Ladies stunned by Leitrim in high-scoring cracker

Leitrim 4-12 Tyrone 5-8

TYRONE Ladies suffered a surprising defeat against Leitrim in the opening round robin series of the All-Ireland Championship at Ballinamore last Sunday.

Despite leading by nine points at one stage, Tyrone couldn’t maintain their advantage as Leitrim staged a remarkable comeback, ultimately winning by a single point.

Tyrone started the game in blistering fashion, racing into an early lead and establishing an eight-point advantage within the first seven minutes. Goals from Aoife Horisk and Sorcha Gormley, coupled with points from Maria Canavan, saw Tyrone dominating proceedings and looking poised for a comfortable victory.

Horisk’s goal came just a minute in, with Gormley teeing her up, and it was Horisk who sent Gormley in two minutes later as she beat Michelle Monaghan from the right.

Leitrim collected themselves though and the impressive Guckian managed to touch a ball from Laura O’Dowd into the net.

Canavan’s hopeful long ball caught Monaghan napping and found the net but that was Tyrone’s last score for 15 first half minutes. Guckian and Clancy landed doubles and Sarah Reynolds tested the crossbar as the hosts came back. Tyrone had goal chances at the other end, Aoibinn McHugh’s effort was pushed away by the impressive Charlene Tyrell and Horisk saw her effort saved before a late Gormley point had the score 3-4 to 1-6 at the break.

Guckian and Gormley exchanged early second half points before the young Carrickmore attacker collected from Horisk, held off four defenders and slotted in her side’s fourth goal.

That was followed quickly by Zoe Loughran who finished a move to the net from the right, Tyrone now ahead by nine.

Then came a flurry of Leitrim scores.Goals from Aibhe Clancy and Muireann Devaney, combined with some well-taken points from Michelle Guckian, saw Leitrim gradually chip away at Tyrone’s lead. Despite Tyrone’s best efforts to maintain their advantage, Leitrim’s determined play saw them take the lead for the first time on the 52nd minute.

The second half certainly saw a dramatic shift in momentum, with Leitrim mounting a spirited comeback and Tyrone struggling to regain their earlier dominance. Despite Tyrone managing to level the scores late in the game, a late point from Michelle Guckian proved to be the decisive blow, securing a historic victory for Leitrim.