22/03/2024: Having had a bye in the opening round, Kildysart made a great start to their Division 4 League campaign with a big win away to Cooraclare this evening, Kildysart 4-8, Cooraclare 2-2. The pitch was in good condition considering all the rain that fell this week and not even a massive hail shower in the opening half could dampen the Kildysart attack.

Wingback Sinead Kelly started off the scoring with a point in the fourth minute. Roisin Donnellan then split the posts and Niamh O’Keefe hit for a trio of scores to put Kildysart out in front 5 points to nil by the 19th minute. Cooraclare got their only score of the half shortly after but a R. Donnellan free put the margin to 5 points once more. Impact sub Sinead Fox scored two goals in quick succession minutes after coming on. The first was started by Roisin Donnellan and saved by goalie and sent into the path of Amy Murphy. Murphy blasted but again it was saved by the goalie but this time it was collected by Fox who finally put the volley to the back of the net. Fox was on hand again 30 seconds later to fist the ball to the back of the net to give Kildysart a commanding half- time lead, Kildysart 2-6, Cooraclare 0-1.

Zoe Nagle marked her return to the adult team with a goal in the opening minutes of the second half. Niamh Cook then fired a line drive over the goalie’s head and millimetres over the bar to extend the Blues lead. Another point from Donnellan gave Kildysart a 3-8 to 1 point lead at the end of the third quarter. Having made two great saves in the first half, Rachel O’Sullivan’s goal was finally breached when Cooraclare scored two goals within a minute. The second Cooraclare goal came from the boot of Kildysart National School teacher Monica Lillis, when her free from about 30 metres out hit off the upright and ricocheted into the back of the net. It was a nostalgic moment as Lillis was previously the school's coach for some of the Kildysart players. The momentum switched back to Kildysart shortly after when Nagle caught a high ball in from Murphy, beat her marker and fired to the net for Kildysart’s fourth and final goal. The last score of the game went to Cooraclare to make the final score Kildysart 4-8, Cooraclare 2-2. Referee: Barry Kelly.

Kildysart: Rachel O’Sullivan, Niamh Moloney, Megan O’Brien, Caroline Casey, Caitirona Donnellan, Aisling Murphy, Sinead Kelly (0-1), Niamh O’Keeffe (0-3, 2f), Ashley O’Brien, Grace Scanlon, Kyla Foley, Niamh Cook (0-1), Zoe Nagle (2-0), Roisin Donnellan (0-3, 1f), Molly McCarthy. Subs (roll on/roll off): Sinead Fox (2-0), Amy Murphy, Chloe Sheehan.

Next up the Ladies host Burren Gaels on or before Sunday 31st March.