2024 TG4 Leinster LGFA Junior Championship Final

Louth 2-10

Carlow 1-5

By Aisling Clery

Goals from Niamh Rice and Kate Flood propelled Louth to their first TG4 Leinster LGFA Junior Championship title since 2019 when they defeated Carlow in Laois Hire O’Moore Park on Sunday afternoon.

Flood and Rice scored 2-5 of Louth’s tally and they, along with the Louth defence, were immense for the Wee County. Carlow were well served by Rachel Sawyer who hit 1-2 and Sara Doyle who hit 0-3 over the hour.

In basking sunshine, we had to wait eight minutes for a score and it was Louth who got on the scoreboard first. Niamh Rice moved into space to receive the pass from Kate Flood and Rice finished over the bar.

Carlow’s response was almost immediate. A ball won by Niamh Forde was sent forward to Rachel Sawyer and the Old Leighlin player took off on a surging run that finished with the ball in the back of the net.

Rachel Sawyer stretched Carlow’s lead with a fine score on thirteen minutes and Kate Flood replied with a fine score a minute later.

On fifteen minutes Louth took the lead, a surging run into the Carlow defence by Aoife Russell found Niamh Rice with the ball and she picked her spot and drilled it into the bottom left corner.

As half time approached Carlow had a great chance to retake the lead once more but Sara Doyle’s rasping shot ricocheted off the crossbar and Louth were able to scramble it away to safety.

Louth stretched their lead to two points when Aoife Halligan found Niamh Rice in space and Rice finished with aplomb. Carlow’s response was immediate as Sara Doyle made it a one point game once more on twenty-nine minutes.

Louth went into the half time break with a two point lead courtesy of a fine score from Aoife Halligan.

Sara Doyle made it a one point game shortly after the break, however a Kate Flood free from distance on thirty-four minutes maintained the Wee County’s two point lead.

Doyle added another fine score from play a minute later to leave just a single point between them.

On forty minutes, Louth were given a lifeline when an overturned ball by Niamh Rice found its way to the heart of the Carlow defence and Kate Flood lobbed the keeper and hit the net.

Numerically advantaged due to two Carlow sin-bins, Louth pushed further ahead, Aoife Russell converted her first score on forty-four minutes.

Carlow reduced the deficit by one with a sweeping team move up the field and with the Louth defence bearing down on Rachel Sawyer, she grabbed an inch of space and split the posts.

As the game headed into the last ten minutes, substitute Rachel O’Connor Leonard increased Louth’s lead to five points and a minute later that lead increased to Aoife Halligan after a fine run that took her all the way in and over the bar, the Roche Emmets player’s second score.

As the clock ticked away, Louth pressed on and points from Rachel O’Connor Leonard and Kate Flood ensured Louth’s victory.

SCORERS: Louth: K Flood 1-3 (2f), N Rice 1-2, A Halligan 0-2, R O’Connor Leonard 0-2, A Russell 0-1.

Carlow: R Sawyer 1-2, S Doyle 0-3.

LOUTH: R Lambe Fagan, C Woods, L Byrne, E Murray, H Lambe Sally, E Hand, C Nolan, A Halligan, A Breen (C), M Duffy, E Byrne, S Matthews, N Rice, K Flood, A Russell.

Subs: L White for Matthews (39), C McDonald for H Lambe Sally (48), R O’Connor Leonard for Woods (50), C O’Reilly for Murray (51), C Keenan for Russell (55).

CARLOW: N Hanley, A Carroll, A Roche, S McCullagh, R Bermingham (C), N Murphy, N Forde, E Hayden, R Bailey, B Nolan, R Sawyer, S Doyle, T Lyons, E Coogan, C Ní Shé.

Subs: E Molloy for Lyons (37), M Townshend for Bronagh Nolan (37), Beibhin Nolan for McCullagh (40), S O’Neill for Carroll (44).

Ref: Eoghan O’Neill (Laois).

Photo: Sportsfile