Tyrone Ladies sunk by Slaneysiders

TYRONE 3-9  WEXFORD 3-14

WEXFORD booked their place in the All-Ireland Ladies Intermediate Championship semi-final at Ashbourne on Sunday afternoon, edging a five-point win over a determined
Tyrone who missed several goal chances in what was an end-to-end contest.
Despite trailing by 11 points going into added time the Red Hands hit 1-3, but time ran out with the side exiting the championship.
Two second half goals from Wexford as Tyrone were reduced to 13 players allowed clear water between the sides, which proved an insurmountable
gap. Niamh O’Neill’s 36th minute goal had put just two between the sides offering the Ulster team a real chance yet Wexford were just too
strong.
Wexford were clinical in attack and assured at the back and that was the foundation that ensured they progressed but those goal opportunities will haunt Tyrone. In the end, it was disappointment for the Red Hands.
A more effective Wexford led by six points at the break, proving more ambitious in attack. Despite playing against a strong breeze they dominated
the half and were patient in their build-up play. Five players contributed to their tally.
Tyrone had been wasteful with four wides, as well as having goal chances
too. Sasha Byrne rattled the crossbar and last-ditch defending denied goalscorer Hughes a second. She also had appeals for a penalty waved away
when her heels were clipped as she was about to pull the trigger.
Wexford asked early questions of Tyrone as Catriona Murray and Amy Wilson opened the scoring and they carved out several openings in a blistering
opening five minutes of end-to-end football.
A sweeping move produced Tyrone’s first score. Dearbhlie Gallagher intercepted a kick out, passed to Emma Hegarty with Byrne taking the
pass on to tee up Hughes, who slammed the ball to the net.
The ‘Model’ county responded. Aishling Murphy landing a fine point and Sinead McVey making a stunning pointblank save to beat away
Murphy’s effort only for Sarah Harding Kenny to drop over the point.
Wilson and Ciara Banville opened the gap to three points with 13 minutes
gone.
A mini-revival followed when Mc- Caffrey tagged on her first free and Byrne rattled the crossbar, the ball going over with the keeper beaten.
Again Wexford responded.
Banville ended another patient build-up with a point and they cut apart the Tyrone defence a moment later when she rattled in a goal with
Murray adding a point before Hughes looked to have been fouled closing in on goal.
Tyrone took charge after the break, substitute Reagan Fay fired across goal and O’Neill drilled over the loose ball with McCaffrey closing the gap to
four with a well-taken point. Banville added a free before Hughes sent O’Neill in on goal and she made no mistake.
Byrne saw a goal chance pushed away by Murphy and Ellen O’Brien opened the gap to four at the other end with Shauna Murphy pulling the
Wexford strings.
Dearbhlie Gallagher was carded moments later. Her loss was compounded when Kelly Kearney put Aishling Murphy in for a crucial goal.
As McCaffrey closed in on goal herself at the other end with Tyrone on the offensive again, her shot was blocked. The ensuing counter attack
opened the way for four-on-two closing in on McVey’s goal, with Wilson sliding in a third goal to open a nine-point advantage going into the
last quarter.
Ciara Munroe was carded as Wilson and Sherene Hamilton added points with McCaffrey on target for Tyrone. But when Bernie Breen came
off the bench to drop over a great long-range point it was 11 points between the sides. Tyrone to their credit
never dropped their heads.  Byrne saw a goal effort denied again while Emma Jane Gervin sent the hardworking Emma Brennan through for a goal as
McCaffrey, Hughes and Byrne all added points. Hughes tested the woodwork again in the day’s final action deep into extra time as time ran out.