Lidl National Football League round-up

Compiled by John Fallon

Cork, promoted last season, continued their great start to the Lidl National Football League as they moved top of Division 1 with a double scores victory over reigning champions Kerry in Tralee.

Joe Carroll’s side, having drawn their opening game against Kildare, made it three wins on the spin to oust Kerry by 0-16 to 0-8, with Katie Quirke leading the way with a haul of 0-10.

Kerry fell to their second defeat of the campaign having been held scoreless for the opening half when they were playing against the strong wind and never looked like hauling back the 0-14 to 0-0 interval scoreline.

Waterford, who had won their opening three games, were knocked off top spot when they went down to Meath by 1-9 to 0-10 in Dungarvan when an opening half goal from Orla Finnegan proved decisive. It’s a second win of the campaign for Meath.

Galway notched their third win when they saw off Armagh by 3-11 to 0-15 in Ballinasloe on Saturday with Leanne Coen getting two of the goals and Andrea Trill also finding the net to inflict a third loss of the campaign on Armagh.

Reigning TG4 All-Ireland champions Dublin got their campaign up and running after three losses as they saw off neighbours Kildare by 3-5 to 1-8 in Balbriggan in a basement clash where both were looking for their first wins. Goals from Michelle Davoran, Kate Sullivan and Ellen Gribben proved decisive.

In Division Two, Cavan edged out Donegal by 1-6 to 0-7 in a top of the table clash with Niamh Keenaghan getting the only goal of the game in the opening half, while two late Aishling Sheridan points proved decisive in the end.

Mayo and Tyrone shared the spoils in their promotion drive. Goals from Cara McNamee and Sorcha Gormley put Tyrone 2-1 to 0-1 up at the break but Mayo rallied and a goal from Lisa Cafferky hauled them back into contention with Sinead Walsh getting the equaliser.

Monaghan, who trailed by 1-11 to 0-1 at the break, came storming back to force a draw with Tipperary at 1-12 apiece, while Westmeath struck for four goals as they got their first win when they ousted Wexford in a relegation contest.

Antrim and Louth continued their promotion drive in Division 3 with good wins, while there were also wins for Clare and Down.

In Division 4, Leitrim and Carlow continued their superb promotion drives, while Sligo also remained in contention with a big win over Kilkenny.

Results:

 Lidl NFL Division 1

Dublin 3-5 Kildare 1-8
Galway 3-11 Armagh 0-15

Cork 0-16 Kerry 0-8

Meath 1-9 Waterford 0-10

Lidl NFL Division 2

 Cavan 1-6 Donegal 0-7
Tipperary 1-12 Monaghan 1-12

Tyrone 2-7 Mayo 1-10

Westmeath 4-10 Wexford 1-13

Lidl NFL Division 3

 Antrim 4-10  Fermanagh 2-10
Clare 4-7 Laois 2-11

Down 1-12 Roscommon 2-6

Louth 2-7 Limerick 0-6

Lidl NFL Division 4

Carlow 4-12 Derry 1-7

Leitrim 7-16 Wicklow 2-0

Offaly P Longford P

Sligo 8-22 Kilkenny 1-0

Lidl National Football League Division 1

Meath 1-9

Waterford 0-10

By John Stack

 A lively and hard-fought Lidl National Football League Division 1 encounter in Dungarvan GAA Grounds saw Meath edge out Waterford after a contest that ebbed and flowed throughout.

Waterford, who had won all three games to date, opened the scoring inside four minutes when Kellyann Hogan converted a free, but Meath struck back almost immediately with the game’s decisive score. A dangerous delivery from Ciara Smyth caused panic in the home defence and Orla Finnegan finished clinically to the bottom corner of the net in the sixth minute.

Meath’s direct running through the middle caused Waterford problems in the early stages, though Emma Murray steadied the hosts with a point after eight minutes.

A crucial goal-saving block by Laura Mulcahy denied Megan Thynne as Meath threatened to extend their lead, but the Royals still built momentum through scores from Rachel Casserly and Marion Farrelly. Casserly, operating at full-forward, proved a constant thorn in Waterford’s side and added another point soon after.

Despite this, Waterford began to settle. Hogan (free), Áine O’Neill and Maeve Daly all raised white flags as the Déise enjoyed a strong spell of possession. Daly was unlucky not to find the net, her effort well blocked by Mary Kate Lynch.

However, two missed frees proved costly and Meath finished the half strongly with quickfire points from Farrelly and captain Niamh Gallogly to lead 1-6 to 0-5 at the break.

Meath nearly extended their advantage immediately after the restart, rattling the crossbar, but Waterford responded well. Murray, linking effectively with Claire Walsh, clipped over two fine points to narrow the gap. Substitute Meadhbh Byrne made an instant impact for Meath with a well-taken score after excellent work again from the influential Smyth, who dictated much of the play from centre forward.

Hogan kept Waterford in touch from placed balls and Walsh added a fine point from play following strong work by Cora Murray.

