Tyrone’s grit pleases Grimes

A STERLING second half performance booked Tyrone Ladies a date with Down in the All-Ireland Intermediate Championship semi-final later this month but it seemed unlikely at the break against Clare last Sunday.

The visitors found themselves six points down at half time in Ennis after conceding two goals inside a minute, despite dominating the contest. Tyrone coach Barry Grimes admitted that they were annoyed to go in trailing at the break.

“ We went in disappointed. We hadn’t played that badly and knew that with a few tweaks we could fix things. Clare are a big strong team but the honest hard work in the second half from everyone can’t be coached. The girls went up a level and found a way to win.”

A goal and two points from Chloe McCaffrey kickstarted the comeback that was topped off with a fine solo goal from player of the match Aoife Horisk. However it took real character, some teak tough defending and even a slice of luck for Tyrone to come out on top.

Grimes felt that the second half display was one of the best he had seen from this current crop of players.

“ It took one hell of a second half to see us through although their goalkeeper made some fine stops. Maybe on another day we could have sailed through,” smiled a delighted Grimes who re-joined the management set-up this year.

Sunday’s tie at Ennis was billed as the potential final. Tyrone came in as one of the fancied sides against last year’s beaten finalists but in reality it was the visitors who played the better football.

Well organised in all departments they moved the ball fluently through the lines with Emma Jane Gervin, Horisk and McCaffrey threatening at every opportunity.

At the back they were excellent with goalkeeper Amelia Coyle making two key stops as well as great contributions from the entire back six.

Despite the positives the win has come at a cost though as Grimes explained.

“The game was tough on the bodies and we lost Zoe Loughran, Aine Grimes and Chloe McCaffrey to injury with a few others now carrying knocks from the game. All we can do now is get them assessed this week and hope that everyone comes through this week’s All-County league games unscathed.”

There was no Sorcha Gormley or Nicole Donaghy at the weekend either as the duo are concentrating on the All- Ireland Minor semi-final planned for the 11th July.

Three days later they could well be liningg out for the seniors who will face the challenge of Ulster champions Down.

“Down are a good team,” stressed Barry. “I read somewhere this week that they are the inform team at the minute in ladies football and that highlights the task that we have ahead of us. We have to turn in an even better performance to reach Croke Park again.”

Down were three-point winners in a tight contest against Ulster rivals Monaghan in their All-Ireland quater-final. Natasha Ferris and Sarah Dougherty found the net for Mourneside in either half while the free-taking of Niamh King helped get them over the line.

The Red Hands have two weeks to prepare for that encounter with Armagh or Clones a potential venue.

Tyrone have held the Indian sign over Down in recent years having beaten them in four Ulster Intermediate Championship Finals since 2016.

Meanwhile Leitrim, guided by Fintona’s Jonny Garrity, had a two point quarter final win over a hotly tipped Roscommon to set up a semi-final meeting against Wexford. Garrity had previously managed the Tyrone minors.