Goals decisive as Milltown ladies denied

Leinster LGFA Senior Championship quarter-final: Tinahely 2-9, Milltown 0-10

By John Dingle

Fresh from securing back to back Westmeath Senior Championship titles, Milltown headed into the Leinster campaign with confidence. Wicklow champions Tinahely stood in their way at Seán Doolin Park last Sunday afternoon with a place in the semi-finals at stake. It proved to be a disappointing outing for the hosts as they were never ahead with goals for the Wicklow champions ultimately the difference between the teams.

Milltown played with the wind in the opening half but did not take advantage of the elements and trailed by five points at half-time. Tinahely opened the scoring after three minutes when Laura McGrath popped over a free kick. A similar situation saw Milltown open their account two minutes later as Sarah Dillon fired over a free.

There was only one further score in the first quarter as Tinahely led through a point from Emily Mulhall. Milltown scored again after 17 minutes through Bronagh Beglan point but it was the last time the Westmeath champions were on level terms.

McGrath edged Tinahely back in front with a 19-minute point, and crucially the first green flag was raised two minutes later to put the visitors in control. Milltown failed to deal with the danger as an attempted clearance was blocked and McGrath took advantage of the sloppy defending to shoot to the net from close-range.

It put Tinahely ahead by 1-3 to 0-2 but Milltown left just a goal between the teams when Henrietta Kiernan delivered a point after 22 minutes. Another McGrath free at the other end restored the four-point lead. Beglan had the chance to cut the lead to a single point with the goal in her sights but Tinahely survived. McGrath edged the visitors further ahead with another free after 28 minutes and Aobha Harmon put six points between the team moments later.

Milltown completed the scoring in first half stoppage time with a Grainne Byrne kick to leave the hosts trailing at the break, 1-6 to 0-4.

It was looking bleak for the girls in green after the opening half as they failed to take advantage of the wind, but there was a transformation when play resumed with the deficit cut to a point within ten minutes of the restart. Milltown were much improved when the second half got underway and the comeback started when Byrne again found the range with an early free.

A blow was suffered, though when Leanne Slevin was sin-binned, handing Tinahely a numerical advantage for ten minutes. Milltown dug deep, however and the next three scores left them just a point in arrears.

Sarah Dillon sent over a free after 37 minutes with her sister Rachel pointing from play two minutes later. It became 0-8 to 1-6 when Byrne popped over another free after 40 minutes as Tinahely were punished every time they committed a foul.

Milltown had the chance to draw level but Byrne was then wide with another free. Tinahely had not scored since half-time but they finally got their act together to record the next three scores to lead by four. Points from Harmon, Lucy Mulhall Rock and Ava Stapleton left it 1-9 to 0-8 heading into the closing stages.

Milltown had not scored in nearly a quarter of an hour which proved fatal, but Byrne left a goal between the teams with a point after 53 minutes. The home team were then handed the opportunity to try and stage a grandstand finish when Tinahely were reduced to14 players after Aimee Maher was sent off by the referee.

The Westmeath side was now hoping to send the tie to extra-time at least. They still retained an interest in the tie when Sarah Dillon was successful with a free in the second additional minute to reduce the deficit to just two points.

Their hopes were soon shattered though when Tinahely raised their second green flag in the fifth additional minute to seal victory for the Wicklow team. Substitute Aine Darcy celebrated her earlier introduction with a great score as her fine shot flew over goalkeeper Sinead Byrne into the net.

The final whistle soon sounded with Tinahely advancing on a score line of 2-9 to 0-10. Tinahely scored only once more than Milltown but crucially two of their eleven scores were goals.

The Wicklow side have again knocked Milltown out of Leinster having won at the semi-final stage in 2025. They will now meet Longford Slashers next with a place in the final the reward for the winners.

Player of the match: Laura McGrath (Tinahely). The full-forward ended up as top scorer with some good points from frees and open play while her first half goal proved crucial to the outcome.

Scorers - Tinahely: L McGrath 1-4 (0-3 frees); A Darcy 1-0; A Harmon 0-2; E Mulhall, L Mulhall Rock and A Stapleton 0-1 each. Milltown: G Byrne 0-4 (3 frees); S Dillon 0-3 (3f); B Beglan, H Kiernan and R Dillon 0-1 each.

Tinahely - Bea Clancy, Sarah Hickey, Ciara Stokes, Kate Hatton, Eimear O’Brien, Jessie Nolan Byrne, Shannagh Goetelen, Aimee Maher, Emily Mulhall, Lucy Mulhall Rock, Laura McGrath, Aobha Harmon, Ciara Doran, Eimear O’Sullivan, Roisin Byrne. Subs: Ava Stapleton for Byrne (34 mins); Sarah Byrne for Mulhall (39); Aine Darcy for Doran (55).

Milltown - Sinead Byrne, Emma Ballesty, Gemma Keena, Aoife Kenny, Henrietta Kiernan, Louise Kiernan, Rachel Dillon, Leanne Slevin, Tracey Dillon, Abbie Sheerin, Grainne Byrne, Laura Kiernan, Clodagh Dillon, Bronagh Beglan, Sarah Dillon Subs: Jilly Ballesty for Ballesty (H-T); Kelly Boyce Jordan for H Kiernan (48 mins).

Referee - Eoghan O’Neill (Kildare).