Ladies lose out in Laois but still progress

Laois 3-14  Tyrone 3-6

TYRONE Ladies finished runners up in group D of the All-Ireland Intermediate Championship as they lost by eight points at O’Moore Park to Laois in a disappointing outing on Sunday.

The home side dictated the contest throughout, outscoring Tyrone 2-5 to 1-1 in the second half and hitting 11 wides over the contest. They were always in control.

The loss, Tyrone manager Sean O’Kane’s first since he returned, will be disappointing as Tyrone allowed the Laois runners to carve open their defence.

The Laois attacked, led by Mo Nurney and Emma Lawlor, was always a threat in front of goal.

Still, there were some bright spots for Tyrone: Slaine McCarroll was solid, Emma Brennan and Sasha Byrne carved out chances and Niamh Hughes turned in a valued contribution but it wasn’t enough… and O’Kane will seek improvements.

Tyrone trailed by a single point at the break. Goals from Emma Brennan and a classic strike from Niamh Hughes had pulled Tyrone level after they found themselves seven points down within the opening 14 minutes as the hosts had the Red Hands penned inside their own ‘45.

Emma Brennan had opened the scoring within three minutes although Erone Fitzpatrick levelled things and within a minute a speculative shot from the right by Sarah Jane Fitzgerald dropped over the head of Sinead McVey.

The Moortown keeper did struggle with the kick outs as Laois returned them with points.

Emma Lawlor with a well worked Nurney point, as well as a series of wides, hemmed Tyrone in and an angled score from the left by Fitzpatrick had the hosts in control.

It took 17 minutes for a Chloe McCaffrey free to get Tyrone on the scoreboard again.

Hegarty pressed forward too as Emma Brennan added to the Tyrone tally minutes later.

Laois could have had further clear water between the sides when Eva Galvin’s goalbound shot was well saved by McVey.

Tyrone responded seconds later, with a ‘route one’ approach paying dividends. McVey’s clearance was collected by Slaine McCarroll and a quick transfer put Sasha Byrne in on goal.

Her lay off to Niamh Hughes found the net.

Byrne and Aoibhinn McHugh combined for a score that put just a point between the sides, only for Nurney’s close ranger bringing the gap to two again. Tyrone did take the lead when McHugh’s free went to McCarroll.

Her lay-off found Brennan whose shot from the left beat Eimear Barry.

But the lead was shortlived as Jane Moore, Lawlor and Shifra Havill added points, with McCaffrey’s score leaving it a one point game.

After the break, Eva Galvin lashed over a great Laois point only for Sasha Byrne’s fine executed goal from a well-timed Hughes pass nudged the visitors ahead again.

But once more Laois struck back quickly with Havill drilling the ball past McVey.

Laois upped the tempo again as Lawlor and Nurney pointed before Fiztpatrick cut through to fire in her side’s third goal. McCaffrey was on target at the other end before being withdrawn.

The hosts hit several further wides while Lawlor added their fourth second half point.

Mo Nurney wrapped up the scoring while McCarroll, McHugh and Grainne Rafferty carried a late Tyrone threat, but with nothing to show.