Intermediate ladies' footballers on back foot after loss to Laois
The Roscommon intermediate ladies' football panel before Sunday afternoon's TG4 championship game against Laois at Laois Hire O'Moore Park, Portlaoise. Picture: Roscommon LGFA
The Roscommon intermediate ladies’ football team have it all to do to make the quarter-finals in this year’s championship after a hugely disappointing performance against Laois in Portlaoise on Sunday afternoon.
Goals either side of half time by Mo Nerney were pivotal but, in general, Roscommon couldn’t cope with a more physical home side that were every bit as dominant as the scoreboard suggested.
Wind-assisted Laois, aided by their midfield dominance, controlled much of the first half but six wides appeared to prove costly until Nerney found the back of the net in the fifth minute of injury time in what was the last play of the half.
Caoimhe Lennon had goaled for the visitors after great work by Shannon McGuinness in the third minute, but Finbar Egan’s side lived off scraps for much of the opening 30 minutes.
Emily Lacey was a constant threat for the O’Moore County ladies, and her four first-half points justified her late call-up.
Roscommon also struggled with the powerful running of Laois midfield pairing Fiona Dooley and Jane Moore, as the visitors fared badly on their own kickout.
A hat-trick of Aisling Hanley frees kept Roscommon in touch, while McGuinness and Róise Lennon added good points from play.
Despite being dominated in the possession states, Roscommon would have been happy to be on level terms, 0-8 to 1-5, heading for the dressing rooms.
But, in their final attack, Emma Lawlor brought a smart save out of Caoimhe O’Reilly. However, Nerney was on hand to finish the rebound to give the scoreboard a more accurate reflection of the opening half’s action.
A shower at half time made conditions greasy for the second half, and Roscommon’s went further in arrears when Nerney converted a penalty after referee Barry Redmond deemed that Fiona Dooley was fouled when bearing down on goal — the Laois midfielder’s effort being initially saved by O’Reilly.
Laois comfortably kept Roscommon at arm’s length after that, and substitute Lauren Kearney put the icing on top of the case for the 2022 intermediate champions when she emphatically finished a flowing move to the net approaching full-time.
There was still time for Caoimhe Lennon to grab a consolation goal, but there was no disguising that there was a gulf in class between the sides.
Roscommon host Fermanagh in Kiltoom in less than two weeks’ time where, needless to say, a major improvement will be required to keep their championship hopes alive.
Roscommon scorers: Caoimhe Lennon 2-1, Aisling Hanley 0-4 (all frees), Shannon McGuinness 0-1, Róise Lennon 0-1
