Clinical Goldsmiths ease through historic Leinster debut

Goldsmith are through to the AIB Leinster Ladies Junior Football Championship semi-finals at the expense of Laois champions St Paul's after a one-sided affair in Emo last Saturday afternoon.

Rebecca Higgins, Sinead Seery and Ciara Foxe were simply unplayable as Goldsmiths ran out comfortable winners, finishing 22 points better off.

St Paul's demolished Carlow side Rathvilley in Round 1, running up an almighty score of 8-15 to kick-start their provincial championship, but it was their turn to be on the receiving end of a big scoreline this time out. Clodagh Brogan, Shannon Costello and Niamh Conroy were phenomenal in that game, but they were made to work remarkably hard for absolutely everything against a stubborn and miserly Goldsmith defence.

Goldsmith, a relatively new club, covering the Tubberclair, Tang and Drumraney areas, beat Tyrtellspass 1-12 to 0-9 two weeks previously to win the Westmeath Junior Championship - the club's first ever adult title; meaning this was their very first game in the Leinster Championship.

But they never let the occasion get to them, taking the game to St Paul's from the word go. The away side started the game incredibly well, with Rebecca Higgins kicking an early free to open the scoring before slotting two good points from play.

St Paul's had multiple goal opportunities in the first ten minutes, but Goldsmiths goalkeeper Aisling English made three good saves to deny Shannon Costello, Lucy Kirwan and Isabella O'Toole. Having held out, the Westmeath side went up the other end and raised their first green flag in the 11th minute when Lisa Seery went around the last defender before blasting the ball into the net.

Niamh Conroy pointed a free to get St Paul's on the scoreboard, but the visitors hit back almost immediately when Ciara Foxe found herself free at the back post and tucked her shot beyond Abi Swift for a second goal midway through the first half.

Clodagh Brogan pointed another free for St Paul's before the home side got their first score from play through Conroy. They were quickly cancelled out by Lisa and Sinead Seery with the eventual winners bossing almost every kick out at both ends.

The visitors raised a third green flag five minutes before half time with Zoe Guinane stabbing the ball into the bottom corner after taking a long ball in. Higgins palmed the ball over the bar moments later to put the visitors 12 points to the good.

They added another two scores through Sinead Seery and Ciara Foxe, with Shannon Costello opening her account for St Paul's before another free from Brogan brought the half to an end, with Goldsmiths up 3-8 to 0-5 at the break.

St Paul's needed a good start to the second half, but it was the Westmeath champions who added to their tally, scoring four points without reply in the opening ten minutes. Guinane, Higgins, Emma Tumelty and Sinead Seery all scored before St Paul's finally broke their second half duck with scores from Conroy and Brogan midway through the second half.

The third quarter belonged to the Westmeath women, who scored five points on the trot, including one each from Emma Tumelty and Gemma Guinane as well as three from Charleigh Seery who was extremely impressive off the bench. She replaced Player of the Match Rebecca Higgins, who would be handful for any defence in the country.

A free from Brogan late on looked to have brought an end to the scoring, but Ciara Foxe capitalised on a rebound after a great save from Abi Swift to bag her second goal with the last kick of the game.

Goldsmiths will play Wexford side Baile Dubh Tíre in their semi-final tomorrow (Saturday), November 2 in Farmleigh GAA grounds in Wexford (throw-in 2pm).

SCORERS - Goldsmiths: Ciara Foxe 2-2, Rebecca Higgins 0-5 (2 frees), Sinead Seery 0-4, Lisa Seery and Zoe Guinane 1-1 each, Charleigh Seery 0-3, Emma Tumelty and Gemma Guinane 0-1 each. St Paul's: Clodagh Brogan 0-4 (3 frees), Niamh Conroy 0-3 (1 free), Shannon Costello 0-1.

Goldsmiths: Aisling English; Ellen McCabe, Eva Fitzpatrick, Ciara Irwin; Grace Park, Cara Fitzpatrick, Megan Hanley; Sinead Seery, Laura Madden; Deborah Kenneally, Rebecca Higgins, Lisa Seery; Emma Tumelty, Ciara Foxe, Zoe Guinane. Subs: Charleigh Seery for Higgins (43), Niamh Hanley for M. Hanley (50), Leah Duffy and Gemma Guinane for Tumelty and Z. Guinane (both 52), Aisling Nally for Irwin (55).

St Paul’s: Abi Swift; Kayla Lawlor, Kelly Hogan, Anna Hanlon; Aoife Langford, Louise O'Halloran, Ava Cox; Marie-Kate Moore; Isabella O'Toole; Rebecca Balfe, Shannon Costello, Lucy Kirwan; Clodagh Brogan, Sineád O'Rourke, Niamh Conroy. Subs: Anna Keegan for Cox (26), Honor Burns Mooney and Katelynne Eogan for Kirwan and O'Rourke (both 54), Kerrie Costello for Conroy (57), Holly Langford for O'Halloran (58).

Referee: Ciarán Groome (Offaly).