Ladies hopes killed off by Kildare

KILDARE 1-12  TYRONE 0-5

TYRONE Ladies could not match the power and quality of Kildare in this All-Ireland Intermediate Championship quarter final at Hawksfield on Sunday where there was a distinct gulf in class and the scoreline reflected that.

The game was played in perfect conditions and while Tyrone failed to raise a flag in the first quarter, they did produce some decent unrewarded raids on the Kildare goal.

There wasn’t much in it by the end of the first quarter, but Nessan Dooley hit a brace of early points for Kildare.

Maria Canavan finally got the Red Hands off the mark, though her well executed free was cancelled out by a Byrne and sandwiched between a great point blank save by McVey as Ellen Dowling closed in.

Sadly, Tyrone were unable to press home any further opportunities and it was Kildare who finished the half with a powerhouse display of scoring,

Rattigan fired over from the right, a superb score from a tight angle, with a Byrne brace and a drilled Dooley score leaving the hosts 7-2 up at the break.

Kildare free taker Byrne added a brace of points early in the second period as McVey made another critical save to keep Tyrone in the game.

Tyrone plugged away but they were well out of the contest and searching to keep the scoreline respectable.

Canavan did drop an effort short but chances were limited and at the other end Rattigan closed in on goal.

McVey saved the initial shot but couldn’t get anything on Rattigan’s rebound.

Grainne Kennelly was denied at close range by McVey as the impressive Byrne laid off a great ball and yet again as Lauren Murtagh slipped the Tyrone defence.

However, McVey was able to steer her goalbound effort over the bar averting a second goal.

Aoife Horisk latched on Tyrone’s first score of the half on 43 minutes, although the home response was swift as Byrne swept in for her seventh point to cap a great personal performance.

Aoife McGahan, who had a quiet afternoon, tagged on a Tyrone point in the closing stages although there was still time for a late Tyrone penalty which was flashed over the bar from Grainne Rafferty on the whistle.

 SCORERS
Kildare
Roisin Byrne 0-7, Aoife Rattigan 1-2, Nessa Dooley 0-3, Lauren Murtagh 0-1.
Tyrone
Grainne Rafferty 0-2, Maria Canavan, Aoife Horisk and Aoife McGahan 0-1 each.

TEAMS
Kildare
Mary Mulgraine, Lauren Burke, Laoise Lenehan, Aoife Clifford, Lara Gilbert, Ruth Sargent, Lauren Murtagh, Grace Clifford, Aoife Rattigan, Trina Duggan, Neasa Dooley, Claire Sullivan, Ellen Dowling, Roisin Byrne, Lara Curran: Subs: Grainne Kennelly for Dowling.
Tyrone
Sinead McVey, Joanne Barrett, Caiomhe Magee, Eimear Quinn, Jayne Lyons, Caitlin Campbell, Maebh Corrigan, Emma Jane Gervin, Aoibhinn McHugh, Aoife Horisk, Grainne Rafferty, Emma Hegarty, Maria Canavan, Sasha Byrne, Emma Mulgrew, Subs: Aoife McGahan for Byrne, Meabh Mallon for Hegarty.

Referee
Ger Canning.