Tyrone Camogs win well in Wicklow

Wicklow 0-7   Tyrone 1-10

TYRONE camogs signed off from the All-Ireland Premier group stages with a really gritty display to triumph away in Wicklow.

Saturday’s success made it two wins from four games as the Red Hand camp now prepare for a Premier quarter-final with Cavan up next this weekend. Challenging weather conditions greeted the two teams but both nevertheless strived to cope and they did produce a compelling tussle that saw a tenacious Tyrone team emerge victorious.

Scores were at something of a premium amid the unseasonal weather but Tyrone held a key edge in this department as Roisin McErlean, with five points, and Cara Little on 1-3 led the line effectively in a hard working forward division overall.

Tyrone’s defence and midfield put in solid shifts and subs brought on during the course of play also added another dimension to the match dynamics.

Opening points were traded by Ciara Connolly for Wicklow and Tyrone’s Cara Little before Laura Smyth and Nicola Curran scores pushed the Leinster side two in front. Blathnait Kerr and the away defence were blocking and battling well to help prevent Wicklow building up a more sizeable advantage.

The Tyrone team soon had their side of the scoreboard turning over as Roisin McErlean and a Cara Little place conversion evened matters up at 0-3 each 14 minutes in. Shannagh Goetelen then scored Wicklow’s fourth point but Roisin McErlean replied from a free.

A follow-up McErlean free gave Tyrone a narrow lead and Lauren Fiztgerald was also on target, although Ciara Connolly and Laura Smyth tied the scores at 0-6 apiece heading into the interval.

It was during the course of the second 30 minutes that Tyrone gradually got a tighter grip on proceedings as the rain intensified. Tyrone’s Mairead Donnelly and Wicklow’s Nicola Curran swapped scores but the away defence didn’t concede any further scores in the remainder of the match.

The only goal of the game arrived when Lauren Fitzgerald and Cara Little combined for Little to strike home the three-pointer. It was a telling moment in a half that served up only a few scores and Wicklow found the visitors in no mood to let their hold on the contest slip. It’s on now then to those quarter-finals for Tyrone.

SCORERS

Wicklow: Ciara Connolly 0-2, Laura Smyth 0-2, Nicola Curran 0-2, Shannagh Goetelen 0-1

Tyrone: Cara Little 1-3, Roisin McErlean 0-5, Lauren Fitzgerald 0-1, Mairead Donnelly 0-1

TEAMS

Wicklow: C Hughes, N O’Neill, F Corrigan, A Mulhall, H Doyle, A Connolly, C Kelly, S Goetelen, S O’Shea, S Bermingham, L Smyth, I Doyle, E Tyrell, C Connolly, N Curran. Subs: P Cullen Dunne, D Cullen Dunne.

Tyrone: Eimear Colton, Mollie O’Hanlon, Bronagh Moohan, Nicola McKiver, Blathnait Kerr, Meaghan Clarke, Grainne McDonald, Oilibhia Farley, Aoife McDonald, Roisin McErlean, Siobhan Donnelly, Aine Cunningham, Cara Little, Miaread Donnelly, Lauren Fitzgerald. Subs: Grainne Devlin, Roisin O’Neill McKee, Kate Daly, Becky Santos, Niamh Clarke