JOY FOR TINAHELY
Rory Stokes’ side through to Leinster final after thriller
THE Tinahely ladies won their way into the Leinster Intermediate ladies club football final when they eventually overcame Dublin champions Clanna Gael Fontenoy in a titanic battle in their semi-final clash played at St. Kevins Park in Tinahely on Saturday afternoon, October 12. This game was played on a lovely sunny afternoon on a brilliant playing surface.
Rory Stokes’ side will face Offaly’s Naomh Ciaran in the final on Saturday, October 26, at 3pm in the grounds of Donaghmore Ashbourne GAA Club.
Tinahely got off to a flying start and in the early stages looked like they might pull away. Ciara Byrne had opened the Tinahely account with a point in the second minute.
Clanna Gael wing forward Rebecca McDonnell responded with the visitor’s first point a minute later. However, in the next ten minutes Tinahely hit a dominant patch and led by 1-4 to 0-1 at the quarter hour mark.
They were playing a confident, combining brand of football. Laura Hogan pointed after five minutes and corner forward Loretta Gilbert raised the first green flag of the day when she netted after ten minutes.
Two quick points from midfielder Aoife Gorman and Laura Hogan again put clear daylight between the teams. Rebecca McDonnell stopped the rot for the Dublin side when she pointed a free after seventeen minutes. McDonnell went on to play a huge part in this game as it evolved and ended as the game’s top scorer.
Kim Flood and Laura Hogan (free) exchanged points to leave
Tinahely ahead by 1-5 to 0-3 at the 20-minute stage.
Within the space of three minutes the game was turned on its head. Firstly, a long delivery into the Tinahely goal area found Ella Darcy who netted from close in. One minute later Clanna Gael went ahead. Rebecca McDonnell soloed in from the left and shot home a great left footed goal.
Despite their possession Tinahely were now in arrears by a point. Rebecca McDonnell stretched that to two but points from Laura Hogan, Ciara Byrne and Aoife O’Gorman had Tinahely back in the lead as the game entered the time added period. McDonnell levelled again to leave the half
time score at Tinahely 1-8, Clanna Gael 2-5.
Niamh McKernan put the visitors back into the lead five minutes into the second half. Two minutes later Tinahely were awarded a penalty when Jackie Kinch was fouled. Unfortunately, she slid her shot wide.
As in the first half Tinahely enjoyed a lot of possession in these opening minutes but were unable to put it on the board. Ciara Byrne levelled the game again.
Laura Hogan received a pass from substitute Eimear O’Brien and put the red and whites back into the lead.
Niamh McKernan kept Clanna Gael in the game when she pointed
again after 18 minutes. Aimee Maher, who had pushed forward relentlessly from her wing back position all through the game, was now being otherwise occupied trying to keep Rebecca McDonnell in check.
Tinahely went back ahead with a Ciara Byrne point. McKernan levelled up matters again at 1-11 to 2-8 with six minutes left on the clock.
Mistakes were being made on both sides as players began to tire. Eimear O’Brien nudged the home back in front, but Kim Flood responded almost immediately with another equaliser.
It was clear that this game was going sown to the wire as excitement mounted. We went almost ten minutes without a score as play swung from end to end.
Clanna Gael were hugely reliant on working the ball to the accurate Rebecca McDonnell. The Tinahely defence was holding firm but eventually in the fourth minute of time added Hannah Lohan popped over what liked likely to be the winning score.
Tinahely attacked from the restart and eventually worked the ball to Ciara Byrne, who saved the day with the leveler six minutes into added time. The excitement was not over yet as we looked to two ten-minute periods of extra time to decide a winner.
Just as they had already done twice in the game, Tinahely hit the ground running straight from the throw in.
Jessie Byrne was now at centre forward and pointed straight away. Jackie Kinch added another. Laura Hogan got two more to leave Tinahely four points to the good after five minutes. Once again, the Dublin girls fought back. Linda Walsh pointed and a free from Rebecca McDonnell reduced the lead to two points at the break.
The game was decided in the opening minutes of the second period.
A long delivery from Tinahely midfielder Aoife O’Gorman into the space between goalkeeper and full-back line found substitute Jade Shannon who had the superior pace to outrun the defenders and rattle the Clanna Gael net on the run. It was the big break for the home side.
Rebecca McDonnell pulled back one point, but Ciara Byrne responded with the final point of the game to send Tinahely into the Leinster final.
Finally, the local club should take a big bow for the manner in which they organised the game. The beautiful sunny day and pristine pitch surface were a bonus on a beautiful mid-October afternoon.
Scorers - Tinahely: Laura Hogan 0-7, Ciara Byrne 0-6, Loretta Gilbert 1-0, Jade Shannon 1-0, Aoife Gorman 0-2, Eimear O’Brien, Jessie Byrne and Jackie Kinch 0-1 each.
Clanna Gael Fontenoy: Rebecca McDonnell1-6, Ella Darcy 1-0, Niamh McKernan 0-3, Hannah Lohan and Linda Walsh 0-1 each.
TINAHELY: Emily Hadden; Ciara Stokes, Sarah Hogan, Niamh Kenny; Shannagh Goetelen, Jessie Byrne, Aimee Maher; Aoife Gorman, Jackie Kinch; Ciara Byrne, Aine Byrne, Emily Mulhall; Loretta, Laura Hogan, Sarah Byrne. Subs: Eimear O’Brien, Jade Shannon, Aisling Winterbotham.
CLANNA GAEL FONTENOY: Serena Hannon; Laura Goonan, Jenny Mannion, Aoife Quinn; Susan Vaughan, Marie Twomey, Ella Thirroueiz; Kate McKenna, Anne Donovan; Rebecca McDonnell, Aisling Leonard, Rachel Byrne; Hannah Lohan, Sinead, Niamh McKiernan. Subs: Lisa Curtin, Maria O’Dea, Linda Walsh, Ella Darcy, Kim Flood.
REFEREE: Niall McCormack (Laois)