All Ireland Title For Impressive Tyrone

Sunday 16.09.2018

County

Tyrone 6-08 Meath 1-14

A goal in each half from Tyrone captain Neamh Woods helped her team claim the All-Ireland ladies intermediate title at Croke Park on Sunday. Tyrone showed considerable composure to find the net six times over the course of the game. Niamh Hughes, Grainne Rafferty, Niamh O’Neill and Gemma Begley all bagged goals as the Red Hands win ensured a return to senior football for next season.

Meath began strongly and opened the scoring when captain Niamh O’Sullivan bagged a fine point after four minutes.

Tyrone responded well and after a superb move Woods was in position A to palm the ball to the net to give Tyrone a lead they would not lose. The team captain produced an outstanding game as along with her midfield partner Emma Jane Gervin they carried the game to their opponents.

Minutes later a prostrate Áine Canavan offloaded to Hughes and the Aodh Ruadh player showed considerable composure to finish to the net. Grainne Rafferty was in the right place at the right time to add Tyrone’s third as they opened up a nine point lead. Tyrone then lost Àine Canavan to an ankle injury and she was replaced by Niamh O’Neill.

Meath were forced to dig deep and they showed great character to reduce the deficit to 3-2 to 0-7. Sensing danger however Tyrone finished the first half strongly. Chloe McCaffrey hit a great point before the outstanding Emma Jane Gervin sent Niamh O’Neill through for goal number four and a 4-3 to 0-7 half-time lead.

Tyrone were keen to start the second half well and captain Neamh Woods ensured they did just that with her second goal of the game when she took a fine pass from Niamh Hughes and finished to the net.

Even at that early stage the writing was well and truly on the wall for The Royals and there was a certain feeling about the inevitability of the outcome.

Credit to Stacey Grimes, Vikki Wall and Orlagh Lally as they continued to battle to the end and their endeavours kept the Meath tally moving. However any chance of a Meath comeback was ended when Gemma Begley struck for her team’s sixth goal of the day and sealed the title for the Red Hands.

Scorers – Tyrone: N Woods 2-0, N O’Neill 1-3, G Rafferty 1-2, G Begley 1-1 (0-1f), N Hughes 1-0, C McCaffrey 0-2. Meath: S Grimes 1-5 (1-0 pen, 0-3f), N O’Sullivan 0-2, F O’Neill 0-2, O Lally 0-2, V Wall 0-1, M Thynne 0-1, E White 0-1.

Tyrone: S Lynch; E Mulgrew, C Conway, E Brennan; N McGirr, S McCarroll, J Barrett; N Woods, EJ Gervin; N Hughes, L Quinn, A Canavan; G Rafferty, G Begley, C McCaffrey.

Subs: N O’Neill for Canavan (12), M Canavan for Quinn (43), E Hegarty for McCaffrey (51), C Hunter for Barrett (55), C Kelly for Begley (58).

Meath: M McGuirk; O Lally, O Duff, K Newe; N Gallogly, S Ennis, M Thynne; M O’Shaughnessy, K Byrne; M Farelly, A Cleary, V Wall; S Grimes, N O’Sullivan, F O’Neill.

Subs: S Wall for Cleary (10), A Leahy for Gallogly (37), E White for O’Neill (45), B Keogh for Ennis (52), S Powderly for Byrne (5