SUZUKI NATIONAL FOOTBAL LEAGUE

TYRONE 1-10 MAYO 1-6

The weather, the conditions, a physical Mayo and a poor referee conspired against Tyrone on Sunday, but they make the O’Neill county girls of stern stuff and despite all the problems it was Tyrone who emerged with a four point victory and sit on the verge of the last four in this years Suzuki national league campaign. Tyrone were battered and bruised after a very physical Mayo spearheaded by Fiona McHale tried to salvage a poor national league run at Moygownagh. The initial venue was deemed unplayable with both teams on the pitch warming up, Tyrone chairperson Anne Marie Meehan had asked for a check on the pitch at 10am and was assured everything was okay, however just after 1pm the match referee from Sligo said no. After some frantic phone calls the game was moved some four miles to a mountain top pitch open to the gale and the severe weather that blew in off the Atlantic and it was far from the prefect conditions.

Mayo had a couple of the big names back and it was evident from the start that they were out to make a mark in this tie. McHale called the shots at midfield while up front Cafferkey hit two wides against the breeze in the opening minutes yet it was Tyrone who got of to a flyer in the opening ten minutes. Begley pointed from distance and Cathy Donnelly opened her account with two well taken points also from play before Ailish Gormley found the Mayo net on ten minutes.

Donnelly involved in the move that saw the Carrickmore forward cut through to fire home. The lead was short lived though as Cafferkey eventually found her range and McHale cut loose with a cracking goal on thirteen minutes. The midfielder showed class and pace to cut through a stretched Tyrone defence , beating McVeigh from 14 metres.

The wind certainly played its part while the match officials lack of protection for Tyrone players was at times unbelievable, McCloskey and McHale went toe to toe on more than one occasion but it was the Bredagh ace who got the warning. Sarah Donnelly and Maura Kelly were subjected to some off the ball niggling too as Mayo stepped up the aggression yet it was Tyrone who reacted in the best possible way. McGahan hit the post, Donnelly and Begley struck points and the three Tyrone forwards also went close as Tyrone went in at half time leading 1-6 to 1-2.

Within four minutes of the restart  it could have been over as a contest as Tyrone were awarded a penalty. Clodagh Poyntz on as a sub for Jolene Donnelly went through on goal taking a great Begley pass, just as Poyntz tried to release her shot goalkeeper Devine and full back O’ Hora combined to smother the danger in turn clattering the Tyrone forward.

Gemma Begley though saw her penalty kick rattle the post and the danger was averted. Cathy Donnelly kept Tyrone in control though in a dogged third quarter, her two points well taken as the weather improved slightly. Poyntz latched over another Tyrone point, that could so easily have been a goal.  McHale and Herbert points was all Mayo could muster as the very good Tyrone defence stood firm.

Youngster Angie McShane, and Sarah Louise McLaughlin were introduced and Tyrone ended their scoring with Anne Dooher on target with eight minutes to go.

As expected Mayo were throwing everything into attack in these closing stages but again attack after attack as broken down, McLaughlin was unfortunate to be sin-binned in these closing minutes too, adding to he tension and despite two late points from Herbert as well as three wides Tyrone themselves went close at the other end, Begley and Poyntz having chances hit wide. Tyrone’s defence were steady once again, up front there was plenty of movement and Cathy Donnellys contribution of –6 on a day when Begley was given a tight reign by O’Hora was another boost for this Tyrone team.

A great battling display then from the Ulster side, they dug deep and secured the three points leaving the door to the semi-finals still very much ajar. Mayo were physical throughout, several players set out their stalls early on and the referees lack of protection at times was a worry, yet in the end it was a very good Tyrone victory, a third from four starts …its all down to Sunday now and a meeting of the Ulster big two Tyrone and Armagh.

MATCH STATS

TYRONE, Sinead McVeigh, Sinead McLaughlin, Maura Kelly, Marie Gallagher, Aishling Hagan, Connie Fox, Grainne Kelly, Arlene McCloskey, Sarah Donnelly, Cathy Donnelly 0-6, Eilish Gormley 1-0, Anne Dooher 0-1, CatrionaMcCahan, Gemma Begley 0-2, Joline Donnelly,

SUBS, Clodagh Poyntz 0-1 For J Donnelly, Angie Mc shane For Fox, Niamh McKernan For McCloskey, Sarah Louise McLaughlin For McGahan, Claire McAliskey For C Donnelly