Match reports from the Tyrone Finals

LADIES FOOTBALL TYRONE FINALS 2007.

TYRONE SENIOR FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL

ERRIGAL CIARAN 2-11 ST MACARTANS 1-5

The Jarleth Kerr cup will rest at Cardinal McRory park for the
first time in the history of Tyrone ladies football, after the
WJ Dolan Tyrone senior football final between the two Clogher
Valley neighbours St Macartans and Errigal Ciaran in the end finished
with a rather comfortable Errigal Ciaran victory. For Siobhan
McGarveys side the long wait of some 15 years came to an end at
Cil Iseal on Sunday evening in front of a huge crowd, the final
score 2-11 to 1-5, the second half belonging to the hungrier Errigal
and after suffering three final defeats the taste of success was
all the more sweeter. The curtain came down then on the championship
season but as the evening drew in Tiffy Quinn and the Errigal
girls could bask in the limelight of a first ever senior championship
victory, for so long they had lived in the shadows of An Charraig
Mhor, but on Sunday night they powered home to a memorable first.
Spearheaded by the impressive forward unit Errigal took the came
to St Macartans who led at the break 1-3 to 0-5, they simply could
not get to grips with the pace of Lycrecia Quinn or the finishing
of Sarah Connolly who’s break from inter county football to concentrate
on the club series. Certainly done her good. 1-9 on the day not
a bad return.

“Macartans” started brightly enough, the surging runs of Cathy
Donnelly, the shrewd marking by Lynda Donnelly and the hard work
of Maura Kelly saw the 1998 champions steal into the lead. Elaine
Kelly finding the net and points from Joline Donnelly 0-2 and
Cathy Donnelly eased them into a good position by half time. Errigal
relied on the accuracy of Connolly to keep in touch and the sin
binning of Claire McGarvey was a set back to the cause, yet St
Macartans couldn’t shrug off the Errigal challange, they failed
to open a big enough cap and it was always going to be a different
second half.

Within two minutes of the restart Errigal struck a crucial blow,
Sarah Connolly drove home a goal from close range and the side,
so often the bridesmaids in championship finals went ahead by
two and sensed it was their day. Points from Connolly pushed Errigal
on to a 1-8 to 1-4 lead, Loughran hitting St Macartans point but
then a real hammer blow for “Macartans”. Referee Brendan Gallagher
awarded a penalty after he judged an Errigal forward to be impeded,
it seemed harsh to say the least, but he called it as he saw it
and the spot kick was hit high into the roof of the net by young
Lycrecia Quinn, one of Tyrones brightest young prospects. All
games have turning points and that was this ones, That goal left
it 2-8 to 1-4 and really it was game over for St Macartans, they
tried, huffed and puffed but could not get the same freedom for
their forwards as Errigal were achieving at the other end of the
perfect Killeshill park.

Some physical exchanges ensued in this second period, indeed on
several occasions the match official threatened more yellow cards,
but that first half sin binning for McGarvey was all that kept
fourth official Eileen Jones busy, that and several encroachments
as the clock ticked down to the historic first Errigal Ciaran
championship success. Mary Louise McGirr, who had been really
quiet in the tie, pointed in the closing stages for St Macartans,
but it was not even a consolation for Frank McKenna, Sean McElroy
and Mickey McGaugheys side. Errigal looked powerful at times,
they created quite a bit more than they scored, the work rate
was good but to be honest about this tie, Macartans failed to
rise to the second half challenge. Four factors made the difference
for the winners, they were hungrier, the years of missing out
was a spur, their strength and a well drilled game plan that kept
St Macartans big players playing bit part roles secured this title.

In her speech after she received the cup from Tyrone chairperson
Anne Marie Meehan, county stalwart Siobhan McGarvey, thanked the
players and management from down the years that missed out and
she said she was taking this cup for them all. In the end a comfortable
win, but Tiffy Quinns side will still have to step it up if Errigal
are to be challenging for Ulster honours.

B CHAMPIONSHIP FOR “CARMEN GIRLS”

The senior B championship, now in its second season was a very
one sided affair. The holders St Dympnas looked disjointed from
the off and only managed one first half point as the perennial
senior champions of Tyrone football in very unfamiliar circumstances
this year An Charraig Mhor powered home to a more than comfortable
win, 2-13 to 0-3 the final score with all the big guns including
the hotly tipped all star candidate Gemma Begley.

INTERMEDIATE FINAL REFIXED

Sadly the WJ Dolan Intermediate football final between Sperrin
Og and Ardboe was called off last week owing to the sad death
of Patrick Devlin. It has been refixed for this coming Saturday
at Kildress with a 2pm throw in.

