Wicklow Senior Ladies Football

 AGB 1-17

Bray Emmets 4-7

Eoin Horkan

Arklow

A last-minute score from substitute Lizzie Bourke was the difference in this enthralling first round encounter on Saturday evening.

The visitors took early control of this game with a first score of the game Katrina Smyth. The opening couple of minutes had three goal chances, two for the home side and one for the opposition but neither side could hit the back of the net. The game was leveled seven minutes in with a Jessie McElheron effort with her left foot. The next eight minutes was all Bray as Smyth doubled her account before wing back Laura Butler fired into the net before another Smyth minor before Una O’ Grady extended the gap.

Just as it looked like Bray had complete control of the tie AGB managed to wrestle back momentum l with a free and an effort from play from Aibhe Cullen. The gap was down to the minimum after Aine McKerr slotted home before another strike from Cullen. The last three minutes of the half was a scoring spree as Bray countered with Juliette Fortune slotting into the net after a fine team move. The home side raised another three white flags on the spin through Niamh Kavanagh and McElheron adding two more to her tally. The final major of the half flew into the Gers net when Shauna Douglas fired home. Leaving the minimum between the sides at the break.

Once the game resumed McElheron leveled the game before Lily Somers gave her side the lead. This was short lived as Fortune doubled her tally, netting again for her side. The game was right in the melting pot as Cullen slotted a dead ball before another Kavanagh effort. It was then the turn of Emmets wing back Butler to slot over for her side. Both sides started to empty the benches after Cullen added another to her account. It was turning into a shootout between Smyth and Cullen as both added to their tallies for the day. It was then the turn of Aoife Kavanagh who only returned from Chicago on Tuesday to slot over after coming off the bench. A Cullen free had put her side ahead before Fortune leveled in the sixtieth minute. It looked like the points would be shared before substitute Lizzie Bourke fired over an effort to ensure the points would stay in Arklow. 

AGB: Doireann O’ Reilly; Ciara Lancaster, Emer Kelly, Emer Cullen; Eve Rogers.Zara Fennell, Kate Priest; Lucie Kindlon, Ava Wolohan; Lily Somers (0-1), Niamh Kavanagh (0-2), Roisin O’ Reilly; Jessie McElerhon (0-4 2fs), Aine McKerr (1-0 pen), Aibhe Cullen (0-8 4fs).

Subs Used Elizabeth Bourke (0-1) for Lily Somers, Annmarie Keegan for Roisin O’Reilly, Aoife Kavanagh (0-1) for Ava Wolohan, Meadbh O’ Connor.

Bray Emmets: Catherine Corbett; Jessica Conway, Jane Butler, Aoife Gillen; Clodagh O’ Keefe, Orla O’ Keefe, Laura Butler (1-1); Juliette Fortune (1-0), Shauna Douglas (2-1); Clara Wosser, April Harty, Una O’Grady; Alice Fitzgerald (0-1), Anna Conlan, Katrina Smyth (0-4 3fs).

Subs Used: Emma Nesbitt for Anna Conlan, Christina O’ Sullivan for Clodagh O’ Keefe.

Referee: Alan O’ Neill