Tyrone 2-20 Fermanagh 2-15
(after extra-time)
NEARLY midway through extra-time of a rollercoaster All-Ireland Intermediate Championship quarter-final at Kildress on Sunday, the Erne ladies looked perfectly poised to reach the last four of the competition for the first time ever.
A second goal from their sensational sharpshooter Eimear Smyth propelled Fermanagh into a 2-14 to 0-17 lead and the hosts were essentially running out of time.
But it wasn’t over yet. Points from Aoife Horisk and Niamh O’Neill brought Tyrone back into contention, and then after such a gruelling, energy-sapping battle Sorcha Gormley somehow summoned the energy to drag the game by the scruff of the neck, landing 2-1 without reply deep into the second period of extra-time to undo Fermanagh’s dream of back-to-back national titles.
It was some game of football, needless to say. At times,Fermanagh looked the most likely to prevail. At other junctures, it was the visitors in the ascendancy. It swung this way and that throughout and both teams deserve immense credit for their part in a richly entertaining and hugely sporting contest.
Tyrone had enjoyed the brighter start to proceedings, racing into a 0-5 to 0-1 lead with Aoife Horisk and Sorcha Gormley interlinking with their dynamic half-backs Slaine McCarroll and Claire Canavan.
The Erne County worked their way into proceedings and won a few frees which Eimear Smyth duly converted, before a cracking score from Gormley left Tyrone with a 0-6 to 0-4 lead.
Fermanagh were tackling with huge energy and that was making life increasingly difficult for the Red Hands, and by half-time it was all square on the scoreboard at 0-7 apiece.
The teams traded further scores before a big moment in the game, a penalty handed the way of Fermanagh. Eimear Smyth made no mistake – and while she finished her day’s work with 2-10 to her name (including six frees), her colleague up front Joanne Doonan also caused a lot of damage in the second-half in particular.
Tyrone responded well to the goal with quickfire points from Horisk and Cara McCrossan, and they could’ve got a goal – or even two – only substitute Niamh O’Neill’s shot was parried by the Fermanagh goalkeeper before Horisk’s effort a few minutes later pinged back off the crossbar.
The determined Erne girls kept their noses in front with points from Smyth and Molly McGloin, ensuring they led by 1-11 to 0-11 with fewer than ten minutes remaining. Tyrone’s championship hopes were on the line, and they seized the initiative with five of the next six scores, two from the boot of influential sub Emer McCanny.
The Red Hand teammates were on a roll and an injury-time free from Aoife Horisk moved Tyrone into a 0-16 to 1-12 lead. It looked like Tyrone had done enough to edge a colossal battle, but Fermanagh were granted a late reprieve when Smyth steered over a superb free from her wrong side to send the match into extra-time.
It was a moment of sheer class from the Derrygonnelly sharpshooter.
It was back to square one. McCanny scored the first-point of extra-time before Fermanagh made their move with a Doonan point followed up by Smyth’s second goal of the game, tucking the ball into an empty net after a mix-up at the back from her Tyrone counterparts.
Tyrone got the final score of the first-half of extra-time to leave two points between the teams again (Fermanagh led 2-14 to 0-18), but it was still a big ask to reel in their opponents with only 10 minutes remaining.
But ultimately, Fermanagh couldn’t quite hang on. Niamh O’Neill landed a fine score before Horisk was fouled for a penalty.
Sorcha Gormley, who had a massive personal battle with Fermanagh skipper Shannan McQuade, stepped up and picked her spot, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way.
She then scored a Messi-esque goal much to the delight of the Tyrone supporters, and in the space of a few minutes Tyrone had found themselves in the ascendancy.
All they needed was the insurance score and they got it when Gormley landed an awesome point from play, and that was basically that. Tyrone had prevailed after a belter of a contest but Fermanagh can take solace in the role they played in a game of the highest quality.
Scorers
Tyrone: Sorcha Gormley (2-4), Aoife Horisk (0-8, 0-4f), Emer McCanny (0-3), Sasha Byrne, Elle McNamee, Slaine McCarroll, Cara McCrossan and Niamh O’Neill (0-1 each)
Fermanagh: Eimear Smyth (2-10, 0-7f), Joanne Doonan (0-2), Aoife McCabe, Molly McGloin and Bronagh Smyth (0-1 each)
Teams
Tyrone: Amelia Coyle, Jayne Lyons, Grainne McKenna, Eimear Quinn, Slaine McCarroll, Caitlin Campbell, Meabh Corrigan, Claire Canavan, Aoibhinn McHugh, Sasha Byrne, Elle McNamee, Sorcha Gormley, Aoife Horisk, Cara McCrossan, Ciara Colton. Subs: Niamh O’Neill for Byrne, Emer McCanny for McNamee, Aine Strain for Colton, Aine Grimes for Lyons, Katie Rose Muldoon for McCrossan
Fermanagh: Aine Haran, Shannan McQuade, Ciara Clarke, Eimear Keenan, Sarah McCarville, Courteney Murphy, Bronagh Smyth, Sinead Barrett, Molly McGloin, Aoife McCabe, Cliodhna Martin, Lisa Maguire, Joanne Doonan, Eimear Smyth, Niamh McManus: Subs: Cadhla-Cara Bogue for McCarville