Tyrone Ladies avenge Down loss to make All-Ireland last eight

Down 2-8  Tyrone 1-14

TYRONE Ladies booked their place in the All Ireland Intermediate Championship quarter- finals by securing a three point win against Down at Pairc Esler on Sunday.

The result means Down are eliminated while the Red Hands now play Westmeath to determine which team tops the group.

With the late withdrawal of Chloe McCaffrey adding to several key injuries ruling out Meabh Corrigan and Emma McCrossan, as well as the first half losses of Grainne McKenna and Eimear Quinn to blood injuries, this could have proved a testing afternoon for Tyrone. Down had already got the better of them a month ago in the Ulster Championship.

However there was no sense of panic in the ranks and throughout they were steadfast in defence and deadly accurate in attack. Indeed Tyrone’s quality all over the park was evidenced as Sorcha Gormley hit 1-3 and Niamh O’Neill finished with five points against a battling home side desperate for the win.

The Tyrone defence and midfield partnership of Meabh Mallon and Aoibhinn McHugh were excellent too with Caitlin Campbell, Slaine McCarroll and Clare Canavan key in that well organised rearguard.

Level at the break, Tyrone hauled themselves back from four points down after 14 minutes with three frees from O’Neill.

The Red Hands had dominated the opening seven minutes piling on early pressure and enjoying plenty of ball but only having an O’Neill free to show for their efforts.

Against the run of play when Niamh Rice was upended Fitzpatrick slotted home a penalty adding a brisk 0-2 for Down as Tyrone’s indiscipline accounted for several free kicks.

Tyrone’s only first half point from play came from a well worked move that saw Aoibhinn McHugh send Horisk through to tag on a point.

Through the second quarter Tyrone enjoyed much more play as Down squandered several long range sorties.

Michaela Moore and blood sub Joanne Barrett were called into action with goalkeeper Alicia Coyle easily handing several long rangers that dropped short. O’Neill and the impressive home skipper McCreanor exchanged points heading to the final five minutes.

Horisk tested goalkeeper Cara Bradley with a right sided drive that was turned over the bar and a quick brace of O’Neill pointed frees, conceded by Down’s own indiscipline, levelled matters at the break as Natalie Burns talked herself into a yellow card on the whistle.

Fitzpatrick was on target within a minute of the restart to nudge her side ahead but in a sweeping move Gormley finished to the net after McHugh and O’Neill combined to tee up the youngster. That put Tyrone ahead for the first time and credit to them they were on the front foot until the end of a bristling contest.

Fitzpatrick and Niamh King tagged on points between Gormley and O’Neill points with the hosts struggling with their kick outs. Horisk and Gormley points exchanged with Fitzpatrick and King again on target, still left two between the sides before three Tyrone points on the bounce.

McCarroll rocked through to finish from the left as Gormley and Horisk were again quick to punish poor clearances with points.

A second Down penalty with five minutes left, this time scored by Aine Smyth with her first touch off the bench, tested the nerves of Tyrone, but they showed confidence and maturity to fend off the hosts as they pressed everything into attack to try and salvage their season.

A rigid defence stood firm though and once again Coyle collected two efforts that dropped short to ease the danger.

A late Aoife McGahan point from the left moved Tyrone out to three as they closed out the game.

Scorers

Down: Eimear Fiztpatrick 1-5, Aine Smyth 1-0,Niamh King 0-1 Ciara Mc Creanor 0-1

Tyrone: Sorcha Gormley 1-3 Niamh O’Neill 0-5 Aoife Horisk 0-4, Slaine Mc Carroll and Aoife Mc Gahan 0-1 each.

Teams

Down: Cara Bradley, Aimee Greene, Ciara McCreanor, Niamh McClary, Ciara Mulvenna, Natalie Brogan, Erin Sands, Meghan Doherty, Aoife Laverty, Eimear Fitzpatrick, Laoise Duffy, Niamh McGrath, Niamh King, Niaimh Rice, Viv McCormack. Subs: Shauna Fettis for McCormack, Eva Hicks for Fitzpatrick, Aine Smyth for Duffy

Tyrone: Amelia Coyle, Jayne Lyons, Grainne McKenna, Eimear Quinn, Slaine McCarroll, Michaela Moore, Claire Canavan, Aoibhinn Mc Hugh, Meabh Mallon, Elle McNamee, Sorcha Gormley, Aoife Horisk, Niamh O’Neill, Cara McCrossan, Ciara Colton Subs: Aine Grimes for McNamee, Aoife McGahan for McCrossan, Emer McCanny for Canavan. Blood subs Joanne Barrett for Quinn, Caitlin Campbell for McKenna

Referee: Anthony Marron ( Monaghan)