Tyrone lose out to Laois

Tyrone lose out to Laois

LADIES FOOTBALL ALL IRELAND GROUP 3 TYRONE 1-11 LAOIS 1-14

The new look champions league style format in the all Ireland ladies
football championship opened at the weekend but unfortunately for
Tyrone it was an opening day defeat at the hands of Laois, leaving
the other two group games against Donegal and Sligo must win encounters.
This was one game in 2007 that got away from Tyrone, a game they
had numerous opportunities to win and a game that could go far the
deciding the outcome of group 3.

The Leinster champions Laois were under the cosh at times as Tyrone
played the best football of their season but rather than kill off
their opponents after drawing level Tyrone gifted them four points
and had to fight back again to close the gap. Poor handling and
the continuing problem of giving away the ball proved costly in
the end on a day when Sligo beat Donegal in the other group game.
A reshuffled Tyrone featuring the return of Elisa Gormley after
injury got of to a flying start when Begley and Cathy Donnelly opened
the scoring with points in the first five minutes. Laois though
composed themselves, drew level and then eased into the lead with
Tracey Lawlor scoring twice and Kirwan on target with a brace too.
Ann Dooher and Martha Kirwan traded points before Jolene and Cathy
Donnelly points drew Tyrone level again by the midway point of a
free flowing entertaining half. A momentary lapse in concentration
though proved costly for Jimmy McCloughans side who had Linda Donnelly
sin binned for an innocuous challenge on eleven minutes, the impressive
Angela Casey drove an inch perfect pass down the right wing, Gemma
O’Connor collected and the Timahoe forward took advantage of badly
placed Tyrone backs to squeeze home what turned out to be the match
winning goal. Martha and Mary Kirwan opened a five point gap but
again Tyrone rallied, settled themselves and Jolene Donnelly cut
inside twice to score two well executed points to leave it 1-7 to
0-7 at the break.

Tyrone drove into the second half a Mullaghoran with all guns blazing,
Cathy Donnelly went close in front of goal but she struck a point
two minutes later to follow a Begley point that left just a point
between the sides. Laois though replied with Lawlor and Kirwan points
to leave it back to a three point game on eleven minutes. Not to
be out done Tyrone battled , Woods and Maura Kelly putting in some
great defending and the good work at the back was rewarded on 13
minutes when veteran forward Gormley beat Bernie Deegan in the Laois
goals. Gemma Begley collected well 45 metres out, her pass down
the right to Cathy Donnelly was perfect and the “Macartans” player
found Gormley who scored the equaliser. Tyrone though as in the
Ulster final loss to Armagh failed to drive home the advantage,
instead it was points from Lawlor, Martha Kirwan, Mary Kirwan and
Gemma O’Connor who had the umpires busy. Advantage by four points
again for the Leinster champions, going into the last eight minutes.
Tyrone brought on Claire McAliskey and she rattled the Laois defence
with two good efforts, Tyrone pressed hard but it was Laois who
fired over another minor with two minutes of normal time to go.
Gemma Begely saw her shot saved by Deegan and Joline Donnelly hit
two efforts wide in a tense couple of minutes that saw Tyrone encamped
looking for the vital scores. McAliskey and Cathy Donnelly hit points
again but it was the clock that called time on another fightback.

A brave display and a performance that will gee up Tyrone for what’s
expected to be a big occasion at Omagh on Saturday against Donegal.
Tyrone boss Jimmy McCloughan is expected to make a couple of positional
and personnel changes for the tie against Donegal, but Tyrone will
hopefully not be as keen to give away the ball so easily and be
slicker in front of goal.

TYRONE Elaine Mallaghan, Eimear Teague, Maura Kelly, Marie Gallgher,
Siobhan McGarvey, Linda Donnelly, Neamh Woods, Lucy Meehan, Sarah
Donnelly, Joline Donnelly 0-3, Eilsih Gormley 1-0, Ann Dooher 0-1
Cathy Donnelly 0-4, Gemma Begley 0-2, Katrina Murphy. SUBS, Claire
McAlikey 0-1 For Gormley Katriona Daly For Murphy Sinead McLaughlin
For Meehan