Kerry have beaten Kildare in the Lidl Ladies National Football League.
The Division 1 tie at Fitzgerald Stadium, Killarney ended Kerry 2-10 Kildare 0-7.
Siofra O’Shea struck for 1-4 and Danielle O’Leary for 1-3 for the Kingdom.
In a low scoring first half it was the home side that ruled the roost as they took a three-point lead, 1-3 to 0-3, into the dressing room at half-time.
Kildare weren’t helped by four wides and two shots off the post in the opening period that appeared to take the wind out of their sails on a perfect day for football.
It was Kerry that got off to the brighter start with O’Shea slotting a free in the second minute and Mary O’Connell following up with a point from play five minutes later.
Then came Kerry’s goal in the 10th minute. A brilliant ball from Niamh Carmody found Anna Galvin whose shot was originally blocked by the retreating Neasa Dooley, but O’Leary was on hand to smash the ball to the back of Mary Hulgraine’s net.
Dooley was proving to be Kildare’s most impressive performer and she slotted a brilliant individual point in the 19th minute off her left to get the Lilywhites off the mark, but Kerry’s danger woman O’Leary replied with a point straight afterwards.
Dooley sliced over a brilliant free off her right and after O’Connell spurned a goal chance for Kerry, Lara Curran popped over a lovely score for the visitors, the last score of the half, but it was Kerry that took in a 1-3 to 0-3 lead at the half time whistle.
Kerry were well on top in the second half as they outscored the visitors by 1-6 to 0-4 with O’Shea’s goal in the 38th minute that put Kerry 2-6 to 0-4 ahead a major factor in the outcome.
O’Leary’s ’45 fell into O’Shea’s hands and the full-forward was on hand to finish low and hard past Hulgraine, her third goal in as many games.
Both sides rang the changes in the last quarter but despite a couple of Dooley specials, it was the Kingdom that made it two wins out of three games in this year’s league.
Scorers: -Kerry: Siofra O’Shea 1-5, 4f ,D O’Leary 1-3, M O’Connell 0-1, C Evans 0-1.
Kildare: N Dooley 0-5 (0-1f), L Curran 0-1, R Byrne 0-1f
KERRY: M.E. Bolger; E Lynch, D Kearney, R Rahilly; K Cronin, C Evans, C McCarthy; A Dillane, M O’Connell; L Boyle, N Carmody, A Galvin (c); J Lucey, S O’Shea, D O’Leary. Subs: N Ní Chonchuir for Boyle (28), R Dwyer for Lucey (44), J Curtin for O’Leary (55), N Broderick for Carmody (55), N Quinn for Evans (57), K O’Connor for Rahilly (60).
KILDARE: M Hulgraine; R Sargent, L Murtagh, E Wheeler; M Doherty, L Lenehan, M Aspel; C Sullivan, L Curran; C Moran, G Wheeler, L Shaw; L Doran, L McGovern , R Byrne. Subs: E Dowling for McGovern (39), S Galvin for Curran (44), L Doran for Shaw (44), E B Foley for Wheeler (48), Z Brierty for Sullivan (57), E O’Toole for Moran (60).
Referee: Shane Curley (Galway).
Kingdom manager Mark Bourke
Tyrone 1-15
Mayo 2-11
By Stuart Tynan
Tyrone overturned a seven point half-time deficit to pick up their first win in Division 1 of the Lidl National Football League after a dramatic finale in Swinford Amenity Park.
After a trio of early wides, Mayo began to make use of the breeze with Sinead Walsh’s first free and a point from play by Milly Sheridan.
Chloe McCaffrey got Tyrone up and running from a placed ball on ten minutes but Mayo responded quickly through Ciara Durkin and another free from Walsh.
A second McCaffrey free and a terrific score by Aoife McGahan from the tightest of angle brought the Red Hands back to within one only for the Green and Red to respond through Walsh yet again, who hit four unanswered points.
The strong wind did not keep Tyrone at bay as a third McCaffrey free and a score from play by Meabh Mallon brought the gap to three but Clodagh Keane found the net on the stroke of half-time with a cool finish under the legs of Amelia Coyle to put Mayo 1-9 to 0-5 in front.
Now with the breeze, Tyrone started the second half brightly as they struck four points without reply, while Mayo were reduced to 14 after Aoife was shown a yellow card. Against the run of play, Sinead Walsh scored Mayo’s second goal on 43 minutes after a wayward shot by Hannah Reape fell into her hands and she thundered a strike past Amelia Coyle, but matters were compounded for the hosts four minutes later as they lost Danielle Caldwell after the captain was also shown a yellow.
Another two McCaffrey frees and a point by Niamh O’Neill kept Tyrone within reach of Mayo. Maria Cannon popped over a fine free under pressure to bring the gap back to four but Tyrone were level moments later after a point by O’Neill and a goal by Sorcha Gormley.
