Wexford 5-15
Wicklow 3-8
Wexford Ladies Football minor team began their Leinster championship campaign with a fantastic thirteen point win over neighbours Wicklow in Bellefield on a chilly afternoon last Saturday.
Wexford got off to a fantastic start and inside eleven minutes had built up a 1-4 to no score lead. Ellen O’Brien grabbed two of the points with Geraldine Doolan and Niamh Butler also contributing one each. Martha Rochford neatly finished the game’s opening goal sliding the ball under the Wicklow keeper from a tight angle.
The Garden County got off the mark in the 12th minute when full forward Niamh O’Brien found the net, with this effort being followed up by a point from centre forward Amy Murphy. Dynamic midfielder Geraldine Doolan found Wexford’s next point before Ellen O’Brien added another point from play for Wexford.
Georgina Canavan was next to point for Wicklow but full forward Fiona Bennett broke through the Wicklow rear guard for a second goal for Wexford on the 18th minute. Wicklow responded with their best spell of the opening half and hit 1-2 without reply with Amy Murphy pointing twice and a goal from Niamh O’Brien to cut Wexford’s lead to two points.
Wexford finished the first half strongly and a goal and a point from Fiona Bennett and a point from Niamh Butler saw Wexford lead 3-8 to 2-5 at the interval.
Wicklow really stepped up the tempo in the second half and closed to within a point as full forward Niamh O’Brien grabbed her third goal of the game which was followed by points from the same player and Rose Fagan.
However Wexford really knuckled down to the job then with some switches in defence and some substitutes coming on to add vital contributions. Niamh Butler pointed and then Mary Cummins goaled as the game began to turn totally purple and gold. Ellen O’Brien grabbed another fine point before Fiona Bennett bagged her third goal of the game to give Wexford a 5-10 to 3-7 lead.
Captain Ciara Corrigan got forward and added a point before Aoife Ryan landed a fine point after her introduction as a substitute. Wexford continued to push on before the end and further points through Niamh Butler and Mary Cummins saw Wexford finish the last twenty minutes in fine form. It was a good opening win to the championship but further improvement will be needed for the next game in three weeks against Kildare away.
Wexford
Aoife McCaulife (St Martin’s), Roisin Fitzgerald (Clonee), Danielle Chin (Clonard), Claire O’Rourke (Clonee), Aisling Kavanagh (St Anne’s), Niamh Rochford (Ballyhogue), Ciara Corrigan (Shelmeliars) (0-1), Geraldine Doolan (Shelmeliars) (0-2), Leanne Brennan (Clonard), Ellen O’Brien (Adamstown) (0-5), Niamh Butler (Volunteers) (0-4), Niamh Doyle (Shelmeliars), Martha Rochford (St Anne’s) (1-0), Fiona Bennett (St Anne’s) (3-1), Sarah Banville (Taghmon Camross). Subs Aoife Ryan (Gusserane) (0-1) for Brennan, Mary Cummins (Horeswood) (1-1) for Doyle, Meghan Whitty (Horeswood) for Butler, Laura Ross (St
