LGFA - Dubs secure victory over Kildare

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Dublin 3-05 Kildare 1-08

Report by Daire Walsh

Kate Sullivan and Ellen Gribben struck second half goals at O’Dwyers GAA in Balbriggan on Sunday as Dublin edged out Kildare to earn their first win of this year’s Lidl National Football League Division One.

Playing with the aid of a strong wind in the opening period Kildare, who were also searching for a maiden victory in this season’s league, were eager to take the game to their Leinster rivals. After Aoife Rattigan got the Lilywhites up and running with a fifth-minute point, St Laurence’s attacker Ciara Wheeler also found the range in similar style.

While midfielder Gillian Wheeler fired a shot inches past the target, Rattigan and Molly Aspell contributed additional scores to move Pat Sullivan’s charges four points in front on the first-quarter mark. Dublin had struggled to fully impose themselves against the elements, but the hosts finally opened their account when inside forward Michelle Davoren rattled the net in the 16th minute.

Although Kildare suffered a set-back on top of the concession of this major when wing-back Hazel McLoughlin was yellow carded, they responded impressively in her temporary absence — Rattigan following up an initial effort by substitute Aoife Murnane for a rebounded goal on 21 minutes.

This helped Kildare to establish a 1-4 to 1-0 interval lead, but Dublin were firmly in the reckoning when Niamh Hetherton kicked over a superb two-pointer within 60 seconds of the restart.

Despite now facing into a stiff breeze, Kildare held firm and moved three in front when corner-forward Alannah Prizeman knocked over a close-range free in the 38th minute.

However, following neat link-up play between herself and Hetherton off a long delivery from Orlagh Nolan, first half substitute Sullivan got Dublin back on level terms with a powerful shot to the net on 42 minutes.

The vastly-experienced Carla Rowe also kicked a brace of fine points off the bench on her seasonal return to the Jackies set-up and with a third substitute in the form of Ellen Gribben bagging another goal in clinical fashion, Dublin were on course to prevail moving into the final 10 minutes of the action.

While Kildare kept themselves in contention with late points from Prizeman, Rattigan and Aspell, O’Dwyers star Elsa Kearney kicked a fine score on her home patch to ensure Dublin had the measure of the Lilies.

Scorers – Dublin: M Davoren, K Sullivan, E Gribben 1-0 each, C Rowe 0-2 (1f), N Hetherton 0-2, E Kearney 0-1.

Kildare: A Rattigan 1-3 (0-1f), A Prizeman 0-2 (2f), M Aspell 0-2, C Wheeler 0-1.

DUBLIN: A Shiels; N Crowley, H Leahy, C Almeida; S McIntyre, H McGinnis, N Donlon; R Hartnett, A Timothy; L Grendon, O Nolan, K Donaghy; M Davoren, N Hetherton, O Keighran. Subs: K Sullivan for Donaghy (26), E Kearney for Keighran (h-t), C Rowe for Grendon (40), E Gribben for Timothy (46), J Egan for Davoren (51), S Birnie for Almeida (55), G Connolly for Sullivan (64).

KILDARE: C Nallen; E Wheeler, L Shaw, M Doherty; H McLoughlin, R Sargent, L Lenehan; N Murphy, G Wheeler; M Aspell, C Wheeler, L Reilly; M Doyle, A Rattigan, A Prizeman. Subs: A Murnane for Reilly (16), A Mernagh for E Wheeler (19), R Dillon for Rattigan (30), A Irhue for Shaw (53), Rattigan for Prizeman (55).

Referee: Paul McCaughey (Westmeath).