Ladies Leinster League 

Garda 5 Longford 8 

The Longford Ladies played their last league game of the season against Garda knowing that a win would guarantee them a place in the Division Three final for the second year running.

From the kick-off, Garda put Longford under a lot of pressure but Longford coped well and held strong.

Fly half Sharon McKeown with some lovely placed kicks pushed Longford into the Garda half. Longford had the first scoring chance from a penalty which they failed to convert.

The line-out and scrum were good with Mairead Coy and Elaine McDermott jumping well. McKeown settled herself for the next penalty and slotted it over for a three-point lead.

When the backs got some quick ball, the passing was excellent with Imelda Maguire and Ciara Kearney linking up with full back Helen Conefrey who always look like scoring only good tackling from Garda halted her.

The second half started much the same as the first but the Longford Ladies kept up the pressure. A line out move five metres out saw Karen Lennon score a try. A fine move involving Mairead Coy and Nuala McGeoy, created the chance, with Props Samantha Lulham and Maura Hanley supporting Lennon in her drive over the line. Longford failed to convert but an eight-nil lead.

Garda had their best spell of the game spending the last ten minutes in Longford's twenty two. This pressure paid off with a late try which they failed to convert.

This spurred Longford on and from the re-start they went straight up into the Garda half and almost scored, with the referee blowing full time.

Michelle Bird came in to replace Nuala McGeoy at scrum half with McGeoy going back to her usual position at seven.

It was a good, hard-fought win for the Longford Ladies reaching their third Leinster League final in three years. The Longford Ladies would like to the thank the Garda team and wish them well for the rest of the season.