Superior Louth too strong for Longford ladies in All-Ireland exit

Louth . . . 6-12  Longford . . . 1-9

Longford crashed out of the All-Ireland Junior Championship following a heavy defeat against Louth at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park on Sunday last.

Going into the game, Longford were required to beat Louth by 11 points to progress in the championship.
However, in the end, despite a good first half performance, the Longford girls were outclassed by the visitors.
Louth led by 2-6 to 1-5 at half-time. Longford could be happy with their first 30 minutes work.
However, there were flashes of slick Louth play and pace going forward that suggested containment would be difficult.Led by the superb Kate Flood who clocked up the tremendous total of 3-5, Louth upped the ante in the second half and Longford could not live with their pace and power.
Full-forward Flood is an exceptional talent and she tormented the home side in the second half.
Her goal midway through the second period left it 3-10 to 1-7 and there was no way back for Longford.
It has been a tough season for Pat Tiernan and his young team.
While there were some decent results, there were some comprehensive defeats as well.
Hopefully, there will be some more experienced players back in the fold next season to compliment the young players who gave their all this year.
Longford were without the long term injured Shauna Hagan while the unavailable Clodagh Lohan and Ciara Mulligan were also missing.
On the plus side, talented teenager Ella O’Reilly started, having been unavailable in the last game due to the Leaving Cert.
Longford started well and were 0-3 to 0-1 in front after eight minutes, the scores coming from Grace Shannon, Niamh Brady and Sian Gallagher.
However, Louth replied with a goal from Niamh Rice to put them ahead and they never relinquished their lead.
Kate Flood got Louth’s second goal in the 15th minute. However, Longford replied immediately with a terrific goal from the prominent Orla Nevin.
An initial shot from Sian Gallagher was saved but Nevin had galloped up the field and when the ball spilled, she pounced to find the back of the net.
Katelyn McKeon followed with a point for Longford, making it 2-2 to 1-4.
Alarm bells were ringing when Louth midfielder Eimear Byrne fired over three points in quick succession.
Kamille Burke replied with a point for Longford and Kate Flood answered with a point to make it 2-6 to 1-5 at the break.
Louth took off influential midfielder Aoife Halligan at half-time, apparently because of injury, but it certainly didn’t weaken their side.
Grace Shannon scored Longford’s first point of the second half in the 38th minute.
Louth then hit Longford with 1-4 in the space of five minutes, with only a Niamh Brady free coming from the home side in reply.
Kate Flood was settling into the game now and she showed her skill set and athleticism in full. She combined deadly accuracy and ball winning ability with pace.
When she scored Louth’s third goal, the rest of the game was about trying to maintain respectability for Longford.
Louth were awarded a penalty in the 46th minute when Flood was fouled in the square. Flood hit a bullet of a spot kick past the Longford keeper Riane McGrath, making it 4-11 to 1-8.
Two more Louth goals followed from Mischa Rooney and Eimear Byrne. A Niamh Brady free was to be Longford’s last score.Louth had their outstanding centre-back and captain Aine Breen sent to the sin bin with six minutes left, but it didn’t matter.
It is a tough end to the season for Pat Tiernan and his players. However, Louth are highly fancied in the Tier 3 competition and would not be out of place in the Intermediate Championship.

LONGFORD: Riane McGrath (Killoe); Emma Farrell (St. Brigid’s Gaels Ardagh), Eimear O’Brien (Longford Slashers), Grace Kenny (Longford Slashers); Leah Shannon (Carrickedmond), Orla Nevin (Longford Slashers, 1-0), Caoimhe McCormack (Carrickedmond); Sian Gallagher (St. Brigid’s Gaels Ardagh, 0-1), Funmi Talabi (Mostrim); Caoimhe Lohan (Longford Slashers); Niamh Brady (Killoe, 0-3, 2f), Katelyn McKeon (Clonguish, 0-1); Ella O’Reilly (Mullinalaghta), Grace Shannon (Longford Slashers, 0-2, 1f), Kamille Burke (Clonguish, 0-2).

Subs:- Anna Hayden (St Brigid’s Gaels Ardagh) for Lohan (injured, 19 mins), Maria Reehill (Killoe) for Talabi (49 mins), Edel Sheehy (Mullinalaghta) for Burke, Elle Lynn (Mostrim) for O’Reilly (both 55 mins), Anna Moorehead (Killoe) for McKeon (59 mins).

LOUTH: Rebecca Lambe Fegan; Louise Byrne, Eimear Murray, Eilis Hand; Holly Lambe Sally, Aine Breen (captain), Ceire Nolan; Aoife Halligan, Eimear Byrne (1-3); Mischa Rooney (1-1), Aoife Russell (0-1), Seoda Matthews (0-1); Niamh Rice (1-1), Kate Flood (3-5, 1 pen), Claire McDonald.

Subs:- Katie Mathews for McDonald, Caitlin O’Reilly for Halligan (both half-time), Roisin Maguire for Rice (52 mins).

Referee: Aaron Clogher (Roscommon).