Bennekerry/Tinryland heading for All-Ireland final at Croke Park after fantastic win
Clíodhna Ní Shé, Ruth Bermingham and Aoibhín Webb celebrate Bennekerry/Tinryland's remarkable achievement Photo: Pat Ahern
Bennekerry/Tinryland are heading to Croke Park for the All-Ireland Intermediate Football Championship final after a wonderful win over Mullahoran in Breffni Park, Cavan this afternoon.
Chris Townsend’s team had to endure some spells on the backfoot but they showed the heart of a champion to dig in when needed and their quality shone through in the final quarter when they were able to see out a famous win.
They made a fantastic start when Lauren Dwyer scored a goal inside the opening two minutes and then were in dreamland when Sinead Hayden scored their second after six minutes to make it 2-1 to 0-1.
Mullahoran came back into the game with a Geraldine Sheridan goal in the 12th minute and they then scored the next two points.
Bennekerry/Tinryland’s response was special. A quite amazing, magical individual goal by Sinead Hayden where she waltzed through the Mullahoran defence and then found the net with a superbly placed shot.
That made the score 3-1 to 1-3 after 18 minutes but the remainder of the first half was a tough slog for Bennekerry/Tinryland as they found the going hard while playing into a strong breeze.
Mullahoran scored four points in a row to tie the game for the first time and then were inches away from taking the lead when a Kate Fegan shot was initially awarded as a point before being waved wide.
There was a further blow to Bennekerry/Tinryland when corner back Clodagh Mahon was forced out of the game after suffering a nasty looking shoulder injury.
The half whistle brought a welcome respite for Bennekerry/Tinryland and they went into the second half with scores level but they had the wind behind them for the second half.
Scores were more difficult to come by after the restart and there were seven scoreless minutes before Hayden shot over and that was followed a minute later by the game’s most important score, a fourth Bennekerry/Tinryland goal scored by Elaine Ware. That put them 4-3 to 1-7 ahead and gave them an element of comfort and from there, they didn’t let Mullahoran back into the game.
Nichole Shiels did reply with a point but Clíodhna Ní Shé landed a long range free. From the resulting kick out, Maeve O’Neill won possession and shot narrowly over the crossbar.
Nerves and tension among the sizeable Bennekerry/Tinryland contingent in the stand began to mount when the brilliant Aishling Sheridan scored three points in a row to cut the gap back to three with five minutes of normal time still to play.
As has happened so often this year, and in years gone by, when Bennekerry/Tinryland needed somebody to step forward there was Ní Shé and her wonderfully crafted and taken point in the 58th minute gave them a four point buffer again.
Sheridan did pull a point back with her ninth of the game meaning that Bennekerry/Tinryland had to play the four additional minutes knowing that their dream could still be snatched away by a goal but the nerves in the stand weren’t shown out on the pitch as they saw out with the win with an admirable composure.
It means that Bennekerry/Tinryland will become the first Carlow ladies football team to play a competitive game at Croke Park. They are club who have had to endure some very real tragedies but that has helped create a unique bond between this group of players and their management and there will be no more deserving group as they step out on the hallowed turf of Croke Park.
Shannen Cotter; Clodagh Mahon, Leanne Corcoran, Leah Mullins, Ruth Bermingham, Nuala Mohan, Marie Cranny; Elizabeth Lowry, Elaine Ware 1-0; Aoibhín Webb, Clíodhna Ní Shé 0-3 (1f), Lauren Dwyer 1-0, Orla Woods 0-1, Sarah Nolan, Sinead Hayden 2-1. Subs: Maeve O’Neill 0-1 for Mahon, 30+2; Katie Bullen for Nolan, 45
Fainche Higgins; Hannah Brady, Aoibhinn Galligan, Kyra Comaskey, Aoibhe Reilly, Geraldine Sheridan 1-0, Sheila Reilly; Mona Sheridan, Annie Deneher, Ciara Brennan, Emilia Mussi 0-1, Nichole Shiels 0-1, Kate Smith, Aishling Sheridan 0-9 (7fs), Kate Fegan 0-1. Subs: Etain Higgins for Brennan, 43; Orlaith O’Reilly for Smith, 57; Cathy Sheils for Fegan, 60+3.
Gus Chapman (Sligo)
