Perfect start to life under new manager for Waterford ladies
Bríd McMaugh was in superb form for Waterford in their win over Kildare today Photo: Sean Brilly
Waterford started life under new manager Tomás Mac an tSaoir with a battling win against Kildare in the opening round of the new league season.
In the opposite dugout was former Déise manager Pat Sullivan who is now in charge of Kildare but he wasn't able to get one over his old charges.
Waterford played the more composed football during the first half with wing forward Bríd McMaugh causing plenty of problems in particular.
The first four points were evenly shared before Waterford scored there points in a row through Karen McGrath and two frees by Kellyann Hogan.
Kildare didn’t lie down though and they answered back with a Roisin Byrne free kick and then a beautiful goal in the 20th minute. Claire Sullivan picked up the loose ball following a kick out and passed to Neasa Dooley who then delivered the perfect pass into Alannah Prizeman. The Naas forward, who played National League soccer with Shamrock Rovers at underage level and then for their first team for the last two years, spun away from her marker and then tucked her shot past the advancing Katelyn Gardiner to make it 1-3 to 0-5 in favour of the home side.
From the lowest moment of their half, Waterford answered back with their best. Afterwards, Mac an tSaoir said it was what his team did in response to conceding that goal that was the winning of the game, and it was easy to see why.
They showed great character in dig in and reply with four points in a row. McMaugh scored her second point of the game, and her third followed after Aine O’Neill also got on the scoresheet. Hogan rounded off the mini scoring burst for the Déise but there could have been as they had the ball in the net as well during that period but Lauren McGregor was adjudged to have fouled Kildare goalkeeper Anna Dunlea on the way to scoring.
Kildare had the final say before the half time whistle when Byrne converted from a free after Prizeman had been fouled, leaving the visitors 0-9 to 1-4 ahead at the break.
The weather was always going to make things difficult for goalkeepers and certainly the wind played it’s part when Clare Walsh’s shot in the 37th minute dipped at the last moment and floated over Dunlea’s head and into the net.
Slightly fortunate but a huge moment in the game as Waterford moved four points clear again.
Hogan extended that lead further six minutes later when she hit the target from a free won by Chloe Fennell.
A five point buffer heading into the final quarter felt significant and so it proved.
Kildare pulled back a point when Neasa Dooley blasted over after being found by Lara Curran but Waterford pressed on and added further points by captain Emma Murray and the ever accurate Hogan.
Waterford were reduced to 14 players in the 53rd minute after Aine O’Neill was shown a yellow card for a trip on Aoife Murnane and that allowed Kildare to build some late pressure.
After another Byrne free, Kildare had the ball in the net in the 59th minute after Dooley forced the ball home from a high ball sent in by Byrne.
Although that effort was ruled out, Dooley would not be denied and 30 seconds later she scored an outstanding goal when blasting into the top corner from outside the 20 metre line.
There wasn’t time for Kildare to build on that, however, and the final whistle blew shortly after and it proved to be the perfect start for Waterford.
Scorers – Waterford: K Hogan 0-5 (4f), C Walsh 1-0, B McMaugh 0-3, K McGrath, E Murray, A O’Neill, K Murray, L McGregor 0-1 each.
Kildare: R Byrne 0-5 (4f), N Dooley 1-1, A Prizeman 1-0, M Aspell 0-1.
WATERFORD: Katelyn Gardiner; Rebecca Casey, Cora Murray, Maeve Ryan, Eve Power, Karen McGrath, Aine O’Neill; Emma Murray, Hannah Power; Brid Mc Maugh, , Kellyann Hogan, Katie Murray, Chloe Fennell, Clare Walsh, Lauren McGregor. Subs: Aoife Power for Fennell (46).
KILDARE: Anna Dunlea; Lauren Murtagh, Laura Dunlea, Ruth Sargent, Claire Sullivan, Laoise Lenehan, Mia Doherty; Lara Curran, Roisin Byrne; Molly Aspell, Aoife Rattigan, Gillian Wheeler, Alannah Prizeman, Neasa Dooley, Leah Dora. Subs: Aoife Murnane for Rattigan (h-t), Aisling Irhue for Murtagh (39), Ciara Moran for Wheeler (42), Emma Wheeler for Doran (50), Leah McGovern for Murnane (57).
REFEREE: Kevin Phelan (Laois).
