Derrygonnelly see off Cavan opponents to land momentous first Ulster title for club

Derrygonnelly 2-11 Castlerahan/ Denn 2-06

EIMEAR Smyth hit 2-09 as Derrygonnelly Harps landed the Ulster Ladies Intermediate Championship title with a five-point victory over Cavan side Castlerahan/denn at Healy Park, Omagh on Sunday.

This was a tight, well-contested affair with Smyth’s goal helping Derrygonnelly into a 1-04 to 0-05 half-time advantage.

However, the sides were level at 1-06 apiece ten minutes into the second half when Shanice Fitzsimons slotted home a penalty and the Cavan side looked to be in the ascendancy after this as they piled on the pressure.

However, Derrygonnelly rode out the storm and they wrestled back control as Smyth netted her second of the game before tagging on two points to make it a five-point game, 2-08 to 1-06.

Back came Castlerahan/denn with a goal from Rachael Mcenroe to leave two between them, but Smyth rattled over the final three points of the game to seal a memorable victory for the Harps.

Fine performances

Smyth was imperious throughout as she proved too hot to handle for the Cavan outfit, but she was not on her own, with fine performances sprinkled all across the pitch for Derrygonnelly.

Defensively, the Harps were resolute as they worked hard to cut down the space Castlerahan/denn attack had to operate in, forcing their opponents to take on shots while under great pressure, with Captain Andrea Gordon and Rebecca Wallace continually blocking the path through the centre.

At midfield, Emma Burns was outstanding, pulling off a number of excellent fetches in a hard-working display, while Bronagh Smyth was a lively presence throughout alongside sister Eimear in the full forward line.

Derrygonnelly started the contest brightly with Eimear Smyth knocking over two frees to give them an early advantage.

But Castlerahan/denn began to get their hands on more ball and Mcenroe and Fitzsimons clipped over points while Eimear Mcenroe had a goal chance that she fired wide.

The Harps though always looked threatening when they got the ball forward, and Bronagh Smyth edged them back ahead as she rounded a defender and clipped over before Eimear Smyth swooped for the first goal of the game.

The Harps were quickly on to a wayward kick-out and Bronagh Smyth and Sarah Jane Jones linked up to put Eimear through on goal and she made no mistake, with a clinical finish to make it 1-03 to 0-02.

Shanice Fitzsimons replied with a converted free for the Cavan team and two fine points in quick succession from Hannah Fitzsimons had the gap reduced to the minimum.

It required a great block by Niamh Smyth to deny Eimear Mcenroe as Castlerahan/denn pushed on.

But it was Derrygonnelly who were to have the last say of the half as Bronagh Smyth again took on a defender and raced forward before popping the ball over the bar to leave it 1-04 to 0-05 at the interval.

It was back to a one-point game early in the second half as Eimear Mcenroe blasted over after being put through by Shanice Fitzsimons, but Derrygonnelly answered with two wonderfully-struck frees from the impeccable Smyth.

However, with 40 minutes played, the sides were level as Eimear Mcenroe was fouled as she looked to get in on goal, and Shanice Fitzsimons stepped up to tuck the ball to the back of the net past Harps netminder Megan Maguire to tie up proceedings.

And it appeared at this stage as if Castlerahan/denn might push on as Derrygonnelly struggled to get out of their own defence.

Shanice Fitzsimons saw an effort crash off the crossbar and she had another shot deflected out for a ’45.

Chances continued

The chances continued to come for the Cavan side but Hannah Fitzsimons shot weakly when well placed, and when Eimear Mcenroe followed up that attempt by colliding with Maguire in the Harps goal, it saw the Castlerahan/denn players sent to the sin bin for ten minutes.

Having been firmly on the back foot since the penalty, the Harps finally got down the other end of the pitch and Smyth was clinical when the chance came her way for goal number two.

Emma Burns produced a fine catch and fed Sarah Jane Jones, who in turn found Smyth. And the deadly forward had only one thing on her mind as she raced in and thumped her shot to the net to make it 2-06 to 1-06.

Smyth followed this up with a well-struck free and then a point from play to push the gap out to five, but it wasn’t done yet and Castlerahan/denn hit back with a goal from Rachael Mcenroe, who fired low to the corner with five minutes to play.

However, Derrygonnelly regained the momentum and Smyth slotted over three frees to take her side over the line as they finished up 2-11 to 2-06 winners to land the Ulster crown.

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These girls have worked so hard and it is great that they have achieved something that when they look back in time will always be there