TOP CLASS TINAHELY IN FLYING FORM

at Roundwood some brilliant football at times and are a serious team for the future.

They rallied. Oh how they rallied. Georgina Canavan pointed. Good stuff. And then Sarah Cunningham goaled. Excellent. Train back on the rails. Let’s keep it going.

A sweet ball to Jessie McEleron and the AGB centre-half forward fires a rocket to the bottom corner of Louise O’Neill’s net. The AGB faithful lost their minds. 2-03 to 2-01. This reporter couldn’t even take notes such was the frantic nature of the action.

Here come AGB again. Ball to Jessie McEleron. Bang. Goal. Oh my word! 3-01 to 2-03. AGB lead by one and we’re only just passed the 10th minute. Is this even legal?

Tinahely recover. The ball is worked to full-forward Ciara Byrne who sets off on a lovely mazy, jinking run and points superbly. 13 minutes gone, 3-01 to 2-04. Deep breaths.

Sarah Cunningham gathers at the other end and points. ‘Wow’ is written in my notebook after this score.

Superb play from Emily Muhall sets Ciara Byrne up for her second of the day and then Jackie Kinch drops over another sweet score and Tinahely regain the lead.

But wait. There’s more! The ball is worked in by the Tinahely attack. Players are drawn and the ball is slipped across to Jackie Kinch and it’s in the back of the net. Go home Tinahely. You’re drunk!

Emily O’Reilly points after a shaky kick-out and with 20 minutes on the match clock Tinahely are leading by 3-07 to 3-02.

Sarah Byrne fired over from out on the wing as Tinahely moved up through the gears but Jackie Kinch’s shot selection on 22 minutes showed that they were human after all with the star player recording a poor wide.

Sarah Hogan continued the recovery of her defence from the earlier AGB bliyz with a superb block from the boot of Sarah Cunnigham which cost a 45 but which came to nothing.

Ciara Byrne fired wide at the other end and AGB sent in Caitríona Flynn to the action in the hope that her experience and craft would settle her side down and get them back into the game.

Tinahely finished the half strongly though with a Laura Ho- gan converted free and they led by 3-09 to 3-02 at the break.

A good start was vital for AGB but in the long grass of Roundwood it was Tinahely who started the better.

Jackie Kinch was virtually unstoppable even though Áine Byrne did her best to do just that. Kinch fired over after a good ball from Aimee Maher.

Áine O’Reilly pointed for AGB after intelligent use of the advantage rule by Declan Peppard but from this moment on Tinahely just romped clear of the Arklow side and there was nothing and nobody to stop them.

Ciara Byrne, Laura Hogan, with three, Ciara Byrne, Aoife Gorman, a superb score from Sarah Byrne, Ciara byrne again, Laura Hogan again, Ciara Byrne again, and a Sarah Byrne point to finish gave Tinahely an unassailable lead at 3-21 to 3-05 and that is how the Wicklow Senior ladies football final finished.

If you were looking for a player of the match you would be hard pressed to come up with one that really and truly deserved it above the others because so many players performed really well on the day for the victors.

Jackie Kinch would be the obvious choice because of her dynamism and her power and how she grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck like a bouncer in bad form would grab a troublesome reveller at the end of a night out.

Laura Hogan recovered from some uncharacteristic wides early on to play a major role. Ciara Byrne was almost untouchable. Emily Mulhall was immense, Emily O’Reilly was very important to the cause and Sarah Byrne was an absolute star on the day.

Jessie Byrne and Aoife Gorman owned the midfield. Sinead Byrne was creative and willing, Aimee Maher was excellent and has a real abrasiveness to her game. Ciara Stokes, Sarah Hogan, and Emily Hadden recovered from the AGB burst early on and battened down the hatches superbly while Louise O’Neill was clever with the kick-outs and steadied well after the three-goal bonanza.

And the captain fantastic, Áine Byrne, deserves a special mention for her infleunce on the game. The Moyne native was dogged and determined throughout, she was immense all over the field and she led by her actions on the field of battle.

After the game she was gracious in victory, spoke extremely well and is a credit to her family, her club, her county and herself.

Scorers – Tinahely: Laura Hogan 0-06 (4f); Jackie Kinch 2-03; Sarah Byrne 1-03; Ciara Byrne 0-06; Aoife Gorman 0-02; Emily O’Reilly 0-01.

AGB: Jess McEleron 2-01; Áine O’Reilly 0-02 (2f); Sarah Cunningham 1-01; Georgina Canavan 0-01.

Tinahely: Louise O’Neill; Ciara Stokes, Sarah Hogan, Emily Hadden; Sinéad Byrne, Áine Byrne (capt), Aimee Maher; Jessie Byrne, Aoife