Bennekerry/Tinryland start Leinster campaign with comprehensive win
Bennekerry-Tinryland’s Sinead Hayden and Carnew’s Síofra Kenny. Photo: michaelorourkephotography.ie
There may have been a slight sense of nerves and apprehension amongst the eager Tinryland crowd ahead of this big provincial clash against Carnew Emmetts of Wicklow, but those feelings were quickly eased by a professional, hungry home performance. They ran out twenty point winners while playing some exceptional football, and now march into a quarter-final - only three games away from glory.
The home side raced into a four point lead inside the opening ten minutes, with the likes of Cliodhna Ní Shé and Orla Woods finding joy early on. Looking sharp and full of intent, they also had a goal chance amidst a flurry of early points, but captain Ruth Bermingham placed a shot wide. Not discouraged, the influential captain then went on a brilliant run but missed again. At that stage, B/T were firmly in control, and it looked as though the first half alone could be a cricket score. However, the away side established something of a foothold in the game and only conceded two points - and scored one of their own - in the twenty minutes before the interval. Edel Kennedy got her side up and running with a simple free after twenty minutes, but the Wexford border village failed to really build on that. B/T had the next attack, with Katie Bullen dropping an arching shot in on top of goalkeeper Aoife Kenny, who dealt with the danger. Sinead Hayden knocked a long range drive over the bar, before then powering a finish into the back of the net after patient build-up play. By that point it was clear that Carnew were defending too passively, and half-back Nuala Mohan joined another home attack to land a brilliant point. Carnew had a couple of dangerous attacks just before the whistle was blown but they came to nothing, and so at half-time the score was 1-6 to 0-1. The sun was shining literally and metaphorically in Tinryland.
Carnew is known for being the birthplace of Lillie Connolly, wife of James Connolly, a key figure in the Easter Rising. Some in the ground might have been thinking that Emmett’s might rise to the occasion and muster some kind of come-back in the second-half, but it didn’t happen. Hayden continued where she left off with a brilliant, sharply-taken point, before Ní Shé converted a free after good work from the commanding Elaine Ware. Chloe Towey managed to briefly interrupt the onslaught by finishing a well-worked attack, before Aoibhín Webb landed two phenomenal scores in quick succession to give her side an eleven point lead after forty minutes. Carnew centre-forward Kennedy then had a big goal chance, but Shannen Cotter was sharp to make a great save. After that, the home side’s dominance was astonishing. Away ‘keeper Kenny was brave in preventing a potential Bullen goal, but either side of that, the skilful half-forward and the clinical Hayden converted more points. The losing side just did not have an answer to the home side’s skilful, dynamic football. They inevitably got a second goal through Sarah Nolan, before her replacement Lauren Dwyer showed her team’s strength in depth by pointing brilliantly straight after coming on. With Carnew penned in and their kick-out strategy falling apart, the last ten minutes or so were difficult for the travelling team. Bullen, Ware and Clodagh Mahon added more points to give the home side a twenty point margin of victory.
This was an exhibition of skilful, entertaining football from Chris Townsend’s team. The phenomenal shooting of Webb and Bullen certainly stood out in the second half, as they effortlessly converted scores from improbable positions. County stars Bermingham, Ní Shé and Ware were all influential, whilst substitute Lauren Dwyer also made an impact. However, the scoreboard tells the story of a fantastic team performance. Carnew never really got to the pace of the game, but the winning side should still take confidence from this performance. As thoughts turn to the quarter-final, supporters from the communities of Tinryland and Bennekerry might start to indulge in dreams of provincial glory.
Shannen Cotter; Clodagh Mahon 0-1, Leanne Corcoran, Leah Mullins; Ruth Bermingham 0-1, Nuala Mahon 0-1, Marie Cranny; Elizabeth Lowry, Elaine Ware 0-1; Aoibhín Webb 0-2, Clíodhna Ní Shé 0-2 (1f), Katie Bullen 0-3; Orla Woods 0-1 (f), Sarah Nolan 1-0, Sinead Hayden 1-3. SUBS: Deirdre Tomlinson for Leanne Corcoran, 46; Lauren Dwyer 0-1 for Sarah Nolan, 47; Sinéad Thompson for Orla Woods, 54.
Aoife Kenny; Helen Hughes, Alanna Dagg, Máire Deegan; Yasmin Dagge, Ciara Wafer, Aoife Wafer; Tara Doran, Katie Wafer; Siofra Kenny, Máire Collins, Chloe Towey 0-1; Ana Dragusin, Edel Kennedy 0-1 (f), Lucy Kemple. SUBS: Caoimhe Kinsella Nolan for Tara Doran, 52; Emma Cullen for Mary Collins, 54.
