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Gallant Wexford pipped by Dublin in Leinster ladies’ football Minor ‘B’ final

Fantastic effort from fine team comes up a little short

The Wexford squad before Sunday’s Leinster championship final defeat.

Dean Goodison
© Wexford People

Dublin 0-17 Wexford 2-8

Wexford gave a fantastic account of themselves in the Leinster ladies’ football Minor ‘B’ championship final, but Dublin proved just a tad too good in Athy on Sunday.

It was a superb battle over the 60 minutes and no more could have been asked from the Slaneysiders, but when push came to shove the better team overall had that little bit extra to drag themselves over the line.

Wexford came into the game as lively underdogs, having gone through the ‘B’ championship with a perfect record. However, they were coming up against a Dublin side who were unlucky not to be in the ‘A’ final, having beaten both Laois and Kildare in the group stages.

The Lilywhites went on to defeat Meath for the ‘A’ title, showing the razor-tight margins at the top of this championship. What it also shows is how good Wexford have been in 2024, playing at a level that is only just under the cream of the crop in the province.

Nobody is going to be able to shine up a ‘we are much improved’ medal in 20 or 30 years’ time, but these young women deserve to cherish these runners-up medals because this team, along with their Under-16 counterparts, have put Wexford back on the map.

No longer can Wexford be considered, or consider themselves, an also-ran. This is what Wexford teams are capable of; they might get squeezed by camogie, they might not always get all of their first-choice personnel, and they are up against football-first counties, but anything is possible.

It has always been about finding and nurturing the best in the county, and Wexford have done that this year, with manager Declan Flynn and his extensive backroom staff deserving of huge kudos for the job they have done.

Then the girls bought into it and made it their own journey. The beauty of it all is that many of this Wexford squad will return next season, while the ones that don’t will have a chance to go on and represent their county at adult level. They have a lot of talent but still so much room for improvement.

Wexford lined up with just two 18-year olds in the first 15, whereas Dublin had seven, so they were the younger team but weren’t afraid to run at their illustrious opposition.

Against the breeze they took a defence-first approach and would have been a little disappointed to concede ten points.

That said, the Slaneysiders did enough in their own attacks to stay right in the game, and a three-point deficit at the interval was perfectly fine.

Dublin opened the scoring through Ellen Leddy-Doyle but, shortly after Emma Rossiter cracked the outside of the post, Aoife Fortune converted a dead-ball after Caragh McDonald was fouled to level the game.

Chloe O’Shea was probably a little unfortunate to be beaten to the ‘player of the game’ award, but she got Dublin’s next two scores before Síofra Fenlon cleared Orla Keighran’s shot off the line.

A Keighran point did make it 0-4 to 0-1 but Wexford responded well after Elsa Kearney flashed a shot wide.

Fortune nailed another free, this time after a foul on Amelia Furlong. Ballyhogue’s Fortune then left the minimum between the teams to start the second quarter, but better was to come.

The Wexford goal, that put them 1-3 to 0-4 up in the 17th minute, was all about Bébhinn McDonald. The Kilanerin clubwoman took on Dublin after claiming possession near their ‘65, drove at the defence and crashed home a shot that Katie Moran-Tighe could only help on its way.

A bunch of soft frees helped Dublin edge their way back into a strong position, with O’Shea, Leddy-Doyle and Keighran all on target as their side went 0-8 to 1-3 up. A nice Sarah Bennett point took one off the deficit, but the Metropolitans added a late brace from Leddy-Doyle to take a 0-10 to 1-4 lead into the interval.

With the wind now aiding them, Wexford scored two of the first three points of the half off the foot of Fortune, with Leddy-Doyle replying at the other end.

When Emma Rossiter fed Bennett and the Clongeen youngster cut in and dispatched low to the net with a cracking finish, suddenly it was game on with 20 minutes left (2-6 to 0-11).

Had Wexford managed to get the next score or two and put Dublin under increased pressure, maybe they could have pulled off the improbable, but the victors never panicked and went back in front with quickfire points from Leddy-Doyle and Líadan Murphy.

Fortune tied the game again in the 45th minute. Despite an heroic performance from Laura Kehoe in the Wexford goal, Dublin chipped away with the next four points, with Aoibh Doyle, Siobhán Birnie, Elsa Kearney and Leddy-Doyle putting their side in a strong position.

Wexford had given their all and the gaps were appearing as tiredness set in, but they kept battling and Kaylee Doyle left just a goal in it in additional time.

The Slaneysiders kept piling forward but couldn’t find a goal to force extra-time as Dublin held on to take the title.

Wexford: Laura Kehoe (Clonee); Síofra Fenlon (Starlights), Ella Furlong (Adamstown), Heather Bolton-Lee (Baile Dubh Tíre); Éabha Guinan (Clonee), Eilis Roche (Adamstown), Caragh McDonald (Adamstown); Bébhinn McDonald (Kilanerin, capt., 1-0), Kaylee Doyle (Baile Dubh Tíre, 0-1); Aoife Fortune (Ballyhogue, 0-6 frees), Amelia Furlong (Starlights), Sarah Bennett (Clongeen, 1-1); Edie Byrne (Kilanerin), Emma Rossiter (Gusserane), Caoimhe Ryan (Clonee). Subs. - Milly Sutton (Rathgarogue-Cushinstown) for Ryan (31), Ellie Roche (Shelmalier) for Guinan (31), Orla O’Rourke (Clonee) for Byrne (51), Katie Whelan (Gusserane) for A. Furlong (51), Eimear Porter (Rathgarogue-Cushinstown) for Eilis Roche (58), also Ella Crotty (St. Martin’s), Annie Kelly (St. Fintan’s), Abbie Furlong (St. Patrick’s), Sally Kehoe (Horeswood), Hannah Lawless (Baile Dubh Tíre), Lucy Dillon (Gusserane), Róisín O’Meara (Buffers Alley), Ailbhe Byrne (Castletown), Aoife Browne (St. Patrick’s).

Dublin: Katie Moran-Tighe; Tessa Lambe, Aoife Robertson, Ruby Magnier; Aoibh Doyle (0-1), Catarina Almeida, Katie Hayes; Chloe O’Shea (0-3), Siobhan Birnie (0-1); Charlie Murphy, Elsa Kearney (0-1), Ellen Joyce; Ellen Leddy-Doyle (0-8, 5 frees), Líadan Murphy (capt., 0-1), Orla Keighran (0-2). Subs. - Niadh Mooney for C. Murphy (51), Ciara Brogan for L. Murphy (51), Hannah Galvin for Keighran (56).

Referee: Jonathan Murphy (Carlow).