Maria Moolick’s extra-time goal sees Kildare past Sligo

Kildare 3-17 Sligo 2-14

Extra-time was needed to decide the first of this year’s All-Ireland Intermediate finalists at Kingspan Breffno Park on Saturday evening . And for the second consecutive year, Kildare will contest for a place in the senior ranks after a pulsating 3-17 to 2-14 victory over Sligo.

It was a dramatic encounter between the sides in which there were eight sin bins and one sending off. The winning margin swung in favour of both sides throughout the game with Kildare showcasing a more superior level of fitness towards the end of extra-time.

A goal from the boot of Kildare's Maria Moolick proved to be the decisive score, followed by points from Noelle Earley and substitute Emer Fogarty, who finished the day with four points to her credit after being introduced in the second half of normal time.

The first portion of extra-time failed to separate the sides. Kildare opened with a second point of the day for Emer Fogarty which was followed up with a point from Roisin Byrne.

Meanwhile, Sligo's Katie Walsh and Stephanie O'Reilly delivered two towering performances to ensure the Connacht champions kept pace with Kildare. Walsh hit an impressive 2-9 while O'Reilly repeatedly cut through the Kildare cover with penetrative runs.

After posting 1-1 in the opening minutes, it looked as though Kildare would go on to dictate the semi-final. But Connacht champions Sligo relented through the industrious efforts of Bernice Byrne and Stephanie O'Reilly.

At the other end, Moolick and Earley proved to be a potent attacking duo. They manufactured a flurry of goal chances between them in the closing 10 minutes of the first half but couldn’t convert the chances.

Sligo also manufactured a goal chance in the first period. Elaine O’Reilly kept her shot on target but it was parried away on the goal line.

It was Kildare’s Mikaela McKenna who opened Kildare’s account with a point after the throw-in. She added a free shortly after to build an early lead for the reigning Leinster champions.

But Sligo discovered a rhythm after their first score in the eighth minute through a free from Walsh. Earley responded for Kildare from the kick-out but Byrne and O’Reilly combined to hit one back and leave Sligo just three adrift in the opening quarter of the game.

Sligo added two more scores without reply through Elaine O’Reilly and a beautiful strike from Walsh who managed to squeeze her shot over the bar from an acute angle to level the tie.

Both sides traded scores until the half-time break to leave the scoreline reading 1-5 to 0-8.

The second-half began in tentative style with just one score on the board by the eighth minute with Kildare's Ellen Dowling restoring their one-point lead.

Stephanie O’Reilly resumed her dominant display from centre forward and earned a close range free to make it a level contest again.

Kildare then placed some distance between the sides through scores from Dowling, McKenna and Fogarty. But Sligo regained their footing with a goal in the 50th minute.

Ann-Marie Coleman threaded a pass through a pocket of space resulting in Walsh stroking it home after a few deflected shots. The sides then traded scores in a tense end to the game. Walsh and Aisling Holton both found the target before the final whistle sounded to send the game into extra-time.

The second half of extra-time witnessed Kildare push into a higher gear while Sligo faded. Kildare will now progress to the All-Ireland final where they lost out to Waterford last year. They will face either Clare or Tipperary in the final.

KILDARE: M Hulgraine; T Duggan, P Keatley, R Cribbin; S Kendrick, A Savage, M Nolan; E Burke, A Holton (0-1); R Byrne (0-3, two frees), M Moolick (1-1), É Connolly; M McKenna (2-2, two frees), N Earley (0-3), E Dowling (0-3).

Subs: E Fogarty (0-4)for Keatley (h/t), T Hallinan for Nolan (h/t), G Lyons for Dowling (42 mins), R Reidy for Connolly (53 mins), R Corrigan for Reidy (68 mins), N Mulhall for McKenna (70 mins), Keatley for Burke (74 mins).

SLIGO: N Gormley; AM Coleman, R Goodwin, E Flanagan; L Boles, E Codd, J Mulligan; B Byrne (0-1), S McTiernan; LA Laffey, S O'Reilly (0-2), D McGrath; K Walsh (2-9, six frees), E O'Reilly (0-1), C Gorman (0-1).

Subs: MA O'Kennedy for Laffey (34 mins), L Casey for McGrath (52 mins), S Reynolds for O'Kennedy (60 mins), T Doddy for Coleman (60 mins), O'Kennedy for Casey (73 mins), Coleman for Gorman (74 mins), E Kevany for McTiernan (80 mins).

Referee: M Farrelly (Cavan).