SENIOR FINAL REACTION

The smile on Siobhan McGarveys face said it all on Sunday, after
15 years of near misses and championship failure, an Errigal Ciaran
captain had finally got her hands on the WJ Dolan senior championship
trophy and the smiling midfielder was not letting go of the Jarleth
Kerr cup. A long road had be trodden by many Errigal players since
the club took to the fields of the parish in 1990 before being
officially recognised in 1992, three county final appearances
resulted in defeats so to finally get that all elusive title was
all the more sweeter for this proud club. Captain McGarvey paid
tribute to the hard working Errigal team and pointed to those
championship loses, it was she admitted something that galvanised
this squad as they went in search of the title. “People, said
that we hadn’t the bottle to carry of the championship, but we
have beat Carrickmore, Dungannon and now St Macartans, we can
be justly proud of what we have achieved” McGarvey part of the
successful all Ireland semi-finalist Tyrone squad this year, paid
tribute to the beaten St Macartans, five of whom shared the great
2007 all Ireland run, “ Macartans are a great bunch of girls and
I know they are hurting now, believe me We know what that’s like
but I know they will be back” The failures in the past three finals
were certainly something that Errigal used ahead of this tie,
“It was hard to miss out in the past couple of years, you start
to wonder if it was ever going to be our day, thankfully all the
hard work has paid off today”

The captain also had a special word for coach “Tiffy” Quinn who,
with Rodger McAleer and Eoin Quinn took over a job when no-one
else wanted it, “ Tiffy took over the role when nobody wanted
to know, I have to say he guided us and has moulded me into the
player I am, I have to thank him and all the other coaches who
have helped down the years, we have achieved something that we
have all worked for” Quinn, himself no stranger to success on
the park with the superb Errigal championship winning teams was
quick to point out that Errigal didn’t have it all their own way
on Sunday, “ We knew we had to work against “Macartans”, they
put it up to us in the first half but I knew we had the ability
to up our game, that’s what we did in the second half and it all
came good for us, I am delighted for the girls” Errigal now go
in search of the elusive Ulster club senior football championship,
they will be joined by Junior champions Badoney and the winners
of the intermediate final, Sperrin Og or Ardboe.

LADIES FOOTBALL WJ DOLAN TYRONE JUNIOR FINAL BADONEY 4-12 GALBALLY
3-8 PADDY HUNTER

A powerhouse second half performance spearheaded by the impressive
Katrina Daly coupled with Roisin Toners two goals that completed
her hat trick drove Badoney to the WJ Dolan Tyrone junior title
and the Brenda Lougue cup at Galballys expense at Kildress. Galbally
once again on he wrong side of a junior championship loss, performed
well but at the end of the day in a free flowing encounter they
had no answer to the pace, accuracy and hungrier Badoney side
led by the maestro of Tyrone championship football Ciaran Woods.
Woods and his co manager Damian McCrory had their home work done
ahead of this encounter but by half time it was still close to
call. 1-6 to 2-2 it was with Badoney through Roisin Toner 1-0,
Briege Daly, Katrina Daly and Finnuala McAleer all 0-2, holding
the lead. Danuta McGahan and Elaine Mallaghan, playing at full
forward were the main stays of the Galbally attack, the high ball
in to Mallaghan, better known for her exploits between the posts
for the Tyrone senior team, was working and a goal and two points
from her kept the Onagh Celts very much in touch Badoney were
wasteful at times but a stern half time talking to saw a more
focused attack really take the game by the scruff of the neck.

An early Katrina Daly point after she cut straight through from
midfield to leave Gabally clutching at shadows. In reply Mallaghan
hit a point before Gemma McAleer stole through to beat goalkeeper
Donna McKeever, a great move saw Briege Daly drive through the
middle, she off loaded to Toner who in turn played the ball to
the half back who scored a crucial goal. Midfielder Daly and Keenan
kept Badoney well ahead with ten and eleven minute points, Sheena
Tally replied but Galbally were finding the pace of Badoney hard
to live with. On 22 minutes Roisin Toner netted her second goal
to leave it 3-11 to 2-6, again the Galbally defence stripped through
the middle by Briege Daly, again the pass to Toner, on this occasion
though Toner drove the ball high to the net. Mallaghan was left
isolated now up front for Galbally and the entire Onagh Celts
attack were living of scraps. Mallaghan hit two further points,
however with Toner completing her hat trick on twenty five minutes,
it was game up for the East Tyrone side. A spirited display by
Galbally but it was Badoney who were the hungrier, an eleven year
wait was brought to a close by referee John McGlinn and the junior
championship was secured.

A quality performance by a well organised Badnoney but overall
a very good game of football all round, both teams deserve credit
for serving up a real treat. Katrina Daly and Captain Seana Keenan
were stunning at midfield, Roisin Toners goals proved vital while
especially in the second half the Both Domhnaigh defence were
a class apart. In receiving the Brenda Logue cup from the Logue
family, Seana Keenan spoke of the joy it was to claim the cup
but also spoke of the heartfelt sadness in the county that currently
exists in relation to the deaths of Patrick Breen and Patrick
Devlin. The Young Ardboe players death prompted the postponement
of the ladies Intermediate final between Ardboe and Sperrin Og.