Positives in narrow defeat for Tyrone camogs

Tyrone 0-7

Roscommon 1-5

By Niall Gartland

THIS was a hugely- encouraging first competitive outing of the new season for the Tyrone camogs.

Heading into Saturday’s Division 3A encounter against Roscommon, staged at the familiar surroundings of Garvaghey, it was difficult to know what to expect from the Red Hands.

For one thing, they’re operating at a higher rank than last year. For another, they were down in personnel; goalkeeper Eimear Colton was unavailable but will be back soon, and so too will a few others who couldn’t line out on Saturday.

One player who won’t be making a hasty return is one of the stars of 2024, Lara Devlin, who requires knee surgery. The supremly-gifted Edendork forward will be an undoubted miss.

So with all that in mind, they’ll take great heart from the manner of their performance against the Rossies.

Grainne McDonald – an outfield player – deputised for Colton to great effect; the newer faces acquitting themselves well, and in general they gave Roscommon their fill of it from the very first whistle to the very last. In the end, they ran out of time, but perhaps in this instance the performance really was as important as the result.

Roscommon had the benefit of a significant-enough wind advantage in the first-half and enjoyed much of the early possession, but it was also evident that Tyrone were in no mood to roll out the red carpet.

Roisin McErlean’s early goal chance was parried to Bronagh Moohan, who levelled matters after an early Roscommon score, and the pattern repeated itself when McErlean tagged on a free to make it 0-2 apiece.

Roscommon did have the better of the second quarter with midfielder Sarah Dooley, who looks a really fine player, knocking two excellent points from play, compounded by another from Orla Connolly, opening up a 0-5 to 0-2 lead at the interval.

In the context of the trying weather conditions, it wasn’t much of an advantage, and some sterling defensive performances from the likes of Una McCann and Aoife McDonald, as well as the alertness of their goalkeeper for the day, Grainne McDonald, ensured that Tyrone will have been content enough at the half-time whistle.

But for all Tyrone’s good work, disaster struck in the opening moments of the second-half when Roscommon forward Celine Gaquin bundled the sliotar across the line to open up a 1-5 to 0-2 lead.

A difficult enough task as it was, Tyrone were really going to have to produce something special to pull this one out of the bag, even with the wind at their backs.

They enjoyed a period of supremacy, however, rattling over three points on the trot, two frees from Roisin McErlean and an excellent score on the run from her Naomh Treasa club colleague Beth Jones, to leave only a goal between the teams with 20 minutes remaining.

Tyrone were battling hard with Rachel O’Neill and Nicola McKiver enjoying a few big moments, but the pendulum seemed to swing back in Roscommon’s favour in a crucial spell, punctuated by stoppages.

It’s testament to the unyielding efforts of the Red Hand rearguard that Roscommon didn’t trouble the scoreboard during this period, Grainne McDonald was sharp off her line to prevent a certain goal on one occasion, but as the game entered the final ten minutes, it started to look like Tyrone weren’t going to be able to forage enough possession to mount a sustained comeback.

To their credit, they started to piece together a few moves again and the deficit was reduced to two points when McErlean scored a tricky free from an unfavourable angle. Both teams were playing out of their skins and putting their bodies on the line in their efforts to win possession, but it was still Roscommon that had the scoreboard advantage.

Time was running out and fast but Tyrone kept plugging away and got their seventh point of the day via Beth Jones, an excellent score from distance, in stoppage time.

The next restart was crucial – there was a matter of seconds left – and Roscommon emerged with the sliotar and that was that.

A gallant effort from Tyrone went unrewarded, but they’ll take a lot of confidence from the manner of their performance.

Scorers

Tyrone: Roisin McErlean (0-4, 0-3f) Beth Jones (0-2), Bronagh Moohan (0-1)

Roscommon: Celine Gaquin (1-0), Ciara Kilcommons and Sarah Dooley (0-2 each), Orla Connolly (0-1)

Teams

Tyrone: Grainne McDonald, Mairead Donnelly, Grainne Cassidy, Una McCann, Aoife McDonald, Nicola McKiver, Siobhan Donnelly, Rachel O’Neill, Aisling Hagan, Beth Jones, Roisin McErlean, Grainne Rafferty, Cara Little, Niamh Clarke, Bronagh Moohan. Subs: Roise Kerr for Hagan, Caitriona Canavan for Little, Michelle O’Neill for Donnelly, Mollie O’Hanlon for Niamh Clarke.

Roscommon: Andrea Fallon, Michelle Rogers, Shauna McDermott, Aideen O’Brien, Hannah Murray, Rachel Fitzmaurice, Erin McDermott, Sally Bolger, Sarah Dooley, Sinead Mannion, Tara Naughton, Celine Gaquin, Ciara Kilcommios, Oonagh Kelly, Orla Connolly. Subs: Ava Mulry for Naughton, C Gaquin for Kilcommons.