ARMAGH HEARTACHE AFTER THRILLER ARMAGH 0-11 TYRONE 1-9 Richard Bullick in Inniskeen Armagh’s hearts were broken in Inniskeen as bitter rivals Tyrone squeezed into the Ulster Championship final by the minimum margin after a Sunday evening epic. Being denied an apparently legitimate goal early in the final quarter rubbed salt in the wounds for an Armagh side who looked every inch the equal of a team two divisions above them in the National League. They matched favourites Tyrone in everything except, crucially, on the scoreboard but especially when the disallowed goal is taken into account no-one could argue that an Armagh win would have been an unfair result. But the Orchard crew couldn’t convert several late chances and were left to ruefully reflect on a lucrative victory which got away, though the harsh result shouldn’t negate what was an impressive performance on their return to the senior ranks. It was little consolation straight after the final whistle, but James Daly’s side played their full part in a magnificent match as the wild weather miraculously relented and these familiar foes served up an absolute thriller. In contrast to the tepid performance in last month’s National League final defeat by Down, this purposeful Orchard display was full of passion, ferocious commitment and plenty of fine football. They outscored Tyrone by 11 points to nine but ultimately this contest came down to goals, the one Armagh gave away in the first half and the one not awarded at the same end in the second period. With the wind behind them, Tyrone took an early lead and but after Armagh soaked up pressure initially, Sinead McCleary nudged her side in front with two frees and corner forward Kelly Mallon quickly added a point to extend the advantage to two in the 10th minute. It didn’t take long for Tyrone to level with two points from play but great work by Carrickcruppen’s Caitlin Malone was finished off by skipper Mags McAlinden, deployed at full forward on her first start of the season following injury. Caroline O’Hanlon kicked a point early in the second quarter but Armagh suffered a significant setback when Cathy Donnelly found the Orchard net on 20 minutes with McKenna kicking a wide in reply at the other end. Tyrone captain Gemma Begley landed a free following a rapid raid just after the referee failed to penalise a head-high challenge on McCleary and although McKenna pulled back a point, the Donnelly sisters – Cathy and Joline – pointed to leave a goal in it at the interval. Armagh were wasteful late in the first half but started the second in blistering fashion with young Siobhan Mackle, on for Sinead McCoy with Sharon Reel reverting to wing back, making an immediate impact. O’Hanlon landed a free won by McKenna, who then combined with McCleary to give captain McAlinden her second point of the evening as Armagh hit a real purple patch. Although McCleary missed with a free from wide on the left, the trademark dancing feet of the white-booted Mackle created a chance which McKenna pulled past the post and a frenetic goalmouth scramble somehow went unrewarded. It would have been no more than Armagh were worth for the lead-up play alone, a superb surge out of defence by the immense Niamh Marley carried on by McKenna, O’Hanlon and Mairead Tennyson. Instead Tyrone weathered the storm and came back to register two scores in quick succession, from Cathy Donnelly and a free from her sister Joline. Mackle kicked a point just before an Armagh goal was ruled out for a square ball by poorly-positioned referee Gavin Corrigan and – yet again – a Tyrone point, through Begley, quickly followed a missed Orchard chance, this time a wide from sub Ciara Lennon. Malone was withdrawn to avoid her being binned but her club captain O’Hanlon struck two fine points either side of misses from Mackle and McCleary to leave Tyrone hanging onto a one-point lead deep in injury-time. There were nearly nine minutes of time added on but unfortunately Armagh’s best chance came to natural defender Danielle Morgan and the sub couldn’t level this cracking contest one last time. ARMAGH: K Daly; C Morgan, L Brown, S Marley; S McCoy, N Marley, C McCann; C O’Hanlon (0-4, 1f), S McCleary (0-2, 2f); S Reel, F McKenna (0-1), C Malone; M Tennyson, M McAlinden (capt; 0-2), K Mallon (0-1). Subs – S Mackle (0-1) for McCoy (h/t), C Lennon for Mallon (43), D Morgan for Malone (51), C O’Hare for Lennon (temp 63-66). TYRONE: S Lynch; T McLaughlin, L McGillion, S McLaughlin; M Donnelly, M McMenamin, N Woods; A McShane, E Hegarty; J Donnelly (0-3, 1f), S Quinn, C Donnelly (1-3); N Donnelly, ML McGirr (0-1), G Begley (capt; 0-2, 1f). Subs – O O’Neill for N Donnelly (h/t). Referee: Gavin Corrigan (Down).
Posted on: Mon, 24 Jun 2013 21:14:37 +0000
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