Kildare: Eadestown dig deep to progress in Leinster Championship

Leinster Ladies Club Football Championship

Eadestown 2-10

Portlaoise 3-6

The Leinster Ladies club football championship got underway this weekend. One of the headline games was the Leinster Senior club championship battle between Eadestown and Portlaoise, in Rathleague in Laois.

Eadestown had just completed three in a row in Kildare, while Portlaoise had surprised St Conleth’s in the Laois showdown. A lot of people would have seen Eadestown as favourites to go through here, but Portlaoise paid no attention to that tagline.

Stephen Duff’s side threw everything at the Kildare champions, with an Alison Taylor brace of goals putting Portlaoise ahead down the stretch.

However, Eadestown showed their experience to eke out the victory. Siobhán O’Sullivan and Tara Bedford kicked late scores to help them edge the result here.

Eadestown enjoyed the advantage of the wind in the first half and Brian Willis’ ladies wasted no time in getting on the front foot. Siobhán O’Sullivan landed the opening score of the match before the Kildare team struck for the first goal of the game.

Tara Bedford showed terrific composure to turn one way, then the other, to make space for the shot. Bedford placed it low through the legs of Portlaoise’s Sarah Fleming, as Eadestown couldn’t have dreamt of a better start on away territory.

They could have had a second goal soon after as well. Bedford bore down on goal once more, but this time she dragged her effort to the right and wide.

After a shaky start, Portlaoise opened their account for the afternoon through an Aisling Kehoe point. Eadestown hit back with the next two scores though, as Angela McGuigan landed a free and midfielder Grace Clifford fired over one from play.

Portlaoise desperately required a spark, and they got it through Aisling Kehoe. The full-forward crashed in a low piledriver that proved too powerful for the hands of Eadestown keeper, Siobhán Tierney.

Leah Loughman cut the deficit to the minimum for Portlaoise from a free after Kehoe was fouled.

Portlaoise were defending well now and turned over Eadestown several times during this spell.

While Angela McGuigan and Siobhán O’Sullivan stretched Eadestown’s lead out to three, Portlaoise could have easily gone in level at the break.

Shaunagh Jackson and Gráinne Moran created a goal chance for Kehoe. On this occasion though, Eadestown full-back, Rose Mernagh, managed to dive in for a crucial last-second block.

Eadestown held a 1-5 to 1-2 lead at the interval in Rathleague, but they would have to play the second half against a decent wind.

Portlaoise landed the opening score of the second half through Shaunagh Jackson after strong running from Fiona Dooley set Jackson up for the score. Eadestown replied with an Angela McGuigan point.

While Gráinne Moran cut the gap back to two points for Portlaoise with a score, Eadestown struck for their second goal shortly after. Midfielder Grace Clifford charges through the heart of the Portlaoise defence, with Clifford finishing coolly into the bottom left corner as well.

Portlaoise did not let that goal bother them though and responded in stylish fashion. Gráinne Moran pointed another off her reliable left boot, and then Portlaoise fired in their second goal.

Moran picked out Alison Taylor with a lovely pass inside. Taylor fumbled the ball out of her hands, but she let fly soccer-style off the ground and it flew into the back of the net.

The momentum was with the home side now, with Eadestown reduced to fourteen players minutes later. Wing-back Gráinne Kenneally was sin-binned following a strong challenge.

Alison Taylor leveled for Portlaoise, but Eadestown showed huge character to hit back with the next two scores. Grace Clifford and Abaigh Cahill kicked over points for them.

This match swung again though soon after. Portlaoise pressurised Eadestown and turned them over close to their own goal. From there, substitute Laura Nerney set up Taylor again and she unleashed a rocket into the top right corner of the net.

There was room for more drama though. Eadestown, who were back to fifteen players for the final few minutes, turned the tables on Portlaoise. Brian Willis’ team turned over Portlaoise twice in their own half.

Siobhán O’Sullivan converted a free, before Tara Bedford stepped up to pop over the winning point for Eadestown that helped them advance to the Leinster semi-final stage.

Scorers

Eadestown, Grace Clifford 1-2, Tara Bedford 1-1, Angela McGuigan (0-1 free) and Siobhán O’Sullivan (0-1 free) 0-3 each, Abaigh Cahill 0-1.

Portlaoise, Alison Taylor 2-1, Aisling Kehoe 1-1, Gráinne Moran 0-2, Shaunagh Jackson and Leah Loughman (free) 0-1 each

EADESTOWN: Siobhán Tierney; Áine Mernagh, Rose Mernagh, Áine Ní Raghallaigh; Maryann Ryan, Ruth Sargent, Gráinne Kenneally; Hazel McLoughlin, Grace Clifford; Jessica Harney, Siobhán O’Sullivan, Abaigh Cahill; Tara Bedford, Angela McGuigan, Sarah Carroll. Sub: Roisín Ellis for Ryan (55 mins).

PORTLAOISE: Sarah Fleming; Rebecca Reddin, Ellen Healy, Aoibhe O’Brien; Susie Delaney, Aishling Saunders, Deirdre Phelan; Fiona Dooley, Sarah Anne Fitzgerald; Alison Taylor, Shaunagh Jackson, Gráinne Moran; Leah Loughman, Aisling Kehoe, Rebecca Keane. Subs: Laura Nerney for Keane (HT), Gráinne O’Reilly for Phelan (37 mins), Shauna Dooley for Loughman (43 mins).

REFEREE: Finbarr Shanahan (Dublin)