Kildare GAA: Eadestown out of Leinster Championship following comeback defeat against Tinahely
Leinster Ladies Club Senior Football Championship semi-final
Tinahely 2-15
Eadestown 2-10
Wicklow champions Tinahely are into the Leinster Ladies Club Senior Football Championship final after defeating Kildare champions Eadestown. Checking the final result would not do the story of this game justice as Eadestown led by seven points at the break, 2-6 to 0-5.
Eadestown’s lead was well deserved too as they punished a Tinahely defence who were nothing short of all over the place in the first half. The Eadestown front line could hardly believe their luck as they were granted ample space and multiple looks at Shona Byrne’s goal.
The standout opening half performance was undoubtedly Ruth Sargent, the centre back drove at Tinahely consistently throughout the half and got 1-1 in that time. The goal came on 18 minutes as Eadestown finally punished the scattered Tinahely defence.
Sargent was on the end of an exceptional team goal which saw three of its stars link up and end in Sargent blasting the ball into the roof of the net. Sargent was part of a dominant Eadestown half that perhaps should have ended with them even further ahead.
The other first half goal came from full-forward Angela McGuigan, Eadestown’s star in their county final success. A long ball was sent into McGuigan, as she gathered possession she turned to skin her marker and was now one on one with Shona Byrne in the Tinahely goal. McGuigan gave the on-rushing goalkeeper the same treatment as she did to her marker as she glided past her to finish coolly into an empty net.
A point from Jessica Harney just 20 seconds after the second half got under way extended Eadestown lead to eight. However, that would be the last score the home side would get until the 54th minute.
It was time for Tinahely to mount their comeback and they were led by one woman, half time substitute Lucy Mulhall. Rarely does a player who comes off the bench immediately establish themselves as the best on the field, but Mulhall did.
The ball was sent into the half-forward twice just after her entrance, Mulhall on both occasions drove at the Eadestown backline and slotted exceptional scores between the posts. Mulhall is best known for her role as Irish rugby sevens captain and she took control of this Championship semi-final following her introduction.
The next crucial action came on 36 minutes as Eadestown were beginning to feel the heat. Tinahely were awarded a penalty and Eadestown captain in all but name Grace Clifford was set for 10 minutes on the sideline for what was judged to be a cynical infringement earlier in the move.
Tinahely full-forward Jackie Kinch dispatched the penalty, the power she managed to get on her effort was enough to beat Siobhán Tierney in the Eadestown goal. Eadestown still led by two but in truth they would never recover from this sequence of events.
Eadestown crumbled without Clifford, upon her reintroduction her side trailed by three and had not so much as looked up the pitch in that time. The Kildare captain is integral to everything Eadestown do and without her presence as much as her play, this game was destined for a bad end for the girls in blue.
In their county final win against Sarsfields, Clifford was always the out-ball when her side was under pressure. Without that in this game and with nobody willing or able to take that mantle, Tinahely turned the ball over high up the pitch time and time again and racked up comfortable scores.
Siobhán Tierney’s kickouts were often back on top of her before she knew it as Eadestown just could not get out. Tinahely kicked six points on the trot following the penalty, with an air of inevitability following one to the next.
The pick of the bunch from those scores once again came from Lucy Mulhall as she converted efforts from long distance that there was little that anyone could do to stop.
Following two changes and Grace Clifford returning, Eadestown now had to attempt to mount a comeback of their own. An Angela McGuigan free-kick ended the home side’s 24 minute scoring drought.
However, in stark contrast to the first half Tinahely had tightened up at the back as they looked to protect their lead. As Eadestown pushed high they left space behind them and were given one last dagger to the heart as Tinahely hit them on the break. Laura Hogan would round off the move and the game as she smashed home a brilliant goal-bound effort.
The loss for Eadestown is among the hardest types of defeat in sport. It is easier to take being outclassed or narrowly edged but to feel as if the house came crashing down around you in those crucial moments is tough to take. But they will know that themselves, it is a time for self-reflection for the Kildare champions and to take this one on the chin. A tough day for those players but they are a team full of exceptional talent who will undoubtedly come again.
Scorers
Tinahely, Laura Hogan 1-4 (0-3 frees), Jackie Kinch 1-2, Lucy Mulhall 0-5, Ciara Byrne 0-3, Eimear O'Sullivan 0-1.
Eadestown, Angela McGuigan 1-3 (0-3 frees), Ruth Sargent 1-1, Jessica Harney 0-2, Grace Clifford 0-1, Abaigh Cahill 0-1, Siobán O'Sullivan 0-1, Gráinne Kenneally 0-1.
Teams
TINAHELY: Shona Byrne; Emily Hadden, Sarah Hogan, Roisin Byrne; Shannagh Goetelen, Aine Byrne, Niamh Kenny; Aoife Gorman, Aimee Maher; Emily Mulhall, Jessica Nolan Byrne, Eimear O'Brien; Laura Hogan, Jackie Kinch, Ciara Byrne.
Subs: Eimear O'Sullivan on for Niamh Kenny (32 minutes), Lucy Mulhall on for Eimear O'Brien (Half time), Sarah Byrne on for Emily Mulhall (44 minutes), Rachel Byrne on for Ciara Byrne (51 minutes).
EADESTOWN: Siobhán Tierney; Áine Mernagh, Rose Mernagh, Aine Ní Rathaillaigh; Maryann Ryan, Ruth Sargent, Gráinne Kenneally; Hazel McLoughlin, Grace Clifford; Jessica Harney, Siobhán O'Sullivan, Abaigh Cahill; Tara Bedford, Angela McGuigan, Sara Carroll.
Subs: Kate Murphy on for Sara Carroll (Half time), Laura Byrne on for Hazel McLoughlin (53 minutes).
Referee: Paul McCaughey (Westmeath)