TYRONE HOPES STILL ALIVE

Tyrones hope of a return visit to Clones for the Ladies Ulster final are still very much alive after a hard fought first leg semi-final loss to Armagh last week.

There’s four points between the sides as they return to action this Sunday at Greencastle and Tyrone who are thankfully injury free go into the return leg confident they can get the right victory.Influential midfielder and play maker for Tyrone Ann Dooher admitted though they needed to improve.“I feel we have it in us to beat Armagh but we will have to up our game this weekend, we certainly have the ability to turn the four point deficit around”

Mullaghbawn was the venue on Sunday last for what turned out to be a decent game of football. It ended 0-15 to 1-8  in favour of the all Ireland junior champions,both sides ruing missed opportunities that could prove vital in the final shakedown this coming weekend.

Improvement by Tyrone is  needed admitted Tyrone boss John McAleer after his side lost to Armagh on a stiflingly hot afternoon. “We went here today unsure of what to expect, we knew the girls had it in them to turn over Armagh and we had our chances, we failed to take them and we need to improve in places”confirmed the teak tough McAleer. The missed chances he talked of coming at key moments during a close enough encounter.

Two of the four minor stars on show were guilty of missed goal chances. They could prove so crucial when it comes to the final shakedown. Sarah Connolly forced a great Mc Atamney save in the first period and  then screwed the ball wide in the opening minutes of the second. At the death Claire McAliskey also saw her goalward bound shot well saved. A four point deficit could have been a two point advantage.

It ended 0-15 to 1-8 in favour of the junior All Ireland champions who at times were impressive. Midfield was controlled by Alma O-Donnell and Caroline O’Hanlon for long periods and they would not let the new look Tyrone get any grip on the tie.

In total Armagh hit thirteen wides to Tyrones seven, It tells its own tale of possession. O.Hanlon and McAlinden hitting three points apiece with corner forward Aileen Matthews lashing in four well taken scores and always a worry to the Tyrone defence, yet when all was said and done Tyrone did have chances to kill the tie off and put themselves in a better position for the re-fixture this weekend.

Their goal from Gemma Begley keeping them in the tie as they trailed 0-8 to 0-4 and looked like folding. Connolly flicked on to the experienced forward who beat the goalkeeper on 22 minutes.

Throughout the tie both sides had indeed  traded scores, McAliskey, Donnelly and Begley all on target for the visitors with Sarah Connolly on 0-4.

Many fancied Armagh to come away comfortable winners, it was a lot tighter admitted Armagh back Rhona O Mahoney,

“ They were strong and certainly no pushovers, we have our work cut out next week, both teams missed chances though and it was warm out there”

Two yellow cards in quick succession left Tyrone down to thirteen players Lucy Meenan and Orla O’Neill sent to the line for ten minutes apiece as the referee seemed to take a rosier view of some Armagh challenges. Ticking, when yellows would have been more appropriate. Hayley Boyles side did lose Bronagh O’Donnell late in the tie, only after she was ticked three times! There’s no doubting the loss of the Tyrone two made an impact in the hot conditions, Tyrone boss McAleer was happy enough though,

“ I will and I know we all will take positives from that performance, yes we lost but we have not played since March, naturally we were rusty but we are still in this one”.

The Tyrone county board have appealed for ladies clubs to come out and support the county squad this Sunday, speaking this week the chairperson Ann Marie Meenan confirmed that while there was nothing that could be done about the date of the second leg, she hoped ladies clubs would come out and support the county team

“ Its disappointing for many that the mens championship is also going ahead, but its something neither county board had for seen. We Expected Tyrone to be still in the All Ireland series and there would not have been a clash, however its important we have as many  supporters at Greencastle giving Tyrone backing as Armagh had last week”