Ladies IFC Round-Up- Omagh and Cappagh make last four

LADIES INTERMEDIATE CHAMPIONSHIP QUARTER-FINALS

OMAGH 4-15  MOY 0-7

ST ENDA’S turned in a stunning display of controlled and confident football at Tattyreagh on Sunday evening in the midst of a thunder storm to cruise into the semi-finals of the Ladies Intermediate Championship.

This was Omagh’s best outing of the season with Eimear Cunningham scoring 2-7 of their total and Emer McCanny and Aine Strain also hitting the net. It was more than just a fine forward display and at the back Clara Daly, Sally McMenamin and Chloe O’ Hagan played well, with veteran Christiane Hunter calling the shots through the centre.

Emma Conroy opened the scoring with a Moy free two minutes in but they were on the back foot through a pulsating first half. Three Cunningham points and a McCanny score put Omagh in the box seat. Cunningham had a goal chance too, which was well saved by Moy keeper Ciara O’Hanlon. Emer Currie pulled a point back but Omagh then piled on the agony.

Aine Cunningham, McCanny, Shauna McCrory and Eimear Cunngham knocked over scores before McCanny beat O’Hanlon after a great piece of individual skill.

McMenamin and Cunngham opened the gap to eleven points by the break with Conroy tagging on a late Moy point. Reagan Fay was introduced for the second half as Moy needed some impetus against the well drilled St Enda’s. Despite creating two chances they found the Omagh defence impossible to penetrate and Cunningham’s point on 33 minutes opening the gap to a round dozen.

The game was put beyond Moy with quick fire well worked goals. Cunningham did well to finish to the net and Strain carved out a cracking goal of her own from the left.

Cunningham was then yellow carded for Omagh. McCanny added to their tally but Moy responded through McComiskey and Catherine Donnelly. Lucia Mackle landed a sixth Moy score but the game was well beyond them by now.

Cunningham returned to action with a goal and point and Sophie Kelly also added to the Omagh tally with a good long range score before the final whistle.

KILDRESS 0-8  ARDBOE 3-14

ARDBOE found themselves eight points up by the break against Kildress, a Serena O’Neill goal on the stroke of half time easing them clear.
They added another goal after the break, to leave the Tones always chasing, Annie Devlin rounding the keeper after good work from Claire Muldoon.
Credit to Jodie McCrory, Sorcha Mc Namee and Annie McNamee for Kildress who battled away.

They found themselves a point down after seven minutes but a streak of four points without reply from the Rossas had them in control, Rebekah Bell, Ciara Mulgrew and O’Neill among the scores.

Devlin scored the early second half goal with Leah Martin and Bell registering points, while a yellow card for Bell failed to rock the Loughshore side. Wylie and Muldoon kept the scoreboard moving before Codie McCracken slid in a third goal heading into injury time. There was six points from Bell on the day for the victors.

CAPPAGH 4-11  CLONOE 2-12

TWO second half goals from Beth Corcoran and Kate McAleer ensured Cappagh progressed to the last four of the Intermediate championship with a five point win over a well drilled Clonoe at Carrickmore.

This was an exciting game of football that could have went either way but in the end the influence of Teri McCusker played a big part in seeing Cappagh prevail.

Finding themselves a goal down after thirty seconds, with McCusker on target, Clonoe quickly responded with goals from Eimher Cushnahan and Orlaith O’Hagan, as well as three points from talisman Orlagh Gavin.

Cappagh were six in arrears but in a productive spell they hit five points without reply again McCusker to the fore with Porter firing in a goal.
Points from Gavin, O’Hagan and Sinead Hanna had Clonoe leading by the bare minimum at the break 2-7 to 2-6.

An early Cappagh goal on the restart was key to their eventual win, midfielder McAleer with the major. Gavin and O’Hagan scores reduced the gap to one again before 1-3 on the bounce from the Ballinamullan side had them seven up and looking home and hosed. Corcoran scored the goal, teed up by player of the match McCusker.

Further points from McCusker and Kerry Quinn kept clear daylight between the sides going into the latter stages. It wasn’t over just yet and O’Rahilly’s made a sterling fightback. Gavin latched on three points to finish with eight herself, while they also tested the woodwork before the end.

GLENELLY 0-9  LOUGHMACRORY 0-10

THE St Teresa’s of Loughmacrory shaded a close enough encounter with Glenelly St Joseph’s in this ladies intermediate last eight tie at Greencastle on Friday evening.

Fine weather conditions prevailed as the St Joseph’s and St Teresa’s took to the field. The quest for a last four place in the intermediate championship race produced sterling efforts on behalf of both teams and in the end a Loughmacrory goal helped settle matters.

Glenelly registered nine points on the evening but a goal eluded them as Loughmacrory managed ten points to complement their major contribution. It was a tightly contested match all across the field and showcased yet another very good advert for the health of the ladies scene in Tyrone as this year’s championship continues to serve up excellent tussles.

The likes of Kerri Ward, Aine Donaghy, Bronagh Gallagher, Lisa Melley and Aoife Kelly have been showing up well for Loughmacrory in the league. They continued that form in the championship as the St Theresa’s held off a spirited St Joseph’s challenge.

Loughmacrory can now look forward to the championship semi-finals and will aim to produce another solid display as the St Theresa girls endeavour to make further progress. They are in the final four mix now as the race for silverware reaches the nitty-gritty phase.

It’s a competitive championship environment this year and fine margins look set to determine which squads ultimately prevail across the grades. This game, like several of the other contests thus far, have been close and that trend may well be maintained as more exciting games remain to be decided.

Glenelly were not far that away in this one and the St Joseph’s will be keen to bounce back in the near future. They came up shy on the closing scoreboard and the progression through the squad of younger players alongside established team-mates provides promise for the seasons up ahead.