Deadly Cliona ensures second defeat for battling Offaly

GREG Farrelly’s troops lost once again on the road on Sunday as they suffered a six point defeat at the hands of Carlow. The visitors started off best, but couldn’t maintain their momentum throughout the game. This was their second defeat in two games, having lost to Wexford last weekend. Carlow were buoyed by Cliodhna Ní She who ran the show. Offaly conceded too many fress which handed Carlow too many opportunities, whilst it was a mistake from the ‘keeper Lauren Dunne which cost them the second goal.

Lidl National Ladies Football League Division 3

Carlow 2-11

Offaly 1-8

It was a slow start for the hosts, and they were in trouble early on, trailing by two points as two Amy Gavin Mangan frees put them behind the 8 ball. With three minutes gone, a long ball was floated into the Offaly box and Edel Hayden couldn’t quite get onto the end of it. Aibha Kiernan tried an effort but it was blocked. As it was, Offaly led after five minutes.

With eight minutes gone, Carlow registered their first points on the board as Bronagh Nolan hit an effort over from the left. Woods on debut went close with a free from the right but hit her effort wide across the box. Two quick fire points from Gavin Mangan put Offaly into a commanding position as they led by three points. With 12 minutes gone, Megan Townsend put over a point from the edge of the D to narrow the gap to two points.

Ní She turned the game on it’s head and put Carlow into the lead a minute later as she hit an effort from distance in behind the Offaly ‘keeper who was off her line and the ball trickled into the net. From there, Carlow kept their foot on the accelerator. Ní She sent over a point after a superb solo effort to weave in between defenders. With 17 minutes gone, Offaly reduced the gap to just a single point as a Mangan free was played to the right where Emma Hand was waiting for it, and she cut in to hit the ball over the bar.

A minute later, a moment of genius from a free saw Ní She keep the ball low and float it into the box, rather than just put it over for a point, and Ella Molloy got on the end of it to knock it in. Kiernan hit over a point for Carlow Offaly got a goal back five minutes before half-time to reduce the game to a two point game going into the break as Abbi Stafford put the ball in the back of the Carlow net.

Carlow came out after half-time and scored seven points to Offaly’s three with majority of the half being played in the Offaly half as Carlow pulled the trigger. Kiernan put over the first point of the half as Carlow gave themselves a three point cushion just a minute in. Five minutes later, Nicole Merriman fired over for Offaly before her point was cancelled out just seconds later by Kiernan.

As the half ticked towards the midpoint, Hand fired over a point from distance for Offaly before a couple of Ní She frees for Carlow put them back in control, stretching the hosts into a four point lead. Hand reduced that to three points. With seven minutes to go in the game, Ní She sent over a free from the left. A minute later, she put the game to bed with an effort from the right.

The scorers

Carlow- Cliodhna Ní She (1-5), Aibhe Kiernan (0-3), Megan Townsend (0-1), Ella Molloy (1-0), Bronagh Nolan (0-2)

Offaly: Emma Hand (0-2), Amy Gavin Mangan (0-3), Nicole Merriman (0-1), Ciara Walsh (0-2)

The teams

Carlow: Shannon Cotter (Bennekerry/Tinryland), Sinead McCullagh (St. Andrews), Orla Woods (B/T), Katie Tunstead (St. Andrews), Tara Lyons (St. Brigids), Elaine Ware (B/T), Beibhinn Nolan (Old Leighlin), Roisin Bailey (C, St. Anne’s), Edel Hayden (Eire Óg), Bronagh Nolan (Old Leighlin), Cliodhna Ní She (B/T), Ella Molloy (Rathvilly), Sinead Hayden (B/T), Megan Townsend (Eire Óg), Aibha Kiernan (St. Brigids). Subs: Maeve O’Neill (B/T) for Townsend h/t, Marie Cranny (B/T) for Lyons, 49, Sarah Nolan (B/T) for Kiernan 53, Amy Hanley (Old Leighlin) for Ware, 58.

Offaly: Lauren Dunne (Rhode), Niamh Glackin (Shamrocks), Dawn Hannon (Rhode), Jane Maher (Ballinamere Durrow), Kaitlyn Flynn (St. Mansions), Nickole Buckley (Naomh Ciarán), Kiah Farrelly (Edenderry), Michelle Mann (C, Naomh Molaoise), Aoife Minnock (Shamrocks), Anna Grehan (Naomh Ciarán), Amy Gavin Mangan (Naomh Ciarán), Abbi Stafford (Rhode), Saoirse McGuiness (St. Manchans), Emma Hand (Ballinamere Durrow), Ciara Walsh (Naomh Molaoise). Subs: Susan O’Grady (Shamrocks) for Dunne, 25, Isabelle Liu Lyons (Edenderry) for Stafford 49, Aimee Dunne (Edenderry) for Buckley, 52, Nicole Merriman (Shamrocks) for Maher, 55.