Tyrell double sends Kildare past Laois for first Senior Championship win

Leinster Senior Football Championship

Kildare 3-3

Laois 0-10

Kildare ladies got their first win of their Leinster Senior Football campaign against Laois this past weekend.

Diane O’Hora made 11 changes from last week’s outing against Meath, with the league final places already secured for the Royals and Dublin.

The early exchanges and much of the game were predictably disjointed given the wholesale changes for Kildare. Laois got the game’s opening score as The Lilies attempted to settle things.

Emily Lacey got that score as she slotted over a fine effort from range. The openness of the Meath and Dublin’s fixtures was instead replaced by two much more deep-lying defensive units. Kildare were guilty of a similar lack of pushing forward at times as the new look outfit sought to find their rhythm.

Aoife Rattigan would level the game five minutes in with a point from a free-kick.

Laois re-took the lead through a Katie Donoghue free, the Timahoe forward was reliable throughout the day from set-pieces.

The first green flag of the afternoon would be raised following a brilliant goal from Leah Doran.

Erin Brereton Foley won a turnover high up the field following a stray Kildare pass and found the Balyna forward in space. Doran accelerated away from her marker before drilling the ball into the back of the net.

Emily Lacey would lead the Laois fightback as the team that started this game the better sought to close the gap.

Scores were sparse in the opening half and the last score of the first half-hour would come from the boot of Aoife Rattigan, who scored a superb point off her left side.

The team’s went in at the break at 1-2 to 0-3 after a less than usual lack of scoring from both. Kildare would fly out of the traps in the second half and hit the net again on 34 minutes.

Trina Duggan found Claire Sullivan with space in the inside forward line, who in-turn offloaded to Holly Tyrell making a burst from deep.

The Rathcoffey forward had been threatening all day and finally had a chance to stretch her legs. Tyrell used her pace to get through on goal and found the net superbly, straight off her laces and into the roof of the net.

Laois would respond well by scoring the next three points in this game with two from Katie Donoghue and a superb point from Mo Nerney.

The visitors’ comeback hopes were once again dashed by a Kildare goal as Holly Tyrell found the net again. Tyrell again used her pace to this time burst down the right hand side of Laois. She found the net with another effort drilled off her laces to make it 3-2 to 0-6 after 43 minutes.

Laois would again reduce the gap to just three points with a brilliant free from Mo Nerney and a fine point from substitute Aoibhe Byron.

Sarah Munnelly would stem the flow of Laois points as she drilled over off her left foot.

Laois’ Emily Lacey and Katie Donoghue would close out the scoring as Kildare ran out 3-3 to 0-10 winners.

Holly Tyrell’s goals were the crucial factor as Kildare got their first Leinster Senior Championship win this year.

Speaking after the game, Kildare manager Diane O'Hora said, “It is brilliant to see who haven’t had that experience before, but now they have. They have played Leinster Senior Championship football, represented themselves, their families and their clubs, and done it really well.

“There was nothing but pride in the jersey today, and I am proud to have seen those girls represent their county at this level.”

One of the standout performers among the wholesale changes was Balyna's Leah Doran. The wing-forward got a huge amount of possessions in the opening half and produced a brilliant run and finish for Kildare's first goal.

Kildare now have a significant break before the All-Ireland series gets under way in June and the Mayo legend is ready to give her side some time to recuperate.

She said, “We need to give the girls time to have a bit of a break, maybe go back to their clubs for the next week. A mental break as much as anything because it has been very intense. We went all the way to the Division 2 final and then just a week off in between to refocus and face Dublin.”

MAIN PLAYER

Holly Tyrell

The Rathcoffey full-forward's two goals were the crucial scoring contributions on the day. Tyrell netted in the 34th and 43rd minute. In similar fashion too as she used her pace and nous to carve out an opportunity.

TURNING POINT

There were just two points between Kildare and Laois at half-time at 1-2 to 0-3. Holly Tyrell's goal just after the restart was a hammer blow to Laois' hopes as the sharp full-forward found the net in brilliant style.

TALKING POINT

It is now all about rest and recovery for Diane O'Hora's side, who have a significant break following the Leinster Championship. That break will hopefully see the return to full health of Aoife Clifford, Róisín Byrne and plenty of others who have played through the pain to this point.

WHAT NOW?

Kildare ladies will be off until the commencement of the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship on June 8 or 9.

Scorers: Kildare, Holly Tyrell 2-0, Leah Doran 1-0, Aoife Rattigan 0-2 (0-1 frees), Sarah Munnelly 0-1.

Laois, Katie Donoghue 0-4 (0-3 frees), Emily Lacey 0-3, Mo Nerney 0-2 (0-2 frees), Aoibhe Byron 0-1.

KILDARE: Anna Dunlea; Aine Mernagh, Laoise Lenehan, Alex Reynolds; Mia Doherty, Ellie O'Toole, Lauren Murtagh; Aoife Rattigan, Aoife Kilkenny; Leah Doran, Elaine Keogh, Sarah Munnelly; Erin Brereton Foley, Holly Tyrell, Trina Duggan. Subs: Claire Sullivan for Lauren Murtagh (22 minutes), Fiona Troute for Laoise Lenehan (Half-time), Niamh Barnes for Anna Dunlea (Half-time).

LAOIS: Eimear Barry; Sinead Farrelly, Isabel Finlay, Gráinne Lalor; Aerin Ryle, Mary Cotter, Aoife Gorman; Anna Moore, Ciara Malone; Gráinne Moran, Emily Lacey, Lauren Kearney; Róisín Allen, Mo Nerney, Katie Donoghue. Subs: Aoife Cummins for Isabel Finlay (35 minutes), Aisling Fitzpatrick for Róisín Allen (37 minutes), Eleanor Healy for Gráinne Moran (39 minutes), Aoibhe Byron for Lauren Kearney (46 minutes), Anna Lalor for Aerin Ryle (53 minutes).

Referee: Marion Hayden (Carlow)