Tyrone Ladies draw with Clare

TYRONE 3-6  CLARE 2-9

GRAINNE Rafferty scored a penalty with almost the last kick of the game to earn Tyrone a share of the spoils against Clare in Longford on Sunday in the All-Ireland Intermediate Ladies Championship.

The Munster side bossed the second period for long periods, scoring 1-4 without reply in the third quarter, however, Tyrone never gave up and ultimately snatched the draw.

In some respects this was a dead rubber given that both sides were safely through before Sunday but there was plenty of food for thought for both managers ahead of the quarter final. With more points scored in the game, Clare top the group with the Red Hands in runner up spot and facing an away trip now to Kildare in the knockout stages.

Aoibhinn McHugh played well for Tyrone once again, Sasha Byrne worked hard to press Clare’s defence while goalkeeper Sinead McVey once again was solid in what turned out to be an open game of football.

Heavy rain did not deter Tyrone who went 1-2 up in the opening ten minutes, Maria Canavan carving out the opening score and Emma Jane Gervin steering in a goal after good work from Sasha Byrne. Caitlin Campbell tagged on a second point before Aishling Reidy opened the Clare account.

Tyrone pressed well and at the back looked comfortable in the opening twenty five minutes pushing the Clare side out the park with Marrinan and Lizzy Roche forced into long range points. Aoife Horisk punished a horrible kick out with Tyrone’s third point but they conceded 1-1 in the latter stages of the half.

Reidy did well with a goal and Chloe Moloney added the point in the closing stages with a Canavan free Tyrone’s only score in sixteen minutes of play to leave things all square by the break.

Tyrone started the second period with Sasha Byrne scoring to nudge them a point ahead.

However as the half took shape it was Clare who added the scores, carving out a series of chances in a pulsating third quarter with the stiff breeze at their backs.

Amy Sexton, after good work from Sinead McVey to deny a goal, pointed on the run, before a brace of points from Marrinan and one from Moloney put Clare in th edriving seat.

When Megan Downes slammed in a goal on 43 minutes Clare were six points ahead and very much in the ascendancy.

Granted Tyrone missed chances too and were always a threat, Gervin and Horisk worked hard to open chinks in the Clare armour while Canavan and Byrne were at times starved of ball but in the last ten minutes the game swung in Tyrone’s favour.

Gervin’s long probing ball from wide right dropped in and over goalkeeper Amy Lenihan with Lyons also closing in to leave things tense, Laura Ryan closed in on goal and McVey did enough to put her off as the gap remained four.

Heading into injury time Byrne was fouled and Rafferty dropped over a key point. Byrne then crashed through again on Gervin’s pass and when the penalty was awarded Rafferty made no mistake.

Still there was time for both teams to grab a winner.

In the closing stages the Red Hands had to dig deep as Clare pressed through Marrinan but Magee was equal to the challenge at the back in what was an end to end climax.

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