WALTERSTOWN: 1-13 MOYLAGH: 1-4

On an evening more conducive to the indoors rather than football, Walterstown booked their place in the Meath LGFA Kepak Junior A Football Championship semi final thanks to a nine point victory over visitors Moylagh. 

The rain pelted down and the wind blew with gusto and left conditions extremely difficult for both teams but the Skin and Bodyworks sponsored home side deservedly took victory and will now take on Clann na nGael in the penultimate round next weekend. 

Level at the break (0-3 to 0-3), Walterstown, with the aid of the wind, outscored their opponents 1-10 to 1-1 after the turnaround, dominated possession and play and only a converted penalty from the visitors in the 56th minute, put a gloss on the final scoreline from a Moylagh perspective. 

Walterstown corner forward Lisa O’Neill put in a hugely impressive shift. Indeed she was the Blacks’ only scorer during the opening 30 minutes, while after the turnaround she tagged on 1-4, while captain Mollie Browne led by absolute example from the centre back position. 

The first half wasn’t a pretty one and despite having the advantage of the strong wind, Moylagh found themselves 0-3 to 0-0 in arrears as the first quarter ticked to a close. 

O’Neill drew first blood four minutes in when she converted a free, and she followed that with two from play to ensure the three point advantage. 

The second quarter belonged to the visitors and they kicked three without response to restore parity by the 29th minute and that’s how it remained until the interval. Both teams were guilty of some poor efforts but given the conditions, it was to be expected. 

The second half firmly belonged to the Blacks however. Heading in to this encounter they would have been fancied to advance and they showed just why they held the favourites tag after the turnaround. 

Jennifer Lynch nudged the home side in front two minutes after throw in when she split the posts before Lisa O’Neill struck over a free a minute later and Walterstown led 0-5 to 0-3. A brace of points from captain Mollie Browne followed, the second of those being a superb strike, as Walterstown extended their lead further. 

By the end of the third quarter Walterstown found themselves 0-9 to 0-3 ahead and were in complete control. 

And that lead was extended even further soon after when O’Neill dispatched a penalty kick with aplomb before former Cavan minor star Leticia Sheridan-Seery raised a white flag.

As the clock ticked on it was very evident that the Blacks were marching on but the concession of a penalty late on ensured Moylagh put some respectability on the scoreboard, followed by a point, which were, in fact, their only scores of the second half. 

Two points from O’Neill and one from substitute Abbie Farrelly, finished out a successful evening for Joey Farrelly’s charges and now Clann na nGael await in the semi final; a game likely to take place at a neutral venue next weekend.

SCORERS: Walterstown - Lisa O’Neill 1-7 (4f, 1 pen), Mollie Browne 0-2, Jennifer Lynch 0-2, Leticia Sheridan-Seery 0-1, Abbie Farrelly 0-1.

WALTERSTOWN: Méabh McCarrick; Antonia Brady, Sophia Gillooly, Rosie O’Neill; Niamh McGuinness Óg, Mollie Browne (c), Zoe Harte; Leticia Sheridan-Seery, Ella Farrelly; Niamh McGuinness, Julie Donnellan, Lucy Reynolds; Jennifer Lynch, Kate McCarthy, Lisa O’Neill. SUBS: Abbie Farrelly replaced N McGuinness 46 mins, Ali Browne replaced J Lynch 47 mins, Aisling Kelly replaced N McGuinness Óg 50 mins, Áine Downes replaced J Donnellan 51 mins. 

MOYLAGH; Sarah McDermott; Selina Briody, Arlene Smyth, Sophie Garry; Fiona McGrath, Hannah Briody, Siobhan Traynor; Colette Kenny, Sinead Gilsenan; Cline Reilly, Suzie Mullaly, Donna Garry; Hannah Grall, Siobhan Kearney, Rosie Grall.

REFEREE: Sean Gahan

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