Match report! Five-in-a-row for St Macartans in Tyrone!

Murphy’s Gaelic Gloves Tyrone Senior Football Final

St Macartans 2-13 
Errigal Ciaran 1-7

It’s 5-in-a-row for St Macartans!

Despite the setback of an early Errigal Ciaran goal in the opening seconds, they eased their way back into Sunday’s final at Galbally to beat Errigal Ciaran by nine points with a classic display underscored by Captain Niamh McGirr and veteran Cathy Maguire.

The Macartans bossed the contest despite conceding that early goal – McGirr, Maura McMenamin and Maguire pulled the strings with Chloe McCaffrey among the scorers on a quieter than normal outing for the Tyrone attacker.

Missing the injured Slaine McCarroll and the unavailable duo of Joline Donaghy and Lynda Forde, St Macartans could be forgiven for feeling under pressure but credit to them, after taking time to settle they came back and powered on to a remarkable fifth title on the bounce.

Errigal tried hard – veteran Shannon Cunningham, Claire Canavan and Maria Canavan worked the ball into several good positions but on a day when Macartans had more in the tank, Errigal’s challenge petered out.

St Macartans led by six points at the break, goals from Cathy Maguire and Paula Donnelly in the closing stages of the half guiding them back after the shakiest of starts against a well organised Errigal, Cunningham and Meabh Corrigan working tirelessly at the back.

The sides had been level on two occasions, Errigal failed to score in almost twenty five minutes of football as Macartans,  guilty of several wides themselves, created several chances.

Maria Canavan had found the St Macartans net within twenty seconds, the ball won at midfield sent through by Shannon Cunningham who teed Canavan up for the perfect start.

Claire Canavan added a point as St Macartans struggled to get into the game, the Errigal rearguard assured early on.

Tara Meabh McCarroll, Michaela Woods and Cathy Maguire tagged on a quick succession of points to settle the nerves, as the five-in-a-row chasing Macartans came back into the tie, although they did enjoy plenty of ball ahead of the first water-break, that said they had a struggle to get on the scoreboard.

Niamh McGirr scored a captain’s point from the left for Macartans after the break, Chloe McCaffrey and Tara O’Hagan added points to pull Ryan McMenamin’s charges ahead by two.

The Canavans, Maria and Claire, levelled things on the stroke of thirty minutes, again though both teams had plenty of ball without much return.

Colleen McQuaid had nudged Macartans ahead into injury time before Maguire stole in from the right, held off the defence and beat Grainne McAnenly from close range before Paula Donnelly’s looping effort from thirty metres out found the net to leave it a six-point game.

An early Tara O’Hagan point after the break set the scene for the second half, despite an Eimear Corrigan point for Errigal.

In reality, Macartans dominated the third quarter they hit several wides and carved out a series of openings with McCaffrey dogged at the back, as well as in attack, with Shannon McQuaid and full back Maria Donnelly in top form at the back as the midfield took charge.

Cathy Maguire pulled the strings as McGirr and three on the bounce from a relatively quiet Chloe Mc Caffrey stretched their lead to ten points ahead of the second water break.

McCaffrey added only one further score for the champions in the final quarter as Canavan tagged on a brace herself, yet there was no doubting the quality of Macartans as the Jarleth Kerr cup remained with them once again.

MATCH STATS 

St Macartans Scorers: Chloe McCaffrey 0-5, Cathy Maguire 1-0,  Paula Donnelly 1-0, Niamh McGirr 0-2, Tara O’Hagan 0-2, Colleen McQuaid, Tara McCarroll, Micheala Woods, Shauna Mc Girr 0-1 each.

Errigal Ciaran Scorers: Maria Canavan 1-3, Clare Canavan 0-2, Eimear Corrigan 0-2

TEAMS 

St Macartans:  Aoife McNeilis, Marie Treanor, Maria Donnelly, Grainne McKenna, Shauna McGirr, Shannon McQuaid, Niamh McGirr, Tara O’Hagan, Maura McMenamin, Paula Donnelly, Cathy Maguire, Tara Meabh Mc Carroll, Micheala Woods, Colleen McQuaid, Chloe McCaffrey

Subs: Cadhla McCarroll For Woods, Elisa Woods For O’Hagan , Catherine McNeilis For TM O’Hagan Kerry McConnell For S McGirr

Errigal Ciaran: Grainne McAnenenly, Aine Quinn, Aine Hamill, Meabh Corrigan, Micheala Moore, Shannon Cunningham, Saorla Mullin, Oonagh McAleer, Clare Canavan, Cailin McCann, Maria Canavan, Aoife Horisk, Lycrecia Donaghy, Briege Mullin, Eimear Corrigan

Subs: Ailise Coyle For Horisk, Cloihadh Donaghy For A Quinn

Referee: Tracy Brennan