Bennekenny/Tinryland booked their place in the AIB All-Ireland intermediate club final with four goals over Mullahoran.
It was no more than the Carlow side deserved writes Deniese O’Flaherty. Mullahoran just couldn’t compete with the goal onslaught in Kingspan Breffni Park.
Despite the concession of three first-half goals Mullahoran rallied and were level going in at the break.
Just one minute had elapsed when Bennekerry/Tinryland found the back of the net. Cliodhna Ní Shé supplied the pass and Lauren Dwyer scored.
Goals win the day
Aishling Sheridan replied with a free for Mullahoran before an Orla Woods point and a Sinead Hayden goal extended the Carlow side’s lead to six in the sixth minute.
Geraldine Sheridan pulled a goal back for Mullahoran in the 13th minute. The gap was just one, four minutes later when Hayden grabbed her second goal with a stunning strike.
But Mullahoran staged a comeback with Emilia Mussi scoring a fantastic point. Three pointed Sheridan frees drew the Cavan side level on 26 minute, 3-1 to 1-7.
Mullahoran squandered chances at the beginning of the second half to take the lead. They were to rue those missed opportunities. In the space of a minute Bennekenny/Tinryland scored 1-1 with Elaine Ware finding the back of the net for her side’s fourth.
Points from Ní Shé (free) and Maeve O’Neill extended their advantage to six point’s midway through the second-half.
Sheridan scored two frees and a superb point from play, leaving three points between the sides in the 54th minute. However, Ní Shé replied with an excellent point from play to restore the four point lead.
Sheridan cut the deficit to three again in the 60th minute. Both sides had chances to get further scores but failed to do so as Bennekenny/Tyryland held on for a famous win.
Bennekenny/Tinryland: S Cotter; C Mahon, L Corcoran, L Mullins; R Bermingham, N Mohan, M Cranny; E Lowry, E Ware; A Webb, C Ní Shé, L Dwyer; O Woods, S Nolan, S Hayden. Subs: M O’Neill for Mahon (30+1), K Bullen for Nolan (45).
Scorers: S Hayden 2-1, E Ware, L Dwyer 1-0 each, C Ní Shé 0-3 (0-1f), O Woods, M O’Neill 0-1 each.
Mullahoran: F Higgins; H Brady, A Galligan, K Comaskey; A Reilly, G Sheridan, S Reilly; M Sheridan, A Deneher; C Brennan, E Mussi, N Sheils; K Smith, A Sheridan, K Fegan. Subs: E Higgins for Brennan (43), O O’Reilly for Smith (59), C Sheils for Fegan (60+3).
Scorers: A Sheridan 0-9 (7fs), G Sheridan 1-0, E Mussi, N Sheils, K Fegan 0-1 each.
Referee: Gus Chapman (Sligo)
