Heartbreak for Laois Ladies as All Ireland dream comes to an end

All Ireland Ladies Football Intermediate Championship Semi Final

LAOIS 2-9

WEXFORD 2-11

There was heartbreak for the Laois ladies as they bowed out of this year’s TG4 All Ireland Intermediate championship this afternoon. 

 After one of their strongest and most heroic seasons in the last number of years, Donie Brennan’s charges fell short to Wexford by two points in UPMC Nowlan Park. 

The Wexford defense and the pairing of Caitriona Murray and Sherene Hamilton caused havoc. 

It was an entertaining opening few minutes of action. Wexford were first off the mark within a minute of throw in after Róisín Murphy kick the first score of the game but it wasn’t long before Erone Fitzpatrick settled Laois with the side’s opening score. 

Just two minutes later a superb boot from Eva Galvin found its way into the back of the Wexford net. Within the next play, Caitriona Murray leveled the game with a bullet to the back of the net and it was 1-1 a piece with five minutes gone. 

Wexford got their second point off the boot of Sherene Hamilton. An effort from Mo Nerney dropped into the hands of Sarah Anne Fitzgerald after hitting the upright where a goal chance was unlucky to not be taken but it was Nerney who had the final say to draw the game with a point for her side at the 10 minute mark. 

 It was the 17th minute before the next score came and it was Kelly Kearney who edged Wexford in front after her effort hit the target. Amy Wilson hit a free moment later and it was 1-02 to 1-04 at the first water break.

Caitriona Murray put Wexford three points clear in the 23rd minute which was followed up by a Hamilton point. 

It was the 30th minute when Mo Nerney claimed side’s second goal came seamlessly of the boot of the championship’s top scorer. That was followed up with a great score from Anna Healy to help her side settle after trailing for a few minutes. 

Erone Fitzpatrick leveled the game in the 33rd minute but two Amy Wilson frees meant that Wexford would lead at the half way mark leaving the score at 2-04 to 1-08 heading into the second half. A superb save from Eimear Barry denies Wexford a goal opportunity before the whistle. 

Wexford opened the second half with a point from Ciara Banville within a minute of throw in. Laois’ first score of the half came in the 42nd minute from Erone Fitzpatrick in response to a Caitriona Murray free. 

Orla Hennessy pulled a point back for Laois just four minutes after her introduction to the game to leave just two between the sides. A huge kick in the teeth came Laois’ way before the second water break when Aisling Murphy rattled Eimear Barry’s net after the ball was turned over. 

Ellen Healy brought the gap back to just two point in the 64th minute and Laois’ last ten minutes saw a shift in their momentum with multiple attacks and opportunities but they were unlucky with a number of wides and so, finished the game in a two point deficit. 

Scorers 

Laois: Mo Nerney 1-2 (one free), Eva Galvin 1-0, Erone Fitzpatrick 0-3, Anna Healy 0-1, Orla Hennessy 0-1, Ellen Healy 0-1 

Wexford: Catriona Murray 1-3 (two frees), Amy Wilson 0-3 (three frees), Aisling Murphy 1-0, Roisin Murphy 0-1, Shereene Hamilton 0-2, Kellie Kearney 0-1, Ciara Banville 0-1

TEAMS

LAOIS – Eimear Barry; Clodagh Dunne, Amy Potts, Aimee Kelly; Rachel Williams, Ellen Healy, Laura Nerney; Fiona Dooley, Jane Moore; Joyce Dunne, Anna Healy, Erone Fitzpatrick; Mo Nerney, Sarah Anne Fitzgerald, Eva Galvin. Subs: Orla Hennessy for Williams (42 minutes), Leah Tarpey for Fitzgerald (50 minutes), Alannah Havill for Dunne (62 minutes)

WEXFORD – Sarah Merrigan; Loren Doyle, Aisling Halligan, Katie White; Ciara Donnelly, Shauna Murphy, Sarah Harding-Kenny; Róisín Murphy, Ciara Banville; Sherene Hamilton, Caitriona Murray, Ailis Neville; Derbhla Doyle, Aisling Murphy, Amy Wilson. 

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