Today was the start of the National Football League and the Louth Ladies had high expectations and big hopes for promotion in this campaign. The format for the National Football League Division 4 is a round robin series of matches with Leitrim, Derry and Antrim.
Our first outing was against the Leitrim Ladies in Ballinamore Co. Leitrim and the match was played in unseasonable weather with torrential downpours being the order of the day.
Louth started strongly with points from Rebecca Carr (3) Laura Collins (1) and Denise McKenna(1) and added a goal following great passing movement involving Ceire Nolan, Niamh Rice and finished off by Laura Collins. Leitrim responded with a goal of their own which kept the scoring tight.
However Niamh Rice covered 2/3 rds of the pitch and finished the ball to the net. Near the end of the 1st half Louth were reduced to 14 players as Sarah Quinn received a yellow card. However they ended the half leading by 2 points with the scoreline Louth 2 – 5 to Leitrim 1 – 6.
Leitrim took the challenge to Louth right from the start of the second half and scored 1-4 unanswered before the water break. Louth were now finding it tough to get back into the match and received a serious blow when Eimear Byrne received a red card. Some of the referees decisions surprised the Louth contingent and try as they did with a good goal from Lauren Boyle they couldn’t make inroads into the Leitrim tally of 2 – 8 in the second half. With the final score Leitrim 3 – 14 to Louth 3 – 6.
A disappointing day for the team and management however we look forward to them bouncing back against Antrim in Clan Na Gael in Dundalk next week.
Louth Squad:
Una Pearson (St Brides), Seoda Matthews (Oliver Plunketts) Sarah Quinn (Foxrock Cabinteely) Eimera Murray (St Kevins), Michelle McMahon (Glyde) Shannen McCloughlin (Clans) Ceire Nolan (Fechins), Aine Breen (St Pats) Eimear Byrne (Mochtas), Aoife Russell (Glen Emmets) Kate Flood (St Pats) Rebecca Carr (Geraldines), Laura Collins (Blues) Lauren Boyle (Cooley) Denise McKenna (Clans).
Rebecca Lambe Fagan (St Pats) Eilis Hand (Geraldines) Aoife Halligan (Roche) Louise Byrne (Roche) Aisling O’Doherty (St Pats) Claire Donnelly (Cooley) Niamh Rice (Cooley) Mia Duffy (St Marys) Róisín Kavanagh (Fechins) Emily Norton (Clans) Seona Halligan (Roche) Holly Lame Sally (Gers) Aimee McNally (Brides) Grace Traenor (St Pats) Grainne Murray (Kevins)
Leitrim: M Monaghan; M.A. Maguire, S Tighe, N Higgins; R Rooney, C Owens (capt.), C Tyrrell; A Heslin, V Egan; L O’Dowd, M Guckian, E Brun; S Ward, L Fox, R McHugh.
Report by Martina Nolan (PRO Louth LGFA) | Photographs by Warren Matthews
