THE WEXFORD ladies travelled to Freshford on Saturday last optimistic that they could qualify for the All-Ireland in September but had to give way to an impressive Limerick side on a scoreline of 1-11 to 0-8. Limerick were defeated in last year's final and were determined to reach the decider again, and right from the off they set about reaching their goal.

Wexford made changes from the last game against Louth, with Kim Moloney, Deirdre McMahon and Katie Redmond replacing Marguerite Doyle, Clara Donnelly and Aoife Tormey respectively. A few positional changes were also made, the most notable being Sharon Kehoe starting at full-back to try to mark Limerick's very dangerous full-forward, Dympna O'Brien.

Limerick won the toss and played with the strong breeze in the first-half, and within a minute O'Brien had converted a 30-metre free. Three minutes later she was in on goal but Mary Rose Kelly smothered her shot and cleared her lines.

O'Brien then scored a point before adding a peach of a goal when she chipped the ball over Kelly's head as she tried to narrow the space between them. Wexford did get on the scoreboard in the tenth minute when Deirdre McMahon pointed after good play from Shelly Doyle and Leona Tector.

A minute later Tector scored her first point to leave a goal between the sides. Again O'Brien, who was a constant thorn in Wexford's side, scored five points from play to put Limerick further ahead.

Wexford had put Maeve Quill back to mark her and had put Sharon Kehoe as a sweeper in front of her, but O'Brien showed her class and always found time and space to punish Wexford. Shelly Doyle got Wexford's third point just before the break when she came up for a '45.

Limerick's Joanne O'Gorman was sin-binned just after that for a high tackle on Mary Rose Kelly. Even with Limerick down to 14, Dympna O'Brien got the first point of the second-half. Mary Rose Kelly made her third outstanding save when she stopped a rasper from Marie Clare Curtin in the third minute.

Wexford then had a bit of a purple patch at this stage when they scored three points in a row (Leona Tector with two and Tara Moloney). The tide turned though when Wexford gave the ball away in midfield and Limerick substitute Clodagh Reidy pointed to settle their nerves.

The next score was from O'Brien when she converted a 13-metre free. Leona Tector scored her fourth point before Limerick's Eimear Enright replied with one herself. Wexford's Aoife Waters was yellow carded with three minutes to go for pulling back Joanne O'Gorman. Fiona Rochford, who was tightly marked all through, eventually got some space and scored the last point before Gerry Guinan blew for full-time.

On the day the best team won, but Wexford had their chances, and on another day it could have gone their way. Still, they know that they are not far off the mark, and if they stick together and work hard maybe it will be their year in 2011.

CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS

Next weekend is finals weekend for ladies' football in Wexford. First off the mark will be the Senior Shield final between Adamstown and Kilmore with throw in at 3 p.m. in Bellefield on Saturday. Our Senior final is on after that at 5 p.m., with reigning champions Clonee taking on their old rivals from Shelmalier.

The Junior 'A' and Intermediate finals are on the next day in Wexford Park, with the Junior game between Gusserane and Crossabeg-Ballymurn starting proceedings at 10.30a.m. The Intermediate final throws in at 12.30 p.m. and it's between St. James' and Kilanerin.