As the seconds ticked away, Erin Murray put Mayo back ahead but O’Neill fired over two late points to put Tyrone ahead for the first time. Kayla Doherty had a chance in the final seconds to win it for Mayo but her shot was brilliantly saved by Coyle as Darren McCann’s side left Swinford with a valuable win.
Scorers – Tyrone: C McCaffrey 0-7 (6f), N O’Neill 0-4, S Gormley 1-0, A McGahon 0-2, S McCarroll 0-1, M Mallon 0-1.
Mayo: S Walsh 1-7 (4f), C Keane 1-0, M Sheridan 0-1, C Durkin 0-1, M Cannon 0-1 (1f), E Murray 0-1.
TYRONE: A Coyle; J Lyons, J Barrett, E Quinn; M Moore, M Corrigan, A Quinn; A McHugh, M Mallon; S McCarroll, C Campbell, E McNamee; C McCaffrey, A McGahan, A Horisk. Subs: S Gormley for Barrett (37), C McCrossan for Quinn (41), N O’Neill for McNamee (50).
MAYO: C Reilly Benson; L Wallace, S El Massry, D Caldwell; A Gough, S Lally, H Reape; E Murray, A Geraghty; S Delaney, C Whyte, C Durkin; M Sheridan, S Walsh, C Keane. Subs: K Doherty for Whyte (38), R Jordan for Gough (43), M Cannon for Durkin (56), C Doherty for Keane (60+2), E Brennan for Lally (60+7 blood sub).
Referee: Anthony Marron (Monaghan).
Meath 2-11
Waterford 1-13
By Daire Walsh
Kerrie Cole helped herself to an outstanding haul of 2-2 at Pairc Tailteann in Navan on Sunday as Meath withstood a strong final quarter fightback from Waterford to earn their third win from as many games in Division One of the Lidl National Football League.
In a confident mood following their nine-point victory over Mayo six days earlier, the Royals made a sensational start to this contest as Cole rattled the net inside the opening 30 seconds for her fourth goal in just three games this year.
While Waterford settled into the action with points from Brid McMaugh and Lauren McGregor (free) either side of a Ciara Smyth score at the opposite end, Meath stretched four clear when Cole and Marion Farrelly split the posts in quick succession. Despite the impressive McMaugh kicked her second point of the day, their Leinster counterparts kept the scoreboard ticking over through the reliable boots of Smyth and Cole.
The Waterford challenge was rejuvenated when a McGregor shot from close-range was deflected into the net on 21 minutes, but Meath immediately reinforced their authority with scores from Smyth and Farrelly. McGregor later brought her personal tally up to 1-2 with a pointed free, before Vikki Wall and Niamh Gallogly did likewise to give the Royals a 1-9 to 1-4 interval cushion.
Although the Deise made a bright start to the second half courtesy of a Kellyann Hogan point, Meath secured their second goal in the 33rd minute after Cole palmed home off a Smyth free that had dropped short. After Waterford wing-back Aine O’Neill and Wall traded scores, McGregor knocked over another free to leave the visitors six points adrift at 2-10 to 1-7 moving into the closing quarter.
The Munster side were playing with the aid of a breeze on the resumption and a further 0-2 by Dungarvan attacker McGregor kept them within reach of the Royals as the final whistle approached. The raiding Eve Power was then on hand to cancel out another excellent score from Wall and with Katie Murray kicking a brace of points from play, a tense finale was in store.
Net-minder Robyn Murray was at full stretch to tip over a McGregor strike that cut the gap to the bare minimum, but Meath eventually held out to join Armagh on nine points at the Division One summit.
Scorers – Meath: K Cole 2-2, C Smyth, V Wall 0-3 each, M Farrelly 0-2, N Gallogly 0-1.
Waterford: L McGregor 1-6 (0-5f), K Murray, B McMaugh 0-2, E Power, A O’Neill, K Hogan 0-1 each.
MEATH: R Murray; A Sheridan, S Wall, K Newe; N Gallogly, MK Lynch, C Millington; K Kealy, V Wall; M Thynne, O Sheehy, C Smyth; M Byrne, M Farrelly, K Cole. Subs: E Moyles for Farrelly (h-t), N Troy for Kealy (41), K Bermingham for Cole (48), O Smith for Millington, A Gaffney for Byrne (both 62).
WATERFORD: G Corcoran; K McGrath, R Casey, M Ryan; E Power, E Murray, A O’Neill; K Hogan, H Power; C McCarthy, B McMaugh, A Power; L McGregor, C Walsh, K Murray. Subs: A Hahesy for A Power (26), C Fennell for Walsh, N Power for McCarthy (both 39), A Brazil for O’Neill (57).
Referee: Raymond McBride (Dublin).
