Tyrone ladies edge extra-time thriller with Fermanagh

Tyrone 2-20 Fermanagh 2-15

(after extra-time)

NEARLY midway through extra-time of a rollercoaster All-Ireland Intermediate Championship quarter-final at Kildress on Sunday, Tyrone ladies stood on the brink of a season-ending defeat.

A second goal from Eimear Smyth after an unfortunate mix-up at the back propelled Fermanagh into a 2-14 to 0-17 lead and Tyrone were essentially running out of time, and fast.

But it wasn’t over yet. Points from Aoife Horisk and Niamh O’Neill brought Tyrone back into contention, and then after such a gruelling, energy-sapping battle Sorcha Gormley somehow summoned the energy to drag the game by the scruff of the neck, landing 2-1 without reply deep into the second period of extra-time to send the Red Hands into the last four of the All-Ireland race.

It was magical stuff from the Carrickmore dual star. She coolly slotted a spot-kick then she weaved her way through the Fermanagh rearguard for a sublime individual goal. She then landed the insurance point – a sublime individual effort and finally we had ourselves a winner.

It was some game of football, needless to say. At times, Tyrone looked the most likely to prevail. At other junctures, it was the visitors in the ascendancy. It swung this way and that throughout and both teams deserve immense credit for their part in a richly entertaining and hugely sporting contest.

Tyrone had enjoyed the brighter start to proceedings, racing into a 0-5 to 0-1 lead with Aoife Horisk and Sorcha Gormley interlinking with their dynamic half-backs Slaine McCarroll and Claire Canavan.

The Erne County were handed a few soft frees which Eimear Smyth duly converted, before a cracking score from Gormley left Tyrone with a 0-6 to 0-4 lead.

Fermanagh were tackling with huge energy and that was making life increasingly difficult for the Red Hands, and by half-time it was all square on the scoreboard at 0-7 apiece. It did seem in all honesty that Tyrone had to work harder for their frees, though a late point from play from Elle McNamee meant that the sides were deadlocked at the interval.

The teams traded further scores before a big moment in the game, a penalty handed the way of Fermanagh. Eimear Smyth made no mistake – and while she finished her day’s work with 2-10 to her name (including six frees), her colleague up front Joanne Doonan also caused a lot of damage in the second-half in particular.

Tyrone responded well to the goal with quickfire points from Horisk and Cara McCrossan, and they could’ve got a goal – or even two – only substitute Niamh O’Neill’s shot was parried by the Fermanagh goalkeeper before Horisk’s effort a few minutes later pinged back off the crossbar.

The Erne girls kept their noses in front with points from Smyth and Molly McGloin, ensuring they led by 1-11 to 0-11 with fewer than ten minutes remaining. Tyrone’s championship hopes were on the line, and they seized the initiative with five of the next six scores, two from the boot of influential sub Emer McCanny.

The Red Hands, inspired by their captain Aoibhinn McHugh and her teammates were on a roll and an injury-time free from Aoife Horisk, who also had a brilliant game, moved Tyrone into a 0-16 to 1-12 lead.

It looked like Tyrone had done enough to edge a colossal battle, but Fermanagh were granted a late reprieve when Smyth steered over a superb free from her wrong side to send the match into extra-time.

It was back to square one. McCanny scored the first-point of extra-time before Fermanagh made their move with a Doonan point followed up by Smyth’s second goal of the game, tucking the ball into an empty net after a rare lapse in concentration.

Tyrone got the final score of the first-half of extra-time to leave two points between the teams again (Fermanagh led 2-14 to 0-18), but it was still a big ask to reel in their opponents with only 10 minutes remaining.

But they showed serious guts and determination to more or less completely dominate the second period. Niamh O’Neill landed a fine score before Horisk – who was sensational – was fouled for a penalty.

Sorcha Gormley, who’s searing pace caused Fermanagh skipper Shannan McQuade plenty of headaches throughout, stepped up and picked her spot, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way.

She then scored a Messi-esque goal much to the delight of the Tyrone supporters, and in the space of a few minutes Tyrone had found themselves in the ascendancy.

All they needed was the insurance score and they got it when Gormley landed an awesome point from play, and that was basically that. Tyrone had prevailed after a belter of a contest and now they’re only one game away from a second successive All-Ireland Intermediate final.

Scorers

Tyrone

Sorcha Gormley (2-4), Aoife Horisk (0-8, 0-4f), Emer McCanny (0-3), Sasha Byrne, Elle McNamee, Slaine McCarroll, Cara McCrossan and Niamh O’Neill (0-1 each)

Fermanagh

Eimear Smyth (2-10, 0-7f), Joanne Doonan (0-2), Aoife McCabe, Molly McGloin and Bronagh Smyth (0-1 each)

Teams

Tyrone

Amelia Coyle, Jayne Lyons, Grainne McKenna, Eimear Quinn, Slaine McCarroll, Caitlin Campbell, Meabh Corrigan, Claire Canavan, Aoibhinn McHugh, Sasha Byrne, Elle McNamee, Sorcha Gormley, Aoife Horisk, Cara McCrossan, Ciara Colton. Subs: Niamh O’Neill for Byrne, Emer McCanny for McNamee, Aine Strain for Colton, Aine Grimes for Lyons, Katie Rose Muldoon for McCrossan

Fermanagh

Aine Haran, Shannan McQuade, Ciara Clarke, Eimear Keenan, Sarah McCarville, Courteney Murphy, Bronagh Smyth, Sinead Barrett, Molly McGloin, Aoife McCabe, Cliodhna Martin, Lisa Maguire, Joanne Doonan, Eimear Smyth, Niamh McManus: Subs: Cadhla-Cara Bogue for McCarville