Tyrone Ladies Finals

W J DOLAN TYRONE SENIOR FOOTBALL FINAL

An Charraig Mhor 3-14

St Macartans 1-7

Carrickmores wonderful championship tradition shone through once again on Saturday night as the girls from Pairc Colmcille made it Tyrone championship number eleven.

St Macartans resistance lasted until the second half but with Lynette McShane superb and the forwards a constant threat they could not cope with a determined Carrickmore. The Jarleth Kerr cup nestled back in its spiritual home but bigger fish to fry perhaps with an Ulster and all Ireland club title now certainly on the menu for a hungry Carrickmore.

They will be happy though to get that eleventh title and says Ailish Gormley that was their only target in recent weeks.

“ It was one game at a time for us after what happened last year in the early stages of the Tyrone championship, we were focused and determined and that I think was evident tonight”

St Macartans got of to a flyer when Joline Donnelly lashed the ball to the net on three minutes, Begley and Donnelly traded the scores in the minutes that followed but Elaine Coyle scored twice and McCallan hit Carrickmores fourth before Cathy Donnelly replied at the other end. A nervy start by the ten time champions as Macartans made early running and it looked good for them as veteran Marie Groogan was sin binned on 18 minutes. A false hope though, it seemed to kick start Carrickmore. Kathy McAleer and Patricia McGurk points kept the momentum going and when Gemma Begley sent Dervla McCallan through for a 25th minute goal the writing was on the wall.

To their credit Macartans plugged away, Cathy Donnelly hitting two points to leave three in it but a returning Groogan hit point number eight for Carrickmore at the death to leave it 1-18 to 1-4.

Cathy Donnelly almost found the Carrickmore net again just after the restart but the ball dropped short and at the other end the points sailed over, Begley, Coyle and McAleer on target in the opening ten minutes.

Begley drilled home an 11th minute penalty, NcNally added a point and county star Begley ended the contest on 29 minutes, if there had been any doubt, with a well executed third goal for her side. Gemma showing her class, taking on three defenders to slot the ball home.

A comfortable victory in the end with Lynette McShane outstanding at the back and any one of the forwards a real threat including Ailish Gormley, she’s now part of an elite group of players with eleven championship medals

“ Well in 2006 I was injured and only played a bit part as we won the Jarleth Kerr cup for the first time in our tenth championship win, I felt I hadn’t done enough myself that year but I am really delighted today.  The scoreline shows a big margin but that was real tough there, our toughest game to date this year, credit to Macartans they worked hard but we were hungry”

LADIES FOOTBALL

W J DOLAN TYRONE INTERMEDIATE FINAL

FR ROCKS 5-2

TRILLICK  0-16

“Goals win games” and that was certainly the case at Carrickmore on Sunday evening as the WJ Dolan intermediate title headed to Cookstown. Trillick scored sixteen times to Fr Rocks seven but those goals, at crucial times proved the catalyst that secured a memorable win that seemed very unlikely numerous times during a thrilling tussle between two very good footballing sides.

The Trillick side, guided by former Trillick men’s stalwart of many championship wins Brendan Donnelly looked to be flying to the title with Fiona McCarneys accuracy being rewarded with four points and a point apiece from McNabb and McGrade giving them a six to nil lead in the opening 14 minutes.

Fr Rocks though replied, two rare raids into the Trillick back line in  the space of three minutes producing two equalising goals, Jenny Harley working well with Rushe on two occasions to find the net.

Trillick recovered but had to withdraw McCarney briefly  after she took ill. Bernie McCann 0-2 and midfielder Sarah Donnelly left three points between the sides by the break.

Fiona McCarney returned for the second half but it was Fr Rocks who scored first, McGarrity launching over a good point, McNabb ruled that one out but another goal from the Cookstown side levelled things again. Carla McGarritys high ball in went to Rushe who offloaded quickly to put Claire McGarrity in for goal number three.

Again Trillick bounced back, McCarney s 0-2 and a McCrory point nosed them in front and with an outstanding display from Michelle McGarrity at the back Trillick looked to have weathered the Fr Rocks storm.

The Cookstown side must have felt it was game over when Harleys penalty on 25 minutes was well saved by Thereas McNabb, but with two minutes of normal time to go and with three points between the sides up popped super sub Mary Ann Conway. The veteran forward was at the right place at the right time to slam home an equalising goal.

Remarkably Trillick found the resolve yet again to come back to lead by two, Sarah Donnelly hitting a stunning long range point and Fionnula McGrade also drilling over from distance. This game though was always going to have yet one more final twist.

A point separated the sides into the last minute of injury time, a high ball in from the middle fell to Cookstowns full forward Jenny Harley, she kept her composure, held of the challenges of two defenders and picked her spot, high to the right of McNabb, a stunning goal that left Fr Rocks two points to the good. Trillick tried to comeback like a punch-drunk boxer and a Donnelly point left just the minimum between the sides but time beat them on this occasion and Fr Rocks held out to take a breathtaking win.