Ladies Senior Football: Connacht Ladies into Final in First Season

Connacht Ladies 2-11 Tir na nOg 1-9

Boston’s newest club, Connacht Ladies, are in the Boston final in their first season thanks to a semi-final win over Tir na nOg.  Early in the second half it looked as though the current champions might pull through, but Connacht struck with a Jane Ward goal and four unanswered points to finish the game.

Connacht Ladies Defeated Tir na nOg Sunday Afternoon.

It was a tight first 30 minutes.  Connacht got off the a flying start with a goal from Imelda McNulty, however Tir na nOg got their act together and picked off four points from local girls, Sinead Bannon and Caroline Nee, followed by a third from Dubliner, Noelle Healy.  Connacht’s Jane Ward and Louise Brett kept their team’s noses in front with a point each as the game ebbed and flowed, and then Tir na nOg struck with a great goal from Nee.  Healy made a run from the middle of the field and the Dublin county player found Nee on the edge of the square with a great pass; Nee sidestepped the keeper and netted.  Aisling Kerr, another of the youth graduates, did well clearing up at corner back for Connacht as Tir na nOg looked for an answer.  Jackie McDonagh put Connacht in the lead with a point, and Ailbhe O’Neill did well to save a close range shot from Ward to keep it a one point deficit at the break.  Tir na nOg 1-5 Connacht 1-4.

Tir na nOg Ladies Footballers 

Tir na nOg got off to the better for the second 30 minutes.  Nee pointed twice to put the champions in the lead, but the girls from Connacht came back to level through Brett.  The Sligo county player then followed with another point as the Connacht ladies worked the ball well from the back.  Connacht then struck with a goal from Ward to send them into a four point lead going into the last quarter of the game.  Tir na nOg rallied to try and turn the tables.  Tir na nOg’s Healy and Caoimhe Keoghegan pointed to reduce the deficit to two points and it seemed as if the tide could turn as Tir na nOg looked like they had the advantage in possession.  The newcomers finished stronger however.  Connacht continued to play the ball well when in possession and ended the game with four points on the trot from Ann Marie McDaid (2), McNulty, and Brett.  And so, it will be the oldest and newest ladies football clubs in the final next week, when Boston Shamrocks provide the opposition for Connacht Ladies.

Referee:  Norbert Walsh (An Mhi)

Player of the Game:  Louise Brett (Connacht Ladies)

Connacht:  C. Heraty, L. Burns, J. O’Connell, A. Kerr, L. Ryan, I. McNulty, M. Treanor, K. O’Shea, C. Newton, M. Mullan, L. Brett, A. McDaid, J. Ward, S. Ryan, J. McDonagh.  Tir na nOg:  A. O’Neill, N. O’Neill, J. Davoran, K. Coombes, C. Mullen, N. Daly, C. Keoghegan, A. Connolly, P. Greene, C. Hanley, N. Healy, L. Kehoe, S. Bannon, C. Nee, M. Walsh.

By Rory O'Donnell