O'Neill strikes late to secure promotion for Carlow Ladies Footballers

Lidl Ladies National Football League Division 4 Semi Final

Carlow 2-8

Fermanagh 1-10

The Carlow Ladies Footballers travelled to the Dundalk club Dowdallshill yesterday knowing that a Semi Final win over Fermanagh would earn them promotion to Division 3.

In bright sunshine, and virtually no wind the game started in a tight and tense manner. After 16 minutes it remained 2 points each with scores from Carlow’s Clíodhna Ni She and Rachel Sawyer.

Carlow were finding scoring difficult with Rachael Sawyer having to contend with two markers, such is her reputation.

Fermanagh had some serious forward players in Eimear Smyth and Blaithin Bogue for the Carlow ladies to deal with but Anne Roche and Ella Molloy proved their match. 

The half finished Carlow 0-3 (following a Sara Doyle score) to Fermanagh's 1-4 and the wide count looking like it might prove costly.

The second half started with a flurry and within 5 minutes Carlow had pushed into a 1-6 to 1-5 lead following a goal from Sawyer, and some well worked points.

Ruth Bermingham was then sent to the bin approaching the end of the third quarter and Fermanagh began to run the screw in this period reeling off a flurry of scores.

Bronagh Nolan pointed for Carlow which easily could have hit the net, but with the northern side leading by 2, Carlow really had to go for the jugular.

Cliodhna Ni Shé lobbed one in around the house and Maeve O'Neill was on hand to win the day to give Carlow a remarkable win and promotion to Division 3 sparking scenes of jubilation and also relief after trying so hard for so long.

It was some moment for O'Neill who along with several other teammates enjoyed a win over Kilkenny for the Carlow Minors some 24 hours before hand.

The 2024 Lidl National League Division 4 Final, at Grant Heating St Brendan’s Park, Birr, on Saturday April 6, will see Carlow taking on Limerick.

That game will be Live on the Spórt TG4 YouTube channel.

Carlow: Nicole Hanley, Aoife Carroll, Anne Roche, Sinead McCullagh; Ruth Bermingham, Niamh Murphy, Niamh Forde; Edel Hayden, Roisin Bailey; Emma Coogan, Bronagh Nolan, Sara Doyle; Rachel Sawyer, Ella Molloy, Cliondha Ní She.

Subs: Maeve O'Neill, Elaine Ware, Megan Townsend.

Scorers: Rachel Sawyer (1-4), Maeve O'Neill (1-0), Cliodhna Ní Shé (0-1f), Sara Doyle (0-2), Bronagh Nolan (0-1).