But Meath always had a response. Byrne struck again late on, while Smyth came close to sealing the result with a goal chance that drifted wide.

Chloe Fennell’s late free kept Waterford in contention, but Byrne’s insurance point ensured Meath held on for a deserved victory after a composed and clinical performance.

Scorers: Meath: O Finnegan 1-0, R Casserly 0-3, M Byrne 0-3, M Farrelly 0-2, N Gallogly 0-1.

Waterford: K Hogan 0-3f, E Murray 0-3, A O’Neill 0-1, M Daly 0-1, C Walsh 0-1, C Fennell 0-1f.

MEATH: R Murray; A Sheridan, MK Lynch, K Kealy; S Murphy, A Gaffney, K Bermingham; O Sheehy, N Gallogly; M Farrelly, C Smyth, M Thynne; E Duggan, R Casserly, O Finnegan. Subs: S Wall for Gaffney (20), M Byrne for Finnegan (HT), L Wood for Murphy (40), A Reilly for Farrelly (47), O Smith for Casserly (48), O Mallon for Duggan (57).

WATERFORD: K Gardiner; C Murray, L Mulcahy, R Casey; A O’Neill, K McGrath, E Power; E Murray, K Hogan; K Murray, C Walsh, M Daly; L McGregor, B McMaugh, R Browne. Subs: C Fennell for Daly (51), A McGrath for McGregor (52), H McGrath for Murray (57), L Ní hArta for Power (57).

Referee: Seamus Mulvihill (Kerry).

Lidl National Football League Division 1

Cork 0-16

Kerry 0-8

By Dan Kearney

Katie Quirke struck 0-10 as a rampant Cork outfit made short work of Kerry, winning by double scores in this fourth round Lidl Division 1 encounter at a windswept and bitterly cold Austin Stack Park in Tralee.

Kerry made five changes to the side that defeated Meath in the previous round with long term injury victim Cáit Lynch a significant loss to the side. Cork made two changes to the side that defeated Armagh in the last round and set about their business with intent.

Cork played with the aid of the strong breeze in the first half and certainly made the advantage count as they dominated proceedings and took a 0-14 to 0-0 lead in at half time.

Quirke slotted nine of Cork’s opening half points, with a magnificent three from play as she tormented an overworked Kerry defence whilst Aimee Corcoran, Grace Ní Mhurchú, Leah Hallahan and Sadbh McGoldrick all found the target as Cork totally dismantled the home side’s kickouts.

Kerry’s cause wasn’t helped by the sin-binning of Kellie McGrath in the tenth minute or the concession of three frees due to breaches, with Cork punishing two of them on the scoreboard.

Although Kerry failed to score, they will also point to three missed goal chances with Cork custodian Sarah Murphy making two fine saves from Rachel Dwyer and Kelly Enright, and Mary O’Connell very unlucky to rattle the post in the 25th minute, but it was Cork who took a 14 point lead in at the break.

Kerry, with the wind at their backs in the second period outscored their opponents by 0-8 to 0-2 with Danielle O’Leary and Siofra O’Shea landing notable two-pointers, but in truth Cork were never threatened with Emma Cleary and the brilliant Quirke getting their scores.

O’Shea had a brace of scores at the start of the second half and further scores from the hard working Niamh Ní Chonchúir and Anna Galvin kept the home side ticking over but it was Cork who remain unbeaten in this season’s campaign whilst Kerry must go back to the drawing board.

Cork face Waterford next weekend and Kerry face Galway.

Scorers – Cork: K Quirke 0-10 (6f), G Ní Mhurchú 0-1, L Hallahan 0-1, R O’Regan 0-1, A Corcoran 0-1, S McGoldrick 0-1, E Cleary 0-1.

Kerry: S O’Shea 0-4, D O’Leary 0-2, N Ní Chonchúir 0-1, A Galvin 0-1.

CORK: S Murphy; M Duggan, D Kiniry, S Kelly; A Corcoran, S McGoldrick, R Corkery; A Healy, A O’Mahony; R Leahy, G Ní Mhurchú, E Cleary; L Hallahan, K Quirke, R O’Regan. Subs: C Hughes for G Ní Mhurchu (48), E Hurley for R Leahy (51), A Ring for L Hallahan, A O’Sullivan for R O’Regan , K Redmond for A O’Mahony (all 54), K O’Driscoll for A Corcoran, S Callanan for R Corkery (both 58).

KERRY: C Butler; E Ní Laighin, A Doherty, A Dillane; K Brosnan, E Lynch, K McGrath; M O’Connell, C Evans; M O’Connor, N Ní Chonchúir, K Enright; S O’Shea, R Dwyer, N Quinn. Subs: K Furey for A Doherty (14), D O’Leary for M O’Connor (24), A Galvin for E Lynch, J Lynch for K McGrath, J Lucey for N Quinn (all half-time), L McMahon for R Dwyer (39), M Mulvihill for C Evans (47), J Curtin for M O’Connell (57).

Referee: Jonathan Murphy (Carlow).

Report