Galway Ladies, forced to settle for a draw with Kildare on opening day of their NFL division 2 campaign, now host Waterford in Tuam Stadium on Sunday (2pm ).
Waterford, soundly beaten by Kerry last weekend, 1-11 to 5-25, will arrive in the west looking to kick-start their season after that demoralising defeat, and Galway will need to be on their toes.
Last year Galway were deserving five-point winners over Waterford in Carrickbeg, but they were made to work hard for the win in the second half.
There was little to separate Galway and Kildare last Sunday in a high-scoring and entertaining game, and in the end Kildare struck an injury time penalty to share the spoils, Galway 2-14 Kildare 4-8.
Galway started with the wind at their backs and the game was very even until the 25th minute when a goal and a point from Roisin Leonard and two frees from Edel Concannon put Galway in the driving seat. However Kildare hit back in the final minute when an attempted point came back off the upright and full forward Stacey Cannon slammed the ball to the back of the net to close the gap Galway 2-8 Kildare 2-5.
Kildare edged closer immediately after the restart with two frees, but they were reduced to 14 when Aishling Savage received a yellow card.
Galway out-scored their opponents four points to one over the next 10 minutes and their cause was made easier when a second Kildare player was sin-bined.
However Kildare grabbed a life-line when Maria Moolick shot for goal and, although Johanna Connolly got a hand to it, the ball scraped over the line.
Galway added two more points, but just when it looked like it was going to be their day, Kildare won a penalty in injury time and Deirdre Gately smashed the ball home.
Galway: J Connolly, M Coyne, S Conneally, N Ward, R McPhilbin, E Flaherty, S Burke, A Clarke (0-3 ), C Hehir, G Conneally, D Brennan, A Daly (1-1 ), G O’Connor (0-1 ), R Leonard (1-2 ), E Concannon (0-7 all frees ).
Kildare: A Hederman, K Lowry, P Keatley, A Curley, M Carey, A Savage, A Herbert, J Timmons, N Quinn, B Leahy, A Gately (1-3 ), M Moolick (1-0 ), D Gately (1-0 ), S Cannon (0-4 ),G Behan (2-1 ).
