Wicklow too strong for Limerick in round one of All Ireland Ladies Football Championship

WICKLOW proved too strong for Limerick in round one of the TG4 All Ireland Junior Ladies Football Championship this Sunday.

In Callan, Co Kilkenny it finished Limerick 1-6 Wicklow 1-13.

Last year's beaten finalists Wicklow were on top for much of the tie in which they had 10 wides - one more than Limerick.

The Donal Ryan managed Limerick must now regroup to play Derry in round two next Sunday - Derry beat Antrim in round one.

Limerick will also have group games against Antrim and Carlow.

Limerick had the aid of a gentle breeze in the opening half but a late flurry of scores had Wicklow 1-7 to 1-4 ahead at half time.

It was a half in which Wicklow dominated much of the possession but had seven wides - compared to just one for Limerick.

Nonetheless Limerick were ahead 1-4 to 0-4 on 26-minutes before Wicklow had four unanswered scores to lead at the break.

Wicklow had opened the game with the two first scores before Louise Ryan had Limerick off the mark in the 11th minute.

By the first half water break on 16-minutes it was 0-3 to 0-1.

But Limerick had goalkeeper Sophie Hennessy to thank for two superb saves in this opening quarter to deny Wicklow goals.

On the resumption the lead was out to three points before Limerick found their scoring boots.

Roisin Ambrose had the first of four successive Limerick scores.

Then came a goal from Katie Heelan. She did well along the left sideline to battle for possession and when the defender stopped the ball from going over the sideline the St Ailbes star gathered the ball and soloed goalwards. She could very well have tried for a point but the shot lobbed over the goalkeeper and into the far corner of the net.

That goal had Limerick ahead for the first time, 1-3 to 0-4.

When Andrea O'Sullivan kicked her second free of the half, Limerick were a goal to a good with five minutes to half time.

But Wicklow rallied and found a goal of their own with the half time whistle approaching - Catherine Dempsey finding the net.

Then in injury time, Limerick lost midfielder Ambrose to a 10-minute sinbin offence.

By the time the Old Mill player returned to the action, Wicklow had increased their lead out to five points - 1-9 to 1-4.

All could have been different but Wicklow goalkeeper Linda Dempsey stood firm to save from Lauren Ryan in the eighth minute of the new half.

An Andrea O'Sullivan free just into the fourth quarter was the first Limerick score of the second half.

Katie Heelan added a point from play and it was 1-12 to 1-6 inside the final 10-minutes. Both sides now were down to 14 players for sinbin yellow card offences - Yvonne Lee off for Limerick and Catherine Dempsey sent to the line for Wicklow.

Limerick kicked six of their nine wides in the final quarter and couldn't reduce the lead.

SCORERS: Limerick: Katie Heelan 1-1, Andrea O'Sullivan 0-3 (3frees), Louise Ryan and Roisin Ambrose 0-1 each. Wicklow: Marie Kealy 0-5 (2frees), Rioghna McGettigan 0-4, Catherine Dempsey 1-0, Laurie Ahern 0-2, Clodagh Fox and Sarah Delahunt 0-1 each.

LIMERICK: Sophie Hennessey (Old Mill); Yvonne Lee (Monagea), Maedbh McCarthy (Dromcollogher-Broadford), Kristine Reidy (Feohanagh-Castlemahon); Megan Buckley (Murroe-Boher), Niamh McCarthy (Dromcollogher-Broadford), Meadhbh MacNamara (St Ailbes); Roisin Ambrose (Old Mill), Cliodhna Ni Cheallaigh (Naomh Anna, Leitir Mor); Louise Ryan (St Brigids), Andrea O'Sullivan (Ballylanders), Katie Heelan (St Ailbes); Nicole Bennett (Murroe-Boher), Amy Ryan (Oola), Lauren Ryan (Adare). Subs: Aine Cunningham (Dromcollogher-Broadford) for Louise Ryan (36mins), Shauna Ryan (Murroe-Boher) for Cliodhna Ni Cheallaigh (54mins), Grace Lee (Monagea) for Megan Buckley (54mins), Rachel O'Dell (Monaleen) for Lauren Ryan (54mins), Leah Coughlan (Oola) for Nicole Bennett (55mins).

WICKLOW: Linda Dempsey; Aoife Gillen, Sarah Jane Winders, Lucy Dunne; Lorna Fusciardi, Alanna Conroy, Paula Faulkner; Niamh McGettigan, Sarah Delahunt; Laurie Ahern, Ann Marie Keegan, Rioghna McGettigan; Clodagh Fox, Meadhbh Deeney, Marie Kealy. Subs: Mikaela Shelly for Niamh McGettigan (h-t), Helena Dowling for Lorna Fusciardi (41mins), Kate Hennessy for Lucy Dunne (48mins), Ella Parke for Marie Kealy (48mins), Ciara O'Brien for Paula Faulkner (55mins).

REFEREE: Michael Tarpey (Laois)