Tyrone camogs back on winning track

Tyrone  4-20 Down 1-6

TYRONE camogs clinched their first win of the All-Ireland Junior Championship series with an impressive display at home to Down on Saturday in Garvaghey.

The host Red Hand side took to the field keen aiming for a better result following reversals against Armagh and Tipperary. They will now aim to build on Saturday’s performance when meeting Wicklow away this Saturday.

Oilibhia Farley and Aoife McDonald teamed up effectively in Tyrone’s midfield ahead of a home defence with keeper Eimear Colton, Nicola McKiver and Grainne McDonald leading the line. Further up the field, home attackers like Lara Devlin, Cara Little and Roisin McErlean combined to supply the bulk of their team’s score total.

The Mourne girls scored the opening point of Saturday’s contest via Caitlin Coulter but the host team soon took command of the contest with a steady string of scores as play progressed. The lively Lara Devlin soon had the scores level before Aine Cunningham sent in a high effort that ended in the net after seven minutes.

Down found themselves increasingly on the backfoot as Tyrone grew in stature plus points arrived from Aoife McDonald, Roisin McErlean(2) and Cara Little(free). Roisin McErlean was showing up well and she found the net with a speculative shot that put the hosts 2-5 to 0-1 in front by the 17^th minute.

Cara Little was in sharp form and Little delivered a fine point prior to Lara Devlin doing likewise. Caitlin Coulter pointed to give the Mourne side some respite but Roisin McErlean rounded off a run by pointing as half-time drew closer. Cara Little then tagged on an additional point.

Roisin McErlean completed another well-worked Tyrone move when McErlean sent a stinging shot to the away net. Coulter pulled a point back for Down but Tyrone took a convincing lead of 3-9 to 0-3 into the interval.

Tyrone were quickly back on the attack once the closing 30 minutes started and Cara Little launched their second half score account with a point. Little then had an effort saved by Down custodian Amelia Magee but Mairead Donnelly pointed not long after.

Caitlin Davidson sent over Down’s opening point of the half but again the Red Hand camogs moved up field at pace for Cara Little and Roisin McErlean to point in swift succession. Little and Oilibhia Farley supplied further home points as well.

Cara Little and Caitlin Coulter swapped scores before Lara Devlin pointed. Centre-half back Grainne McDonald joined the scoring with a point. Devlin and McErlean supplemented Tyrone’s tally through points too.

Caitlin Coulter claimed a 53^rd minute goal for Down who kept battling away on the day. Tyrone replied in goal terms as Cara Little ran at the away defence and slotted home.

Closing scores were provided by Down’s Caitlin Davidson and Tyrone’s Lara Devlin as the Red Hand camogs now turn their attentions to the next fixture in Wicklow.

THE SCORERS…

Tyrone: Cara Little 1-7(4f), Roisin McErlean 2-4, Lara Devlin 0-4, Aine Cunningham 1-1, Oilibhia Farley 0-1, Mairead Donnelly 0-1, Grainne McDonald 0-1, Aoife McDonald 0-1

Down: Caitlin Coulter 1-4(2f), Caitlin Davidson 0-2

THE TEAMS

Tyrone:

Eimear Colton, Bronagh Moohan, Nicola McKiver, Mollie O’Hanlon, Meaghan Clarke, Grainne McDonald, Blathnait Kerr, Oilibhia Farley, Aoife McDonald, Lara Devlin, Roisin McErlean, Aine Cunningham, Cara Little, Miaread Donnelly, Becky Santos. Subs: Grainne Devlin, Grace Daly, Bronagh Barker, Rosie Kerr

Down: Amelia Magee, Cara McEvoy, Katie Morgan, Claire Morgan, Eimear Doyle, Ellen Shields, Sarah Malone, Shauna Fettes, Caitlin Davidson, Leona Murray, Rachel Monaghan, Caitlin Coulter, Ellie Rose Hynes, Emer Smyth, Caitlin McGrattan. Subs: Orlaith Sharkey, Sinead McAnenly, Tierna Savage

Referee: Jerome McAllister, Antrim