Fr Rocks Ladies win a thrilling IFC Final with the Fianna

Cookstown 3-9   Coalisland 3-8

COOKSTOWN recovered from a nightmare start when they conceded three goals inside the opening twelve minutes to clinch the Ladies Intermediate Championship title after a thrilling contest with Coalisland on Saturday at O’Neill’s Healy Park.

The Fianna appeared to have laid the platform to complete the League and Championship double when they surged into a 3-1 to 0-1 lead in the early stages, captain Nicole Murphy twice finding the back of the net, but Fr Rocks, inspired by the likes of Amy Sheehy, Danielle McNamee and Amy McGurk, had other ideas.

Cara McMoran beat Cookstown keeper Laura McCrory in the first minute, and moments later the Cookstown No 1 was picking the ball out of her net again as Murphy dispatched a penalty.

Despite Amy Sheehy converting the first of her six frees, Cookstown fell further in arrears as Murphy knocked over a point and then took Niamh Hughes’ pass in her stride and finished low past McCrory for goal number three.

The Fr Rocks were need of a boost and they got it in the 14th minute when Sheehy slotted away a penalty after Laura McGillion was fouled.

Tyrone player Emma Jane Gervin stormed up the middle to blast over a Fianna point, but Cookstown had now settled to their task and Aoibhinn Devlin put the seal on a superb move by rounding Coalisland keeper Laura Kelly and tucking away a second goal in the 17th minute.

It was breathless stuff as Sheehy tagged on two further scores (one free) and while Gervin responded again at the other end, another brace of Sheehy frees left Cookstown just one in arrears.

Prior to the break Eadaoin Early floated over a quality effort to ease Coalisland two to the good (3-4 to 2-5) at half-time.

It wasn’t long before the Fr Rocks restored parity with livewire Sheehy again twice on target, and while Murphy spilt the posts at the other end, the Fianna had lost their early zip and cohesion.

Laura McGillion fisted to the net for Cookstown in the 41st minute, and she also slotted over a point, as did Sheehy to put her side four ahead.

To their credit Coalisland produced a late rally as Gervin converted a hat-trick of frees to leave the bare minimum between the sides but some heroic Cookstown defending helped them edge across the winning line.

The Scorers