Kildare ladies crowned Division 3 champions after incredible extra-time victory over Clare

Lidl Ladies National Football League Division 3 Final

Kildare 2-11

Clare 2-10

(AET)

Kildare have been crowned Lidl Ladies National Football League Division 3 champions after an incredible extra time win over Clare in Parnell Park.

A Róisín Byrne free-kick was the difference between the sides as the Kildare star and player of the match kept her nerve at the most crucial moment. Facing into a beaming evening sun, Byrne converted a superb free-kick with three minutes to go in extra-time. 

Kildare would do enough to hold on with some stout defending and smart possession play. Undoubtedly, Clare’s main threat Fidelma Marrinan had a chance to level things up with just a minute to go in this tie after carving out a golden opportunity. Marrinan sliced her effort wide and that was all she wrote for Clare, a tough moment for the centre-forward but fair to say her team would not have been in this position without her.

It was an incredible comeback back from Kildare in a game that looked like they had won, lost and won again at several points in the game. 

Just before half-time in extra-time, Kildare were reduced to 14 after Neasa Dooley was yellow carded and with Kildare down two points and now also down a player, especially one of Dooley’s quality, it looked like a long road back.

That road would be paved from the boot of Róisín Byrne who we might be running out of superlatives for as she fired Kildare back into the lead of this game with two frees and an excellent point from play to win this game.

Byrne’s attacking flair was backed up by an incredible defence throughout and particularly in those closing minutes. A scorching hot day and deep into extra-time Kildare’s defence and in particular full-back line won crucial turnovers and provided excellent cover for one another.

The courage of this Kildare performance cannot be understated from one to 15 from whomever was on that pitch in Parnell Park. The aforementioned surge in extra-time is only half the story as it was a late goal from Clare that brought this game into extra-time in the first place.

With four minutes to go, Kildare held a four-point lead and were under serious pressure before a moment of magic from Aisling Reidy would set up Laura Griffey for a late goal. Reidy found Griffey with a superb pass and Griffey punched past Mary Hulgraine in the Kildare net.

A Fidelma Marrinan free-kick sent this game into extra-time and you felt momentum would be with Clare having produced that comeback so late on. Momentum that can be so crucial to carry you over the line when you’re exhausted and your legs feel heavier than ever.

Diane O’Hora highlighted in her post-match interview that what she most proud of with this team is that they never said die in this game and they got their just rewards for that belief and endeavour.

Kildare and Clare is always a tight game and after Kildare holding a two-point lead at the break, both teams came out firing. The first half was cagey and I think it would be fair to say nervous at times as both sides produced uncharacteristic handling errors and poor passing as they went in at the break 1-2 to 0-3. 

Kildare had not scored since the 9th minute mark when Neasa Dooley buried her penalty in the top corner of the net with a superb finish.

Both teams started with intent in the second half as their nervous play was replaced with a sense of purpose as the sides traded scores.

But it was Kildare who would strike a dagger to Clare hearts as they moved into a six-point lead with a Grace Clifford goal. Clifford with all her experience was always going to contribute on the big occasion but to add a goal to that performance was special.

The Kildare captain occupies a similar role with her club as someone who always wants the ball in those tight spaces, under pressure, in tense moments and that takes so much weight off those around her, especially in a final. She did all that and a goal to boot was a truly incredible captain's contribution.

Clifford’s goal came just after Ellen Dowling had her goal ruled out for overcarrying, an undoubtedly tight decision by referee Siobhan Coyle.

Nevertheless, Dowling didn’t get the goal her tireless performance deserved as she covered nearly every blade of grass on the day but Kildare would have the ball in the net just a minute later.

Clare would produce a superb comeback led by Fidelma Marrinan, that was rounded off by the previously mentioned Laura Griffey goal. But this Kildare team just would not go away.

There was so much ground to cover with this game and so many crucial moments that you could forget in the myriad of madness that was this fixture.

Just five minutes into this game Mary Hulgraine stopped a certain goal as she smothered Marrinan effort from close range in a situation that few doubted was about to see a green flag raised.

Just before half-time, Hulgraine had her blushes saved as she lost possession out of her goal and Lizzy Roche was breaking clear and staring at any empty net. Once again all in Parnell Park were waiting for the net to bulge but Trina Duggan produced an incredible recovery run and blocked Roche's effort to  send Kildare in at half-time with the lead that  they had worked so hard to obtain.

Clare had goal chances but that came from their own creativity and guile because make no mistake this Kildare team was propped up by a superb defensive display. 

There are perhaps too many names to mention that gave titanic performances on the day but if you read their name on the team sheet just know that they put in the hard yards to earn the title of champions.

Kildare  now look ahead to Carlow in two weeks time in the Leinster Championship and beyond that Division 2 football.

Scorers

Kildare, Róisín Byrne 0-10 (0-5 frees), Neasa Dooley 1-0 (1-0 penalty), Grace Clifford 1-0, Ellen Dowling 0-1.

Clare, Fidelma Marrinan 1-6 (0-5 frees), Lauren Griffey 1-0, Aisling Reidy 0-2, Chloe Moloney 0-1 (0-1 frees), Cliodhna Blake 0-1.

Teams

KILDARE: Mary Hulgraine; Lauren Burke, Laoise Lenehan, Gráinne Kenneally; Lara Gilbert, Ruth Sargent, Sarah Munnelly; Grace Clifford, Aoife Rattigan; Claire Sullivan, Róisín Byrne, Trina Duggan; Ellen Dowling, Neasa Dooley, Lara Curran.

Subs: Mia Doherty on for Trina Duggan (38 minutes), Ciara Price on for Lara Curran (42 minutes), Aoife Clifford on for Claire Sullivan (47 minutes), Róisín Forde on for Gráinne Kenneally (3 minutes of extra-time), Orla Sullivan on for Ciara Price (72 minutes), Claire Sullivan for Ruth Sargent (74 minutes), Lara Curran for Lauren Burke (79 minutes).

CLARE: Amy Lenihan; Orla Devitt, Síofra Ní Chonaill, Gráinne Harvey; Louise Griffin, Caoimhe Harvey, Áine Keane; Aisling Reidy, Chloe Moloney; Eimear Keane, Fidelma Marrinan, Amy Sexton; Lizzy Roche, Cliodhna Blake, Ciara McCarthy.

Subs: Sinéad Considine on for Ciara McCarthy (38 minutes), Caoillin McCormack on for Louise Griffin (42 minutes), Laura Griffey on for Lizzy Roche (52 minutes), Joanna Doohan on for Gráinne Harvey (52 minutes), Lizzy Roche for Cliodhna Blake (61 minutes), Cliodhna Blake for Amy Sexton (71 minutes).

Referee: Siobhan Coyle (Donegal)