Tyrone Camogs ease past Louth in Nancy Murray Cup

Tyrone 3-16

Louth 2-3

TYRONE booked their place in the final of the Nancy Murray Cup at Pairc Eire Og on Saturday with Sally McCann, Roisin McErlean and Reagan Fay leading the hosts to a big win over Louth.

The Red Hands play Wicklow this week and the sides will meet again in the decider on August 6.

There was never any doubt about Saturday’s outcome with Tyrone strong in all departments. Louth did have opportunities with home goalkeeper Eimear Colton making some excellent stops with the Louth number nine Cara McKeever the visitors’ only real threat.

The first half was dominated by Tyrone full forward McCann. She hit 3-3 and was a constant threat in everything good about the hosts who led by 13 points at the break. McKeever hit Louth’s only first half score, a goal just shy of the break.

In the second half Tyrone kept the scoreboard moving despite hitting some 14 wides over the hour.

After a cagey opening ten minutes McCann collected a long Fay ball and steered it to the Louth net.

With the wind at their backs the home side pressed home their advantage.

Aoife Teague kicked over a point and as Rosin McErlean added from a 45 by the quarter mark the Dungannon player combined with McCann who spun away from the defender to bag a second goal. Louth’s only chance ended with Colton making a fine stop to thwart McKeever.

McCann added a further brace of points, one long range and the other following an excellent move by Grainne McDonald and Una McCann. The talented forward also had a great effort saved by McMahon.

McDonald herself tagged on a point before McCann’s good run was rewarded with a third goal before the break and the dominance of Tyrone was underlined with McCann’s third point and McErlean’s second before the break.

McKeever had been fortunate to beat Colton with a long dropping ball but in reality that’s all the “wee county” offered in a one-sided half.

McKeever opened the second half with a point and Louth hit a third wide, yet Tyrone pressed again.

Three points from the deadly accurate McErlean and two from Fay in the third quarter with a single point from Mc Keever in reply had Tyrone coasting although they also hit double figures on the wide count.

Manager Declan Sherlock ran the bench for the latter stages of the tie but they kept the score board ticking over with Fay and Aine McNulty, playing a more attacking role, dropping over points.

Louth pegged away, McKeever drilled over a free and Niamh Fennell crashed home a goal with four minutes left, yet once again Tyrone finished strongly.

The wide count kept risng although Cara Little did hit a point and aptly Sally McCann from the Naomh Brid side was on hand for the day’s final point.

A clinical and effective Tyrone performance and one to build on this weekend ahead of the final.

Bronagh Barker, Aoife Teague and Catherine Muldoon were solid throughout with Fay, Grainne Mc Donald, McErlean and McCann very effective score getters.