Sharpshooter Sheridan leads Parnell's to Title

Tesco Homegrown All-Ireland ladies intermediate club football final

 

Parnell’s (London) 2-14

Cahir (Tipperary) 1-2

 

BRONAGH Sheridan produced an attacking masterclass as Parnell’s made history on Sunday with a convincing win against Cahir in the Tesco Homegrown All-Ireland ladies intermediate club football final.

The Cavan star kicked nine points, six of those from play, as Parnell’s became the first team from outside of Ireland to win a national ladies club football crown.

The London-based outfit, runners-up in this grade in 2003 and beaten senior finalists back in 1995, had too much class for youthful Tipperary opponents Cahir at Ballymore Eustace, claiming a comfortable 15-point win in the process.

Parnell’s, inspired by captain and player of the match Hannah Noonan at midfield, were 0-13 to 0-0 clear before Cahir registered their first score of the game, in the 44th minute.

Aisling McCarthy netted a penalty nine minutes from time for Cahir but the Parnell’s response was immediate as Arsenal soccer player Niamh Fahey, an All-Ireland senior medallist with Galway in 2004, finished a flowing move for her side’s second goal.

Cahir’s best spell of the game coincided with the sin-binning of Parnell’s sub Ann Marie Mohan midway through the second half, shortly after she had come on as a substitute.

But the damage was already done as Parnell’s had led by 0-8 to 0-0 at half-time and it could have been more as Lisa McSweeney rattled the Cahir crossbar just before the break.

Sheridan kicked seven points for Parnell’s in the first half, with Geraldine Munnelly also on target.

And when the impressive Sinead McCooey bagged the first Parnell’s goal, in the 47th minute, there was no way back for Cahir, who kicked just a single point from play.

 

Scorers for Cahir: A McCarthy 1-1 (1-0 pen, 0-1f), L Barrett (0-1).

 

Scorers for Parnell’s: B Sheridan 0-9 (6f), S McCooey 1-1, N Fahey 1-0, R Murphy, H Noonan, G Munnelly & H Carroll 0-1 each.

 

CAHIR: N Armitage; E Buckley, E Casey, L McEniry; M Burke, E Corcoran, F Casey; A O’Connor, A.M. O’Gorman; K Downey, L Barrett, R Howard; O McEniry, A McCarthy, C Higgins.

 

Subs: A Moloney for Downey (22), S Heffernan for L McEniry (42), A Corcoran for Buckley (48), O Casey for E Corcoran (56).

 

PARNELL’S: M King; N Gilmore, N Murphy, B Durkan; D O’Riordan, M Jordan, R Murphy; N Fahey, H Noonan; L McSweeney, S Lynch, S McCooey; G Munnelly, B Sheridan, H Carroll.

 

Subs: A.M. Mohan for Lynch (42), H Stephens for Carroll (48), A Birrane for Durkan (53), S Ní Dhonncha for Munnelly (56), J Murphy for McSweeney (60).

 

Referee: M Farrelly (Cavan).