LGFA Wicklow Semi final senior

 

Bray Emmets 2-3

St Pats 0-10

Eoin Horkan

Greystones

 

As darkness began to fall in Greystones on Saturday night a last minute fisted point was enough to see St Pats get the better of Bray Emmets by a solitary point.

With a county final at stake there was never more than a goal in the difference between these sides. After a nervy opening seven minutes the deadlock was finally broken as Pats corner forward Erynn O’ Brien fired over the bar. With both defences on top from the start it was a surprise when Bray managed to take a goal lead as Laura Butler levelled the game, before she rattled the back of the net for her side The Emmets sat back on this lead hoping their defence would keep the opposition forwards quiet, which they did. Pats had to look elsewhere for the scores it was midfielder Sarah Delahunt who delivered these scores from the middle of park in between another Butler effort on the counterattack for Bray. With the half drawing to a close Naoise O’ Reilly drove through the centre of the Emmets defence to narrow the gap to the minimum. It was the north Wicklow side who competed the first half scoring as Shauna Douglas showed she could emulate what the Pats midfield was doing as she split the posts to leave two points between the sides at the interval.

Pats took control of the possession from the start of the second half but between a mix of great defending and way ward shooting there forward unit were still finding it difficult to trouble the scoreboard. It was the Wicklow towns midfield who were keeping them in the tie as Niamh McGettigan drove an effort over the bar. Moments later Sarah Delahunt stepped up to take a penalty that she drove off the crossbar as Pats were trying all they could to take control of this tie . Their   hard work eventually paid off as they levelled the tie minutes later through wing back Lucy Dunne. Within minutes Bray had regained the lead as wing forward  Una O’ Grady slotted a ball into the Pats net. This second major didn’t stop the Wicklow town sides onslaught as they kept pushing forward with Delahunt and McGettigan to the fore. It was the aforementioned Delahunt who slotted two  frees along with a second minor from McGettigan. With the tie level it was Pats who manged to take the lead for the second and most decisive time in the game as full forward Laura Manley found herself in the perfect position to fist over the bar just before the final whistle.

This win means Pats will play county champions Tinahely in the upcoming county final.

 

St Pats: Ellen Griffin; Molly Callery, Medb O’Keane, Eadoin O’Keane; Brooke Griffin, Kate Hennessy, Lucy Dunne (0-1); Sarah Delahunt (0-4,2fs) , Niamh McGettigan (0-2); Sarah Evans, Naoise O’ Reilly (0-1), Kayleigh Crammond, Rionagh McGettgan, Laura Manley (0-1), Erynn O’ Brien (0-1).

Subs: Holly McSorley for E O’ Brien, Luci Hobbs for K Crammond

Bray Emmets: Amy Butler; Emma Doyle, Jane Butler, Emily Deveney: Juliette Fortune, Orla O’ Keefe, Aoife Gillen; Alice Fitzgerald, Shauna Douglas (0-1); April Harty, Mikaela Shelley, Una O’ Grady (1-0); Anna Craig, Lauren Rowe, Laura Butler (1-2).

Referee Ian Culbert  (Rathnew)