Ladies Football: Tyrone Set To Welcome Cork To Killyclogher

Tuesday 27.03.2012

Club

BORD GAIS NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE

Six wins from six starts, that’s Cork record ahead of their trip to Killyclogher this Sunday to face Tyrone in the Bord Gais ladies national league. Gerry Moane’s side secured their place in the top flight again next season with a second win of the year last time out against Donegal but face perhaps their biggest test of the season this weekend. The Rebelettes have been unstoppable this season. They find themselves set for the league semi-finals and perhaps Moane’s side can hope that they may use this trip to Ballinamullan to reshuffle things as Tyrone continue to field teams with large numbers of players unavailable for various reasons.
Last weekend Jordanstown lost to Cork in the O’Connor Cup final as Loreto Omagh claimed the all Ireland A colleges title. Moane watched both finals and remains upbeat about the county side.
” We still have a lot of players out and it was evident that the absence of some of those players last week for UUJ caused them problems too. That said I looked at Loreto and as I have said recently there’s several players in John Quinn’s squad that we will certainly be looking to bring in to the senior set up ahead of the championship”
Moane and his management team have made it clear, even before the start of the current league campaign that this is a “work in progress”. “It’s not all about this year” admitted Moane recently. “We are looking at a three year plan” .The younger players who have come on board this year have impressed and the door remains firmly open for any player who feels they have something to offer. This weekend there will be a familiar look to Tyrone as they wrap up what has been a difficult league campaign.
Gemma Begley has returned from a hamstring strain although Eimear Teague and Linda Donnelly continue to struggle. Neamh Woods made a surprise appearance for UUJ last weekend but was clearly some distance away from being fully fit, struggling throughout both games. Omagh’s Christiane Hunter played no part in the O’Connor Cup after knee surgery. However her rehabilitation is underway and Moane has targeted the championship against Monaghan for her ,Woods and Paula Donnelly’s full return.

Cork have certainly been the form team during the league campaign. Household names on a rampant Rebellettes forward line Geraldine O’ Flynn, Briege Corkery , Ciara O’ Sullivan, Laura McMahon and Laura Cronin have terrorised defences from Kildare to Meath. They have scored thirteen goals between them but it’s been the work rate shown that has caused their opponents so many problems. The signs are ominous ahead of the All Ireland campaign baring in mind that Cork are not yet firing on all cylinders.

Tyrone though will go into the tie without fear. They have nothing to lose after all and for several of this new look squad it will afford the management a chance to see how they will fare against the country’s finest.
“We are looking forward to welcoming Cork to Tyrone. We have played our games at Omagh and at Killyclogher this season and that regularity has been good for us all. It’s a stern test. Cork are the form team but we have improved through this campaign. There’s been players missing but we have given others the chance. I hope we can turn in a good performance and then we will look at the next step, the championship” enthused Moane as he watched his side go through another run out against the county minor squad earlier this week.

It’s expected the senior squad will have a week or so off after Sunday’s tie as the new club season begins on Easter Saturday with a full fixture list planned. Clubs will be keen to put the final touches to their pre season build ups and the welcome return of county players will be a boost.

Sunday’s game at Killyclogher throws in at 3pm.