Tyrone Ladies reach All-Ireland Final after extra-time drama

Tyrone 4-17 Westmeath 4-14

(After extra time)

THERE will be a return trip to Croke Park for Tyrone ladies this summer as the mood in the county was lifted by an enthralling extra-time win over Westmeath in the All-Ireland Intermediate Football Championship semi-final, played in Carrick-on-Shannon on Sunday.

The obituary of Tyrone’s season though could well have been written at the end of normal time as they trailed by six points. Yet the resilience and quality of Niamh O’Neill and Aoife Horisk shone through.

When Tyrone needed them most the duo came up with the goods. Horisk created and crashed home a goal with O’Neill hitting 0-3 including the equaliser deep into injury time to save Tyrone’s season.

Then, one moment of Sorcha Gormley magic won this game for the Red Hands. After being soundly marked she broke away to get a critical goal in the second half of extra time as Tyrone won by three.

In reality, Westmeath will be wondering how they lost this game. In intense heat they were well-drilled at the back and creative in attack.

Fiona Coyle was outstanding all day, Lucy Power, Ayesha Roche and Sarah Murphy were tireless, while Anna Jones scored 2-5 and Sarah Dillon hit several excellent points in her 0-7.

Westmeath were certainly up for the challenge. After conceding six goals in their last meeting, it was a different proposition.

However, Tyrone responded. Claire Canavan, Slaine McCarroll and Meabh Corrigan were superb while the introduction of O’Neill at half-time and Chloe McCaffrey through the half added something more to them as they progressed… albeit eventually.

Despite a powerful opening seven minutes that saw Tyrone clock up four points, they failed to register another first half score with a well-organised Westmeath leading by two points at the break.

The Red Hands had their chances though in front of goal. Slaine McCarroll drove over a point from close range, Sorcha Gormley had a shot from the right well-saved by Aoife Temple, while Cara McCrossan was denied by the excellent right back Lara McCartan after closing past the keeper.

Late replacement Sasha Byrne opened the Tyrone account within a minute, Horisk dropped over a free, Mc Hugh teed up McCrossan and McCarroll could have netted as they went four up.

A patient Westmeath were on target when Lucy McCartan pointed from the right. While Tyrone huffed and puffed and Temple saved, the lateral and crisp passing game from the Midlanders proved fruitful.

Anna Jones landed a free, McCartan put Sarah Dillon through for a point and while Tyrone squandered two scoreable frees Westmeath made hay.

First Jones levelled things and a great move from Lucy Power and Ayesha Roche was finished over the bar by Dillon, who added her side’s sixth point in the closing stages of a half played in stifling conditions.

The last action of the half should have produced a Red Hand goal. A quick free from McHugh was collected by McCrossan who beat the goalkeeper only for McCartan to make a fine save.

As expected, Tyrone drafted in Niamh O’Neill to their attack for the second half and she made an immediate impact as Tyrone stormed into a six-point lead within six minutes with the Sperrin Og ace pivotal.

Scoring the first followed by a Horisk free, Gormley pointed before Horisk again collected a shabby kick-out and replied with a goal.

The Errigal player and O’Neill added further points as last year’s All-Ireland finalists threatened to run away with the tie.

Cue the retort led by Dillon. Grainne Byrne tagged on a point, while Roche’s through ball was worked in for a Katie Kilmurray goal, with the superb Jones landing an equaliser – all of this coming in a five-minute spell.

Westmeath drove home their comeback on the turn of the quarter when Jones slotted in a penalty after her free dropped short and Dillon was fouled. Tyrone had a chance of redemption almost right away when Gormley had her own penalty saved by Temple.

Despite pulling a goal back when McCarroll’s effort was saved and poked home by O’Neill it was Westmeath who again pulled clear. McCartan’s ball from the left wasn’t dealt with well enough and Caiomhe Kilmurray held off goalkeeper Amelia Coyle and Eimer Quinn to find the net. As the end of normal time came Dillon took the lead to six points.

Over and out? Not so as O’Neill pointed and saw a shot well-saved by Temple. The Greencastle girl – who finished with 1-6 – flashed over another point before Horisk on the run through the defence crashed home a goal with a bad clearance from the kick out punished by O’Neill. Extra time secured.

McCaffrey hit a double of Tyrone points and Dillon struck two beauties as the sides went in level for a sixth time by the interval with both teams making changes in the heat. O’Neill sent Gormley in on goal on the restart but she hit the post but she was rewarded minutes later.

Horisk dropped over a free with quick thinking out left by O’Neill and McCaffrey put the Carrickmore youngster through and she made no mistake. Tyrone, now four clear, were pegged back as a brace of Jones points closed the gap to two deep into added time but it was quite apt that Horisk landed a late free to seal a remarkable comeback and win.

Scorers

Tyrone: Aoife Horisk 2-5, Niamh O’Neill 1-6, Sorcha Gormley 1-1, Chloe McCaffrey 0-2, Cara McCrossan 0-1, Slaine McCarroll 0-1, Sasha Byrne 0-1.

Westmeath: Anna Jones 2-5, Sarah Dillon 0-7, Caiome Kilmurray 1-0, Katie Kilmurray 1-0, Lucy Mc Cartan, 0-1, Grainne Byrne 0-1.

Teams

Tyrone: Amelia Coyle, Jayne Lyons, Grainne McKenna, Eimear Quinn, Caitlin Campbell, Meabh Mallon, Claire Canavan, Aoibhinn McHugh, Slaine McCarroll, Elle McNamee, Sorcha Gormley, Aoife Horisk, Sasha Byrne, Cara McCrossan, Meabh Corrigan. Subs: Niamh O’Neill for Byrne, Aine Strain for Lyons, Emer McCanny for McNamee, Katie Rose Muldoon for Canavan, Aine Grimes for Quinn, Emma Conroy for Campbell, Chloe McCaffrey for McCrossan.

Westmeath: Aoife Temple, Lara McCartan, Sarah Murphy, Fiona Coyle, Chloe Gonoud, Lucy Power, Ashley Ruane, Vicky Carr, Ayesha Roche, Lucy McCartan, Sarah Dillon, Tracey Dillon, Grainne Byrne, Anna Jones, Caoimhe Kilmurray. Subs: Katie Kilmurray for Ruane, Fran Walsh for Coyle, Coyle for Walshe, Ruane for McCartan.

Referee: Gus Chapman, Sligo