29/03/2024: The Junior Ladies won their second match on the trot with a home win this evening against Burren Gaels2. It was end-to-end football and a hard-fought battle but a cracker of a match as Kildysart won 4-3 to Burren Gaels 1-7.
It started off as a cagey affair with both sides getting to know one another in the opening minutes. It was 6 minutes in before the girls from the Burren opened their account. Kildysart countered with a point from Sinead Fox who was unlucky not to put the ball into the net, when she gathered a spilt ball and fired for home. The backs, led by the skipper Megan O’Brien kept the Gaels from mounting any goal threat, though the visitors recorded the next two scores and led at the turn of the first quarter three points to one. Burren Gaels were reduced to 14 players in the 20th minute after a bad tackle on Amy Murphy and Kildysart made great use of their numerical advantage. The tide turned in the 25th minute when Roisin Donnellan raised two green flags in the space of a minute. Her first goal saw her get on the end of a loose ball which she soccered to the net from close range. For the second, she finished a great ball in from Fox, turned and gave the goalie no chance. Fox tapped another over the bar and Burren Gaels countered for the last point of the half. Kildysart headed into the break with a double-score halftime lead, Kildysart 2-2, Burren Gaels 0-4.
The Gaels started the half strongly and with three unanswered scores reduced the deficit to just a single point, Kildysart 2-2, Burren Gaels 0-7, with 15 minutes remaining. From there on in, it was all Kilydsart as another Donnellan point put two between them. Aisling Murphy and Rachel O’Sullivan worked together and saved two Burren attempts at goal. With 15 minutes to go, The Blues were out in front by two, Kildysart 2-3, Burren Gaels 0-7. Kildysart were awarded a free and Niamh O’Keefe stepped up to the top of the D. Her shot floated effortlessly over the goalie's head and into the net to give Kildysart a 5-point lead and some breathing room. The last goal from Kildysart was a lovely passage of play that started on their own 30-metre line. Kyla Foley gathered a Burren Gael free, which dropped short. She passed to Fox who sent a long ball up the field. This was gathered on the wing by Amy Murphy, who fed her marker a dummy and sent a beautiful diagonal ball to the on-running Roisin Donnellan, who collected her hat trick with a ball into the bottom left corner. Burren Gaels got a consolation goal in injury time, which just tipped off O’Sullivan’s fingers. Final score: Kildysart 4-3, Burren Gales 1-7.
Kildysart is at home again for their last round match when Parteen Meelick come to visit on or before 14th April.
Kildysart: Rachel O’Sullivan, Alannah Murphy, Megan O’Brien-captain, Chloe Sheehan, Caitriona Donnellan, Aisling Murphy, Caroline Casey, Ashley O’Brien, Niamh O’Keeffe (1-0), Roisin Donnellan (3-1), Amy Murphy, Kyla Foley, Niamh Cook, Sinead Fox (0-2), Grace Scanlon. Subs: (Roll on/roll off) Niamh Moloney, Sarah Foley, Ciara Foley, Aibhe Casey, Aoibhin Clancy
