The Ladies 1st XI team faced a strong North Kildare III away at The Maws on Saturday in Leinster League Division 7. The tough match ended 2-1 in favour of North Kildare.
Enniscorthy started strongly with passes between the Flood sisters moving up the pitch. Enniscorthy quicky earned a penalty corner that was defended well by North Kildare preventing an early goal. Shortly after, a second penalty corner was won for the Slaneysiders. Anna Flood injected the ball; Leah Chapman at the top of the circle then passed right to Laura Smith, whose strike was saved. Anna Flood, though, was first to the rebound and Enniscorthy had the lead.
North Kildare responded with a penalty corner of their own, Enniscorthy's goalkeeper Norah McGinty’s outstretched leg ensured the visitors retained their lead. Enniscorthy worked hard to extend their lead, with strong passes up the left side from Katie Owens to Laura Bailey. Hannah Sweeney made good runs down the wing working with Anna Flood and May Wickham. Perhaps the best opportunity came when captain Leah Chapman put the ball between the North Kildare sweeper's legs as Ciara Murphy ran onto it having a one on one with the goalkeeper, but to Murphy's dismay the goalkeeper made a good save and the ball went wide. The score at half time was 1-0 to Enniscorthy.
In the second half, Enniscorthy’s communication improved. Line balls on the left were well taken by Susannah Doyle passing square to Jessie Flood in the centre. Roisin Treacy made some good breaks along the baseline creating goal chances as she crossed the ball over to Hannah Sweeney, the left winger. Enniscorthy were put under pressure on the ball but began recycling the ball more using Laura Smith, the centre back. Midway through the second half Enniscorthy unluckily gave away another short corner due to a dangerous high ball off a defender’s stick. The well-taken direct strike from North Kildare went in the bottom right corner and the sides were level.
Towards the end of the second half, Enniscorthy were given another chance with a penalty corner. They used a similar routine that had worked well in the first half - with a pass back to injector Anna Flood, whose stike unluckily rattled the post and went wide. North Kildare continued to pressurise down the right side but Katie Owens slowed down the play keeping the opposition out of the circle and sweeper Julie Watchorn made it hard for North Kildare to attack. With two minutes remaining North Kildare won another penalty corner. The ball was passed to an attacker on the back post and swept into the goal. Enniscorthy were left with little time to respond and fell to their fifth defeat of the league season.
On Saturday Enniscorthy – who have now slipped to third in the table- will be away to Suttonians II.
Squad: Norah McGinty (GK), Julie Watchorn, Laura Smith, Katie Owens, Susannah Doyle, Laura Bailey, Jessie Flood, Leah Chapman (captain), Hannah Sweeney, Anna Flood, May Wickham, Ciara Murphy, Roisin Treacy.
Enniscorthy started strongly with passes between the Flood sisters moving up the pitch. Enniscorthy quicky earned a penalty corner that was defended well by North Kildare preventing an early goal. Shortly after, a second penalty corner was won for the Slaneysiders. Anna Flood injected the ball; Leah Chapman at the top of the circle then passed right to Laura Smith, whose strike was saved. Anna Flood, though, was first to the rebound and Enniscorthy had the lead.
North Kildare responded with a penalty corner of their own, Enniscorthy's goalkeeper Norah McGinty’s outstretched leg ensured the visitors retained their lead. Enniscorthy worked hard to extend their lead, with strong passes up the left side from Katie Owens to Laura Bailey. Hannah Sweeney made good runs down the wing working with Anna Flood and May Wickham. Perhaps the best opportunity came when captain Leah Chapman put the ball between the North Kildare sweeper's legs as Ciara Murphy ran onto it having a one on one with the goalkeeper, but to Murphy's dismay the goalkeeper made a good save and the ball went wide. The score at half time was 1-0 to Enniscorthy.
In the second half, Enniscorthy’s communication improved. Line balls on the left were well taken by Susannah Doyle passing square to Jessie Flood in the centre. Roisin Treacy made some good breaks along the baseline creating goal chances as she crossed the ball over to Hannah Sweeney, the left winger. Enniscorthy were put under pressure on the ball but began recycling the ball more using Laura Smith, the centre back. Midway through the second half Enniscorthy unluckily gave away another short corner due to a dangerous high ball off a defender’s stick. The well-taken direct strike from North Kildare went in the bottom right corner and the sides were level.
Towards the end of the second half, Enniscorthy were given another chance with a penalty corner. They used a similar routine that had worked well in the first half - with a pass back to injector Anna Flood, whose stike unluckily rattled the post and went wide. North Kildare continued to pressurise down the right side but Katie Owens slowed down the play keeping the opposition out of the circle and sweeper Julie Watchorn made it hard for North Kildare to attack. With two minutes remaining North Kildare won another penalty corner. The ball was passed to an attacker on the back post and swept into the goal. Enniscorthy were left with little time to respond and fell to their fifth defeat of the league season.
On Saturday Enniscorthy – who have now slipped to third in the table- will be away to Suttonians II.
Squad: Norah McGinty (GK), Julie Watchorn, Laura Smith, Katie Owens, Susannah Doyle, Laura Bailey, Jessie Flood, Leah Chapman (captain), Hannah Sweeney, Anna Flood, May Wickham, Ciara Murphy, Roisin Treacy.
