Mo Nerney remains an influential player for Laois. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
Laois took the chance to make up ground on the pace-setters in Division 3 of the National League on Sunday when they defeated Carlow by 3-18 to 4-6.
In a rearranged fixture, Laois made it two wins from three. They laid the foundation for victory in the opening half when goals from Mo Nerney and Ava Galvin helped them build a 2-13 to 0-3 interval lead.
Carlow, who also went into the game with one win and one loss in this campaign, fought back after the restart and two goals from Clíodhna Ní Shé, one of them from a penalty, and one apiece from Maeve O’Neill and Katie Burke got them back in contention but Fiona Dooley wrapped up the win for Laois with their third goal.
In the big game of the day in Division 4, Antrim copper-fastened their lead at the top when they defeated Longford by 4-10 to 1-8.
Lara Dahunsi fisted home a goal just before the break for Antrim to lead by 1-4 to 0-3 at the interval. They pushed on from there with Theresa Mellon getting two goals and Ana Mulholland also found the net for a dominant Antrim side. Lauren McGuire converted a penalty for a Longford side who fell to their third defeat of the campaign.
Elsewhere in Division 4, there were victories for Sligo over Derry, Leitrim against Kilkenny and Fermanagh over Wicklow.
Sligo trailed by 1-4 to 0-4 at the break after Leah Casey found the net for Derry, but they got on top after the restart and with Lauren Normanly shooting 0-4 and Leah Kelly and Leah Duffy contributing 0-2 each, they made it three wins from four against a Derry side still looking for their first win.
Leitrim secured their third win with a 6-19 to 0-2 triumph over Kilkenny. Ella McNamara got two of the goals as Emma Guckian, Lauryn McKeon, Róisín McGugh and Leah Fox also found the net in a game where they led by 4-10 to 0-2 at the break.
Fermanagh kept up their promotion drive with a fourth win of the season when they defeated Wicklow by 3-10 to 2-9.
The sides were deadlocked at 1-5 apiece at the interval, with Aoife McCabe getting the opening goal for Fermanagh before Ann Marie Keegan responded for Wicklow shortly before half time.
A goal from a penalty from Eimear Smyth nine minutes after the restart sent Fermanagh on their way and she got a second goal after 51 minutes.
A Sinead McGettigan goal for Wicklow in the closing stages left just three between them at 3-9 to 2-9 before Bláithín Bogue scored an insurance point for Fermanagh.
Results:
Ladies National Football League – Division 3
Laois 3-18 Carlow 4-6
Ladies National Football League – Division 4
Sligo 0-11 Derry 1-4
Antrim 4-10 Longford 1-8
Leitrim 6-19 Kilkenny 0-2
Fermanagh 3-10 Wicklow 2-9
