Laois Ladies footballers open up league campaign with impressive win

The Laois Ladies kicked off their 2022 National Football League Division 2 campaign against Clare in Crettyard on Sunday afternoon. Donie Brennan’s charges had won promotion from Division 3 last season, so they were looking to continue that momentum into the new campaign.

Laois got off to sluggish start in Crettyard, as Clare corner-forward, Fidelma Marrinan, tormented them in the opening quarter. However, Laois got to grips with the game in the second quarter and actually managed to take the lead at half-time with the help of a Mo Nerney goal.

They controlled the affair from that point on, as Clare only managed a single score in the third quarter of the game. Mo Nerney grabbed her second goal in the opening stages of the second half, and that gave them a lead which they would not relinquish.

Laois 2-12

Clare 2-7

Fidelma Marrinan, who would terrorise Laois in the opening quarter, opened the scoring for Clare from a free and added another moments later from play.

The danger signs were already there for Laois, as their defence got cut wide open for the opening goal. Chloe Moloney picked out Fidelma Marrinan in acres of space in the square, and Marrinan easily finished past Eimear Barry in the Laois net.

Minutes later and Laois were cut open for a second time. Roisín Looney found Marrinan once more, and Marrinan coolly slotted home her second goal in as many minutes.

That second goal proved to be the wake up fall that Laois desperately needed. They kicked three points without reply to end the first quarter, with Emma Lawlor, Mo Nerney (free) and Erone Fitzpatrick all on the scoreboard for them. 

Laois still had plenty of work to do to make up for their slow start, and they did just that in the second quarter. Clare only managed a single score during this period, as Laois became tighter and more physical with their opponents.

Marrinan, who was Clare’s only scorer in the first half, kicked another one over upon the restart. Laois answered that with 1-4 to take a one point lead at half-time.

Mo Nerney started the run with a point from a free, before Erone Fitzpatrick went on a trademark powerful surge up the field which ended with another white flag being raised by the umpire.

Laois then grabbed their first goal of this season’s league campaign in the 25th minute. Shifra Havill’s first attempt was well blocked down by Clare bodies, but Havill collected once more and offloaded to Mo Nerney, with her shot proving too strong for the Clare keeper and trickling into the bottom corner.

Nerney added another point to her goal to level the affair, before Laois full-forward Laura Marie Maher landed the last score of the half to give her side a slender 1-7 to 2-3 advantage at the break.

Laois picked up where they left off at the start of the second half. Emma Lawlor landed her second score of the afternoon, before Nerney struck for her second goal. Laois debutante, Shifra Havill, unselfishly set up Nerney once more as the Laois crowd in Crettyard erupted in cheers.

Points from Emma Lawlor (free), Erone Fitzpatrick and Nerney followed to stretch Laois’ lead out to eight points. Credit must also go to the Laois keeper during this period as well though, as Shanahoe women, Eimear Barry, pulled off two massive saves to dent Clare.

Chloe Moloney ended Clare’s drought in front of goals with a point, but that would be the only score they would manage throughout the third quarter. Laois held a 2-11 to 2-4 lead during this period, and it appeared Clare required goals to get back into this one.

To be fair to Clare, they kept it competitive in the final quarter. Marrinan, who had been kept quiet by Laois for a decent period in the second half, came alive to kick over two more points for her side.

Laois wing-back, Rachel Williams, flew up the pitch to settle down the home team though with a terrific score. Marrinan left five between the teams, but Laois ran out deserving winners at the full-time whistle and can look to build off of this performance for the rest of the league campaign.

LAOIS

Scorers: Mo Nerney 2-5 (0-2 frees), Erone Fitzpatrick 0-3, Laura Marie Maher 0-1, Emma Lawlor 0-2, Rachel Williams 0-1

Team: Eimear Barry (Shanahoe); Clodagh Dunne (Ballyroan), Amy Potts (St Brigid’s), Aimee Kelly (St Conleth’s); Rachel Williams (Sarsfields), Ellen Healy (Portlaoise), Anna Healy (Park-Ratheniska); Jane Moore (St Brigid’s), Orla Hennessy (Timahoe); Emma Lawlor (St Paul’s), Emily Corbet (Clonaslee), Erone Fitzpatrick (Park-Ratheniska); Mo Nerney (Timahoe), Laura Marie Mayer (Sarsfields), Shifra Havill (St Conleth’s). Subs:  Fiona Dooley for Lawlor (37 mins), Sarah-Anne Fitzgerald for Corbet (37 mins), Alanna Havill for Hennessy (42 mins), Sarah Quigley for S Havill (47 mins)

CLARE

Scorers: Fidelma Marrinan 2-6 (0-1 free), Chloe Moloney 0-1

Team: Micaela Glynn; Orla Devitt (C), Tara Kelly, Gráinne Harvey; Amy Sexton, Laurie Ryan, Roisín Looney; Ellie O’Gorman, Aisling Reidy; Lauren Griffin, Aoife Keane, Joanna Doohan; Chloe Moloney, Caitriona Callinan, Fidelma Marrinan. Subs: Sinead O’Keeffe, Emma McMahon, Lizzy Roche