four point advantage. There would be no more scores as Seneschalstown closed out the game to secure a semi-final berth against Dublin champions Na Fianna. It might not have been their greatest performance but it showed that the team can grind out results when not playing to their full potential.
Seneschalstown Scorers: Stacey Grimes 0-06 (0-04 Frees), Grainne Nulty 0-02 (0-01 Free), Stephanie Byrne 0-01.
Seneschalstown: Lisa Mullen, Aódhnait McAdam, Philomena Sheridan, Natasha Mullen, Ruth Commons, Lizzie Doran, Adelle Carolan, Mary Murray, Edel McGrane, Orla Garry, Stephanie Byrne Kiah Geraghty, Stacey Grimes, Louise Coyle, Grainne Nulty
Subs: Siabhra Reilly for Geraghty, Roisin Commons for Ruth Commons.
Leixlip Scorers: K. O’Shea 0-03, J. Timmons 0-01, E. Sexton 0-01.
Leixlip: M. Dolan, N. Lyons, A. Savage, O. Ryan, S. Kileen, A. Quinn, T. Hallinan, J. Timmons, K. O’Shea, A. McGrane, M. Moolick, C. Grier, G. Lyons, S. Cannon, M. de Carvalho.
Subs: E. Sexton for Grier, S. Timmons for Cannon, E. Prior for J. Timmons.
By Shane Mulvany.
