Boston Shamrocks 1-11 Tir na nOg 2-9
The Boston Shamrocks and Tir na nOg played a very exciting
semi-final, a game in which either side could have won, each side gave
everything, and in the end it was the narrowest of margins that separated the
teams. Tir na nOg had a seven point advantage
after the first half, and the Shamrocks stormed back in the second only to fall
short at the very end.
Two goals and a point separated the teams at the half time
break, and each team suffered a loss in personnel to injury. Towards the end of the half the Shamrocks’
Rebecca Kelly had to leave the field and Shauna Jackson also suffered a game
ending injury, both appeared to be knee related. Jackson had opened the scoring with a goal
from a long range effort that floated into the far corner of the net, Tir na
nOg off to a flying start. Caroline Nee
netted the second after getting on the end of a ball put across the face of
goal by Fiona Morrissey and the Shamrocks had a lot of ground to make up.
 |
| The Shamrocks' Sara Delahunt faces Louise Bergin. |
Tir na nOg held the edge in play for most of the half,
driving forward through Louise Bergin, Nee, and Morrrissey. At the other end of the field Niamh Daly did
well at wing back, while the full back line held their opponents in check. Points came from Jackson, Chloe Ryan,
Morrissey, and Rebecca Stapleton. The
Shamrocks pointed through Rebeccca Mongan, and Lisa Flynn as they generated
chances, but often overplayed the ball.
At the half it was a 2-6 to 0-5 lead in favour of the Brighton side.
The second half saw the Shamrocks come back into it. This time it was Tir na nOg who were breaking
down in the opposing half of the field as Sinead Woods and Sarah Delahunt carried
the game from midfield for the Shamrocks.
Four points in the trot from Brid Devlin, Delahunt, and Leanne McCrystal
brought the Shamrocks within a goal of their opponents as the clock ticked
away.
 |
| Alison Taylor breaks away from Ciara McCormack. |
Each side defended with immense determination in the
critical last 10 minutes with the game in the balance. Lisa Brick held the fort for Tir na nOg and
Bernadette Murray did likewise for the Shamrocks; either side wanted to be the
one that let up. It was up and down the
field as each side went looking for that critical score, legs tired and passes
went astray and the closer the final whistle came, the more it felt that either
side could win it, Shamroks with a winning score or Tir na nOg with an
insurance.
It was Tir na nOg that made the breakthrough after Daly
returned to the action following a spell in the sin bin. A pointed Chloe Ryan free was followed by a
hard earned Shelly Walsh point to put two scores between the teams. Ryan’s would prove to be a critical score as
in injury time Delahunt hit a goal for the Shamrocks – it came a few minutes
too late. With the kickout the final
whistle sounded and it will be Tir na nOg versus Connacht Ladies in a repeat of
last year’s final.
Shamrocks: L. Burke,
B. Devlin, S. McLaughlin, C. McEleaney, C. McCormack, B. Murray, A. McDonnell,
S. Woods, S. Delahunt, L. Flavin, R. Mongan, L. McCrystal, S. O’Dowd, L. Flynn,
R. Kelly. Tir na nOg: N. Hynes, J. Davoran, R. Stapleton, L. Brick,
N. Daly, A. Taylor, F. NiBhriain, F. Morissey, C. Nee, R. Stapleton, C. Ryan,
S. Truarsk, S. Walsh, L. Bergin, S. Jackson.
By Rory O'Donnell
No comments:
Post a Comment