AIB All Ireland Intermediate Club Championship Semi-Final (by Eamonn Byrne)
Bennekerry/Tinryland 4-6 Mullahoran (Cavan) 1-12
The dream is still alive. Bennekerry/Tinryland ladies are still in dreamland after a momentous win over highly fancied Ulster and Cavan champions Mullahoran in a classic AIB All-Ireland semi-final at Kingspan Breffni Park in Cavan on Saturday last 30th November. They will now contest the All-Ireland final in Croke Park on Saturday 14th December against the winners of the other semi-final which takes place today (Sunday 1st December) between O’Donovan Rossa from Cork and Galway champions Annaghadown.
The old adage that a good start is half the battle certainly applied for the Carlow and Leinster champions as they hit the home team with 2 brilliant goals within 6 minutes of the throw in despite playing against a very strong wind.
The opening goal arrived after only 90 seconds when Lauren Dwyer crashed the ball past Mullahoran netminder Fainche Higgins after receiving a pin-point pass from from Cliodhna Ni She. The Ulster champions playing in front of a large partisan crowd opened their account 2 minutes later when their ex Australian rules player Aishling Sheridan converted a free. Orla Woods then showed her class when she scored a well taken point after receiving another brilliant delivery from Cliodhna and it got even better for BT when Sinead Hayden who was on fire throughout this epic game scored her sides 2nd goal to increase the advantage to six points with only six minutes gone.
A defensive error in the 12th minute by the Carlow champions gave Mullahoran a lifeline when Geraldine Sheridan rattled the net and the advantage was eroded to the minimum by the 16th minute after excellent scores by Aishling Sheridan and corner forward Kate Fegan.
Just as the large group of Bennekerry/Tinryland supporters were getting worried by the Mullahoran revival up popped Sinead Hayden to score a superb individual goal to let our supporters breathe a little easier.
The closing stages of the opening half saw intense pressure being applied by the hot favourites from Ulster and they tagged on 4 unanswered points from Aishling Sheridan (3) and Emilia Mussi to leave matters all square when Sligo referee Gus Chapman sounded the half time whistle.
Just before the break Bennekerry/Tinryland were dealt a severe blow when corner back Clodagh Mahon had to withdraw after suffering a nasty shoulder injury.
When the second half began super sub from the Leinster final Maeve O’Neill was introduced and she once again made an instant impact winning valuable ball with her team now enjoying some help from the elements. Sinead Hayden who had one of her best games ever in the black and amber then put BT back in front 6 minutes after the re-start. In similar fashion to the opening half BT then went for the jugular and Elaine Ware scored a brilliant individual goal which was quickly supplemented by a Maeve O’Neill point which saw the Carlow side extend their advantage to six points once again mid-way through the 2nd half. A superb Aishling Sheridan point from play and two successful frees from the same player left only 3 points separating the teams by the 53rd minute but Cliodhna Ni She who was making a big impact steadied the ship with an excellent point from play to edge BT ahead by 4 points as the clock ticked down. The large attendance from Carlow and Cavan roared on the 2 teams as their heroes left everything on the pitch and Mullahoran reduced the BT advantage to 3 points as the clock moved into stoppage time.
Bennekerry/Tinryland supporters’ hearts were in their mouths as the red- hot favourites from the Breffni County went in search of an equalising goal in the 4 minutes of stoppage time. The BT ladies stood up to every attack at this stage and goalkeeper and captain Shannen Cotter certainly played her part with a wonderful save as time ticked by. When the referee finally sounded the long whistle after what seemed like an eternity there was jubilation among the BT players and supporters as it sank in that they will now play an All-Ireland final in Croke park. Great credit is due to all the players and their superb management team of Chris Townsend (Manager) together with coaches Niall Barrett, Conor Byrne and ex Irish rugby International Alisson Miller who have scaled new heights with the team.
Bennekerry/Tinryland: Shannen Cotter, Clodagh Mahon, Leanne Corcoran, Leah Mullins, Ruth Bermingham, Nuala Mohan, Marie Cranny, Liz Lowry, Elaine Ware 1-0, Aoibhin Webb, Cliodhna Ni She 0-3, Lauren Dwyer 1-0, Orla Woods, Sarah Nolan, Sinead Hayden2-1. Subs: Maeve O’Neill 0-1, Katie Bullen. Other panel members Joanne Cranny, Sarah Doyle, Deirdre Tomlinson, Lily O’Neill, Jane Bullen, Aine Byrne, Ellie Dowling, Emma O’Neill, Grainne Thompson, Anna Crosby, Sinead Thompson.
