An Tochar back in the Senior Ranks

An Tochar back in the Senior Ranks

Wicklow Junior Final. An Tochar 3-12 Eire Og 2-13 An Tochar (Roundwood)
are back in the senior ranks next season after they survived a second
half revival from Eire Og (Greystones) in Newtown last Sunday to
win the junior title with just two points to spare. An Tochar were
in cruise control at the end of the first half, going in at the
break with a thirteen point advantage (3-9 to 0-5). However a wise
man from An Tochar, Paraic Corbett predicted that Eire Og will not
give in that easy, and his prediction nearly came to pass, his home
club, An Tochar only managed to notch up three points in the second
period, while Eire Og put in a tremendous effort adding two goals
and eight points, but the sands of time ran out on the east coast
side and they once again found themselves in the runners up position
for the second year in succession.

For the first quarter both side were testing the water, An Tochar
seemed to have the greater hunger and converted four point chances
to Eire Ogs one, going in to the second quarter , Yvonne Sutton
prised the gap open further when she rifled the ball to the back
of Siobhan O’Riordans net after O’Riordan had deflected a shot from
An Tochars Monica Lynch. However Lynch was on target in the seventeenth
minute, Eire Ogs keeper given the task of taking the ball from the
back of her net for the second time in the game, and four minutes
later she was heading into the back of her net for the third time
to retrieve ball, this time the shot was from the boot of An Tochars
number twelve and player of the match Amie Byrne. Eire Ogs Free
Taker Tracey O’Halloran finished the half with two well struck free,
however with thirteen points between the sides (3-9 to 0-5), Eire
Og had a mountain to climb in the second half if they were to salvage
any thing from this game.

Having finished the first half with two points from frees, O’Halloran
started the second period with three more points from frees to reduce
the deficit to eleven, and in the ninth minute Laurie Ahern, who
had a quiet game by her own standards fired home Eire Ogs first
goal to put eight points between the sides. The alarm bells could
not be heard in the An Tochar camp just yet, their number twelve
Amie Byrne added two more points to keep a nine point gap between
the sides, but O’Halloran tagged on another point from a free before
the game was brought to a stop to allow an ambulance to collect
Chrissie Shortt after she dislocated her knee just before the half
time break. Eire Og Continued to pressurise the An Tochar defence,
and pare away An Tochars lead, Caoilfhionn Deeney and Lesley Ann
Long cutting the An Tochar lead to just five points, the An Tochar
alarm bells could now be heard ringing far afield and the decibel
reading doubled when referee Declan Peppard awarded Eire Og a penalty
after Tracy O’Halloran was fouled, with only a couple of minutes
remaining in the game. Emily Hanney stepped up to take the pressure
kick and she coolly dispatched it with laser like precision low
to Teresa Molloys right to close the gap to two points.

All eyes were now on referee Peppard, and the next time he blew
on his whistle he called for the ball, which was greeted with a
large sigh of relief from the An Tochar team and their supporters,
for Eire Og it was an other chance to go senior let slip, but this
is a young side and you must suffer defeat to appreciate victory,
and their time will come in the near future. Ann O’Neill presented
the Kathleen O’Neill trophy while Josie Presented Amie Byrne with
the player of the match award.

An Tochar: Teresa Molloy, Lorna O’Gorman, Wendy Byrne, Tammy Breen,
Orla Moloy, Jackie Power, Shauna Kearns, Monica Lynch (1-0), Mary
Brady, Yvonne Sutton (1-2) Fiona White (0-1), Amie Byrne (1-3),
Chrissie Shortt (0-2), Marcella Price (0-3), Rosie McAuley. Subs;
Sarah Fleming for Chrissie Shortt, Ann McGillycuddy for Sarah Fleming,
Patrica Healy (0-1), Jennifer O’Gorman.

Eire OG: Siobhan O’Riordan, Niamh O’Connor, Midi Ni Suilleabhain,
Jennifer Groomes, Caoimhe NI Suilleabhain, Emily Hanney (1-0), Maria
O’Neill Capt, Lorna Fuscardi (0-1), Louise Young, Kellie Ryder,
Caoilfhionn Deeney (0-2), Laurie Ahern (1-0), Leah Horan (0-1),
Tracey O’Halloran (0-8), Lesley Ann Long (0-1),Subs Maeve Deeney
for Leah Horan.

Referee: Declan Peppard.