LADIES FOOTBALL [11.09.07] TYRONE FINALS 2007.

TYRONE SENIOR FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL

ERRIGAL CIARAN 2-11 ST MACARTANS  1-5

The Jarleth Kerr cup will rest at Cardinal McRory park for the first time in the history of Tyrone ladies football, after the WJ Dolan Tyrone senior football final between the two Clogher Valley neighbours St Macartans and Errigal Ciaran in the end finished with a rather comfortable Errigal Ciaran victory.

 For Siobhan McGarveys side the long wait of some 15 years came to an end at Cil Iseal on Sunday evening in front of a huge crowd, the final score 2-11 to 1-5, the second half belonging to the hungrier Errigal and after suffering three final defeats the taste of success was all the more sweeter.

The curtain came down then on the championship season but as the evening drew in Tiffy Quinn and the Errigal girls could bask in the limelight of a first ever senior championship victory, for so long they had lived in the shadows of An Charraig Mhor, but on Sunday night they powered home to a memorable first.

Spearheaded by the impressive forward unit Errigal took the came to St Macartans who led at the break 1-3 to 0-5, they simply could not get to grips with the pace of Lycrecia Quinn or the finishing of Sarah Connolly who’s  break from inter county football to concentrate on the club series. Certainly done her good. 1-9 on the day not a bad return .

“Macartans” started brightly enough, the surging runs of Cathy Donnelly, the shrewd marking by Lynda Donnelly and the hard work of Maura Kelly saw the 1998 champions steal into the lead. Elaine Kelly finding the net and points from Joline Donnelly 0-2 and Cathy Donnelly eased them into a good position by half time. Errigal relied on the accuracy of Connolly to keep in touch and the sin binning of Claire McGarvey was a set back to the cause, yet St Macartans couldn’t shrug off the Errigal cha;;ange, they failed to open a big enough cap and it was always going to be a different second half.

Within two minutes of the restart Errigal struck a crucial blow, Sarah Connolly drove home a goal from close range and the side, so often the bridesmaids in championship finals went ahead by two and sensed it was their day. Points from Connolly pushed Errigal on to a 1-8 to 1-4 lead, Loughran hitting St Macartans point but then a real hammer blow for “Macartans”.

Referee Brendan Gallagher awarded a penalty after he judged an Errigal forward to be impeded, it seemed harsh to say the least, but he called it as he saw it and the spot kick was hit high into the roof of the net by young Lycrecia Quinn, one of Tyrones brightest young prospects. All games have turning points and that was this ones,  That goal left it 2-8 to 1-4 and really it was game over for St Macartans, they tried, huffed and puffed but could not get the same freedom for their forwards as Errigal were achieving at the other end of the perfect Killeshill park.

Some physical exchanges ensued in this second period, indeed on several occasions the match official threatened more yellow cards, but that first half sin binning for McGarvey was all that kept fourth official Eileen Jones busy, that and several encroachments as the clock ticked down to the historic first Errigal Ciaran championship success.

Mary Louise McGirr, who had been really quiet in the tie, pointed in the closing stages for St Macartans, but it was not even a consolation for Frank McKenna, Sean McElroy and Mickey McGaugheys side. Errigal looked powerful at times, they created quite a bit more than they scored, the work rate was good but to be honest about this tie, Macartans failed to rise to the second half challenge. Four factors made the difference for the winners, they were hungrier, the years of missing out was a spur, their strength and a well drilled game plan that kept St Macartans big players playing bit part roles secured this title.

In her speech after she received the cup from Tyrone chairperson Anne Marie Meehan, county stalwart Siobhan McGarvey, thanked the players and management from down the years that missed out and she said she was taking this cup for them all.

In the end a comfortable win, but Tiffy Quinns side will still have to step it up if Errigal are to be challenging for Ulster honours. 

B CHAMPIONSHIP FOR “CARMEN GIRLS”

The senior B championship, now in its second season was a very one sided affair. The holders St Dympnas looked disjointed from the off and only managed one first half point as the perennial senior champions of Tyrone football in very unfamiliar circumstances this year An Charraig Mhor powered home to a more than comfortable win, 2-13 to 0-3 the final score with all the big guns including the hotly tipped all star candidate Gemma Begley.

INTERMEDIATE FINAL REFIXED

Sadly the WJ Dolan Intermediate football final between Sperrin Og and Ardboe was called off last week owing to the sad death of Patrick Devlin. It has been refixed for this coming Saturday at Kildress with a 2pm throw in.

SENIOR FINAL REACTION

The smile on Siobhan McGarveys face said it all on Sunday, after 15 years of near misses and championship failure, an Errigal Ciaran captain had finally got her hands on the WJ Dolan senior championship trophy and the smiling midfielder was not letting go of the Jarleth Kerr cup. A long road had be trodden by many Errigal players since the club took to the fields of the parish in 1990 before being officially recognised in 1992, three county final appearances resulted in defeats so to finally get that all elusive title was all the more sweeter for this proud club.

Captain McGarvey paid tribute to the hard working  Errigal team and pointed to those championship loses, it was she admitted something that galvanised this squad as they went in search of the title.

“People, said that we hadn’t the bottle to carry of the championship, but we have beat Carrickmore, Dungannon and now St Macartans, we can be justly proud of what we have achieved”

McGarvey part of the successful all Ireland semi-finalist Tyrone squad this year, paid tribute to the beaten St Macartans, five of whom shared the great 2007 all Ireland run,

“ Macartans are a great bunch of girls and I know they are hurting now, believe me We know what that’s like but I know they will be back”

The failures in the past three finals were certainly something that Errigal used ahead of this tie,

“It was hard to miss out in the past couple of years, you start to wonder if it was ever going to be our day, thankfully all the hard work has paid off today”

The captain also had a special word for coach “Tiffy” Quinn who, with Rodger McAleer and Eoin Quinn took over a job when no-one else wanted it,

“ Tiffy took over the role when nobody wanted to know, I have to say he guided us and has moulded me into the player I am, I have to thank him and all the other coaches who have helped down the years, we have achieved something that we have all worked for”

Quinn, himself no stranger to success on the park with the superb Errigal championship winning teams was quick to point out that Errigal didn’t have it all their own way on Sunday,

“ We knew we had to work against “Macartans”, they put it up to us in the first half but I knew we had the ability to up our game, that’s what we did in the second half and it all came good for us, I am delighted for the girls”

Errigal now go in search of the elusive Ulster club senior football championship, they will be joined by Junior champions Badoney and the winners of the intermediate final, Sperrin Og or Ardboe.