Hogan points the way as Waterford triumph

Lidl National Football League

Waterford 1-13

Kildare 2-7

By Daire Walsh

Kellyann Hogan kicked five points at a rain-soaked Manguard Park as Waterford began their Lidl National Football League Division 1 campaign for 2025 with a hard-fought victory over the newly-promoted Kildare.

Playing in the top tier of the NFL for the first time since 2012, Kildare fell behind to an early Brid McMaugh point before swiftly equalising through a routine free by ace attacker Roisin Byrne. While Waterford’s Katie Murray and Molly Aspel subsequently traded scores, the Deise created some daylight courtesy of unanswered efforts from Karen McGrath and Hogan (two).

However, just when it looked like the Munster women were settling into their stride, Kildare spectacularly turned the tables on the visitors. After another Byrne free had narrowed the gap between the teams, debutant Alannah Prizeman gathered a ball inside from Neasa Dooley and proceeded to fire home a superb 20th minute goal on the turn.

Yet despite this coming as a set-back to Waterford – who were previously under the management of new Kildare boss Pat Sullivan – their challenge was very much back on track thanks to four points in succession from the excellent McMaugh (two), Áine O’Neill and Hogan.

Another place-ball contribution from Byrne left the Lilies just two adrift (0-9 to 1-4) at the interval and the home side then reduced the gap to a bare minimum when the Sarsfields sharpshooter split the posts from open play straight after the restart.

Conditions were beginning to deteriorate the longer the action progressed, but Waterford were very much in the driving seat when a speculative 39th minute shot by full-forward Clare Walsh floated into the back of the Kildare net from a tight angle.

Another Hogan point left the Lilies with a steep hill to climb moving into the final-quarter and while a fine point on the run by Dooley offered them some renewed energy, captain Emma Murray and Hogan also found the range to reinforce Waterford’s authority.

The Deise did lose Aine O’Neill to the sin bin in the closing stages, but even though Dooley drilled a superb strike to the net in stoppage-time, the away team ultimately made a winning start to life under new manager Tomás Mac an tSaoir.

Scorers – Waterford: K Hogan 0-5 (4f), C Walsh 1-0, B McMaugh 0-3, K McGrath, E Murray, A O’Neill, K Murray, L McGregor 0-1 each.

Kildare: R Byrne 0-5 (4f), N Dooley 1-1, A Prizeman 1-0, M Aspel 0-1.

Waterford: K Gardiner; R Casey, C Murray, M Ryan; E Power, K McGrath, B McMaugh; E Murray, H Power; Á O’Neill, K Hogan, K Murray; C Fennell, C Walsh, L McGregor. Subs: A Power for Fennell (46).

Kildare: A Dunlea; M Doherty, L Lenehan, C Sullivan; L Curran, R Sargent, L Murtagh; N Dooley, L Doran; A Prizeman, A Rattigan, M Aspel; G Wheeler, L Dunlea, R Byrne. Subs: A Murnane for Rattigan (h-t), A Irhue for Murtagh (39), C Moran for Wheeler (42), E Wheeler for Doran (50), L McGovern for Murnane (57).

Referee: Kevin Phelan (Laois).