Limerick ladies Gaelic footballers got their National Football League Division 4 campaign off to a flying start on Sunday with a resounding 8-26 to 0-1 win against Carlow.
It was a comprehensive win from an under-strength Limerick team who had been missing some key players.
Playing Carlow away in Dr Cullen Park against a strong breeze in the first half, Limerick flew out of the starting blocks. Amy Breen from Monagea got Limerick on the scoreboard with a goal and a point within the first three minutes. A free from Claire O’Riordan added another point five minutes later.
Carlow played some great football to make their way to the Limerick goal but a superb save from Mungret’s Tina Giltenane, coupled with a great clearance, stopped the opposition in their tracks.
With Limerick’s defence playing great football and finding players with some very accurate passing they powered ahead, adding four more points before Carlow made their way back up the field to be denied a certain goal by Tina Giltenane again. A goal for Limerick’s Niamh Richardson and a point from Stephanie Carroll left the Shannonsiders leading by 3-7 to 0-1 at half-time.
Limerick made some substitutions at the interval, with Dymphna O’Brien and Clodagh Reidy returning to competitive inter-county football. Limerick really powered on in the second half and aided by the strong breeze managed to put another five goals and 19 points past their opposition. At one stage Limerick were scoring in every minute of the second half.
Dymphna O’Brien scored 4-9 in her first inter-county outing since last May and the hard work and effort put into training since last October now appears to be reaping dividends for Limerick.
Next up is a home game against Derry on Sunday February 10.
Limerick team: Tina Giltenane; Gemma O’Dwyer, Alva Neary, Janet Garvey; Aoife Meaney, Yvette Moynihan, Emma McGuire (Captain); Michelle Norris (0-3), Kathryn Fahy (0-2); Paula Donnelly (0-1), Niamh Richardson (1-0), Mai Kenneally; Stephanie Carroll (1-3), Claire O’Riordan (0-2), Amy Breen (2-5).
Subs used: Clodagh Reidy, Dymphna O’Brien (4-9), Sarah Downey (0-1)
