Tourlestrane ladies into the final
TOURLESTRANE CILL CHOMÁIN 1-18 2-2
TOURLESTRANE made the trip to play Cill Chomain in Belmullet in the Connaught Ladies Junior Club Championship semi final on Saturday last. Cill Chomain came into the game on the back of a twenty-three-point win over Tourmakeady in their county final. Tourlestrane had a similar fate in their county final, beating CT Gael on a scoreline of 5-12 to 1-3.
The opening moments of the game saw both sides hold even amounts of possession and exchange wides. Cill Chomain keeper Sorcha Murphy was called into action early on, as Laura Surlis hit a volley goalward which was turned out for a 45.
The Tourlestrane forwards pressed up high against their opposition, and Anna Corcoran made a block on an attempted clearance. The ball fell to Grainne Carty who slotted the first score of the game over off the left. Cill Chomain attacked up the far end, but a long ball into the full forward line from centre field was met by the rampant Tourlestrane full back Laura Walsh who drove up the pitch. She passed off to her sister Katie who beat three players before getting the first of her six scores of the game.
Two points up and Tourlestrane conceded a free kick thirty yards from goal. Maire O’Reilly took a shot which looked to be going wide but was caught by a rather strong wind and found its way past Colette Walsh in the Tourlestrane goal. Cill Chomain took the lead for the first – and only time in the game.
Seven points followed in the next ten minutes for the visitors, much to the dismay of the Mayo side. A brilliant display from substitute Sarah Cunney saw her kick a point off either foot.
A series of wides followed for Tourlestrane, and they racked up a total of seven in the first half. The Tourlestrane defence wouldn’t give the slightest advantage to the Cill Chomain ladies and overturned a lot of valuable possession. Shauna Henry showed a great example of this just before half time, overturning Liadh McGrath and passing possession on to Tara Walsh who added her third point of the half.
Tourlestrane had a strong showing in the first half, keeping Cill Chomain to just the goal. HT: Cill Chomain 1-0 Tourlestrane 0-12.
Cill Chomain had quite the mountain to climb in the second half and got off to a decent start. Anita Doherty went on a good solo run before bagging her team’s first point of the game. Unfortunately for the hosts, Tourlestrane became more clinical in front of goal in the second half.
The impressive Cill Chomain goalkeeper Sorcha Murphy was tested on several occasions in the first half, but Tourlestrane soon learned that they were better off kicking over the bar. Katie Walsh kicked over four more points to keep the scoreboard ticking for the Sligo ladies, before Maire O’Reilly added to her tally with a well taken free.
At this stage Tourlestrane had a twelve-point lead, but their scoring for the day wasn’t over.
Molly Kennedy won the Tourlestrane kickout, followed by a kickpass to Sarah Cunney. Cunney played a long ball to full forward Grainne Carty, who offloaded to Tara Walsh. Laura Surlis made a run straight for the goals, receiving a pass from Walsh before slotting the ball into the bottom corner of the Cill Chomain net.
To their credit Cill Chomain never gave up, and substitute Catriona Barrett got on the end of Maire O’Reilly’s free to fist the ball past the keeper.
A mere consolation for the Mayo women who had their hands full on the day. Tara Walsh kicked her fourth point of the match to end the game, as Tourlestrane progress to the Connaught final. Full time score in Belmullet:Cill Chomain 2-2 Tourlestrane 1-18.
A fantastic effort by the Tourlestrane team was complimented by the score line. Right the way up the field every woman worked for the player beside her.
Although they kicked ten wides throughout, their point taking proved too powerful for their opponents. The defensive play was almost unbeatable, only conceding 1-1 from play, and the support running up the field was a joy to wa tch.
CILL Chomain team: S Murphy; A Gallagher, R Barrett, S Lenehan; R Moran, C Doherty, S Ni Chabhail; M Roddy, T O Connor; L McGrath, M Reilly (1-1, 1-1 frees), A Doherty (0-1); R Ni hEile, N Ni hEile, N O Connor. Subs used: C Barrett (1-0), S O Donnell, M Doherty, A Ni Reachtaire. TOURLESTRANE team: C Walsh: S Brennan, L Walsh, S Mooney; E Meers, S Henry, C Marren; A Egan (0-1), N Brennan (0-1); A Corcoran, K Walsh (0-6, 0-3 frees), T Walsh (0-4); C Brennan, G Carty (0-1), L Surlis (1-1). Subs used: S Cunney (0-4), M Kennedy, K Molloy, E Grier.
REFEREE: PJ Rabbitte (Galway).