Slevin penalty goal ensures Milltown ladies advance

Milltown 1-7, St Laurence's 0-6

Milltown ladies made the journey across to Kildare a successful one on Sunday as they had four points to spare over the Kildare champions St Laurence's in the quarter-final of the AIB Leinster LGFA Senior Club Championship.

Milltown's win now sets up a Leinster semi-final on Sunday against Wicklow side Tinahely (in Tinahely, 2pm). The latter overcame Carlow's Old Leighlin last weekend.

This victory was built on a solid defensive unit and a greater front six that found scoring chances easier to create and convert. It was a polished team performance from the Westmeath champions and their greater experience was most evident, especially after the break.

After the recent poor weather across Kildare the underfoot conditions were tough for both sides and a stiff breeze meant scoring chances were difficult to take advantage of. We were only three minutes in when Milltown got the perfect start when a long ball to full forward Sinead Slevin resulted in a foul and Dublin referee Ray McBride pointed to the spot. Leanne Slevin stepped up to fire high past Chloe Wright for the game's opening score.

St Laurence's had to wait seven minutes for their opening score and it came courtesy of Caoimhe O’Sullivan after she got on the end of Gillian Wheeler's diagonal pass. The next score didn't come until the 16th minute when Leanne Slevin converted a 20-metre free. Slevin nearly had a second goal on eleven minutes, but Chloe Wright did well to palm away an effort that came through a crowd of players.

Milltown would go the last 14 minutes without a score as the Larrries started to gain control around the middle. A superb defensive performance restricted the Westmeath side to shots from distance and after 17 minutes, Aoibheann O’Sullivan reduced the gap to two. St Laurence's were guilty of some poor shooting and six first half wides didn't help their cause but they closed the gap to one right on the stroke of half-time. Caoimhe O Sullivan added her second with a 30-metre effort, but Milltown led by 1-1 to 0-3 at the interval.

Milltown upped the tempo after the break and after a relatively quiet opening half, it was Sarah Dillon, a member of the LGFA Intermediate team of the year, who hit two points in the opening eight minutes to open a three-point lead for the third time. It looked like the swift movement of the Westmeath champions would provide more scores but the Larries came back into the game as it threatened to slip away.

Marie Kealy took advantage of the ball been brought forward for dissent to reduce the gap on 43 minutes with an easy free. Sixty seconds later Caoimhe O’Sullivan added her third of the afternoon and the Kildare champions were back within a single point as we entered the final quarter. Another free for Marie Kealy was played short when a chance to level matters was squandered. It seemed to inspire Milltown.

The next ten minutes were all about the defending of Milltown and the quick transition into attack. Aoife Kenny and Kelly Boyce Jordan were at the heart of everything good in defence and with Leanne Slevin and Tracey Dillon driving forward from midfield, four much-needed points arrived as St Laurence's started to run out of ideas.

Kate Whyte, who started the game, fired over a brilliant score on the run and a free from Leanne Slevin opened that three-point lead again. Sarah Dillon landed an inspirational point on 54 minutes as she had to do all the hard work herself before landing the score of the game. Despite the close attention of Niamh O’Connor, Dillon showed her class getting that yard of space to create the chance.

As the game entered the last five minutes, Lara Kiernan added her name to the Milltown scoresheet and even with six minutes of injury time to follow, the Westmeath champions had one foot in the semi-final. St Laurence's threw everything at Milltown in the closing minutes but a Marie Kealy point on 63 was all they could manage as they desperately sought a goal chance.

The final whistle arrived and it was Milltown who advanced on a 1-7 to 0-6 scoreline.

The Westmeath champions were full value for their win and that greater experience proved a telling difference in the end.

Scorers - Milltown: Leanne Slevin 1-2 (1 penalty; 2f), Sarah Dillon 0-3, Laura Kiernan 0-1, Kate Whyte 0-1. St Laurence’s: Caoimhe O’Sullivan 0-3, Marie Kealy 0-2 (1f), Aoibheann O’Sullivan 0-1.

Milltown: Karen Walsh, Emma Ballesty, Aoife Kenny, Gemma Keena, Louise Kiernan, Kelly Boyce Jordan, Rachel Dillon, Leanne Slevin, Tracey Dillon, Orlaith Sheerin, Grainne Byrne, Laura Kiernan, Kate Whyte, Sinead Slevin, Sarah Dillon . Subs: Emma Murtagh for Emma Ballesty (43), Jilly Ballesty for Kelly Boyce Jordan (63).

St Laurence's: Chloe Wright, Emma Wheeler, Niamh O’Connor, Niamh Miley, Elaine Marron, Ava Marron, Amy Cullen, Gillian Wheeler, Ciara Wheeler, Ailbhe Hennessy, Miah Ryan, Louise Waters, Aoibheann O’Sullivan, Marie Kealy, Caoimhe O’Sullivan. Subs: Jean Miley for Aoibheann O’Sullivan (34), Ciara Dempsey for Louise Waters (36), Megan Alcock for Ailbhe Hennessy (51), Ciara Downey for Niamh Miley (56).

Referee: Ray McBride (Dublin).