ROSCOMMON STRUCK 1-1 in the dying embers as they overcame Westmeath in a titanic TG4 All-Ireland intermediate championship semi-final at Kingspan Breffni.
This game appeared destined for extra-time with the game tied at 2-10 to 1-13. However, Lauren Shanagher’s goal and Aisling Feely’s converted free ensured Roscommon reached their first intermediate championship final since 2005. Now, Roscommon will play in Croke Park for the first time since 2001 after this exhilarating contest.
Both sides were without key personnel. Aisling Hanly is away travelling while Vicky Carr missed out for Westmeath. Roscommon sharpshooter Aisling Feely got the ball rolling with two early points. On the flip side, Westmeath struggled to convert their chances as four wides in the opening eight minutes was an early sign that Roscommon’s deployment of Saoirse Wynne as sweeper was working.
An Abby Curran score propelled Roscommon three points ahead while at the opposite end, Sarah Dillon was denied a game-levelling goal by a superb Helena Cummins save. Westmeath found the breakthrough they craved as straight after that stop, Anna Jones ’45 ended up in the net to tie the game at 1-0 to 0-3.
Despite Westmeath registering six wides after 17 minutes, they showed their menace when Ashley Ruane’s powerful surge ended in her blasting to the net. The Roscommon response was immediate as within 90 seconds, Róise Lennon showed impressive composure to fire low to the net under severe pressure.
The game was now moving at a rapid pace with a superb Ella Thompson effort momentarily nudging Roscommon in front. But two neat Sarah Dillon scores and an Anna Jones free saw Westmeath lead 2-4 to 1-5 at half time.
Lauren Shanagher celebrates her late goal. Ben McShane / SPORTSFILE
Ben McShane / SPORTSFILE / SPORTSFILE
Katie Kilmurray increased Westmeath’s advantage upon the resumption of play, but in what was a rip-roaring second half Roscommon fought back. Ella Thompson was superb particularly in the final period as her well taken effort capped a run of three points without reply and tied the game at 2-5 to 1-8.
Thompson’s third point from wing back kickstarted another run of three scores without reply for the winners as an Aisling Feely effort propelled Roscommon 1-11 to 2-6 in front. Sarah Dillon and Lauren Shanagher traded efforts before a superb two-point free from Anna Jones tied the game.
In a dramatic finale, Roscommon showed impressive mental fortitude as Shanagher found the bottom corner of the net before Feely ensured Finbar Egan’s side will grace Croke Park on 2 August.
Scorers for Roscommon: A Feely 0-6 (3f), L Shanagher and R Lennon 1-1 each, E Thompson 0-3, A Curran, L Mannion and C Lennon 0-1 each.
Scorers for Westmeath: A Jones 1-3, (1-0 ’45, 1tpf, 1f), S Dillon 0-4, A Ruane 1-0, C Kelly Gonoud, C Kilmurray, K Kilmurray 0-1 each.
WESTMEATH: A Temple; F Coyle, C Kelly Gonoud, S Murphy; L Power, A Ruane, L McCartan; A Jones, C Kilmurray; A Keegan, L McCartan, T Dillon; S Dillon, R Higgins, K Kilmurray.
Sub: P Ruane for A Keegan (ht).
ROSCOMMON: H Cummins; Á Connaughton, M McKeon, Á McGrath; N Feeney, R Cox, E Thompson; E Irwin, A Curran; K Nolan, S Wynne, L Mannion; R Lennon, A Feely, C Lennon.
Subs: L Shanagher for R Lennon (50), N Watson for K Nolan (50), R Fitzmaurice for E Irwin (59), G Lohan for N Feeney (60).
Referee: David Hurson (Monaghan).
*****
Fermanagh 1-11
Down 0-12
By Deniese O’Flaherty
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Fermanagh's Caoimhe Gallagher and Aisling Keenan celebrate. Tyler Miller / SPORTSFILE
Tyler Miller / SPORTSFILE / SPORTSFILE
THE TALISMANIC EIMEAR Smyth was on song as she helped Fermanagh book their place in the TG All-Ireland intermediate championship final with a narrow win over Ulster rivals Down at St Tiernach’s Park in Clones.
Smyth scored 1-10, all but three points of it from play, while at the other end the heroics of her team-mate Courteney Breen right at the end helped the Erne County to victory.
Ciara McGarrigale got the opening score of the game inside the first minute. Katie Howlett replied for Down before Fermanagh got a goal in the fifth minute. Niamh McManus with the pass to Smyth, she turned before firing to the net.
Eimear Fitzpatrick kicked over a lovely two point free to put just one between the sides before Smyth kicked over her second point in the 11th minute. After their fine start, that was to be Fermanagh’s last score of the half. They had chances but were guilty of some wayward shooting and kicking poor wides.
Eva Hicks kicked over three points in a row to give Down the lead for the first time in the 26th minute. Two minutes later wing-back Niamh McClory got up to fire over a neat point to put two between the sides.
Down also created some goal chances but were unable to find the back of the net as they went in at the break with a 0-8 to 1-3 lead.
Smyth kicked over the first point of the second half in the 31st minute; Fermanagh’s first score since the 11th minute. She followed up with another point to draw the game in the 33rd minute.
Fermanagh's Eimear Smyth in action against Aimee Greene of Down. Tyler Miller / SPORTSFILE
Tyler Miller / SPORTSFILE / SPORTSFILE
Fitzpatrick and Smyth exchanged points from frees before Laoise Duffy edged Down back in front again in the 36th minute. Fermanagh created scoring opportunities but just like the first half, they squandered them.
The game was level again in the 44th minute when Smyth was on target yet again from a free but down the other end McClory’s ball bounced over the crossbar to give Down the lead.
It wasn’t a classic, but it was end to end stuff and with Smyth in excellent form Fermanagh kept coming at Down. The sides were level for a seventh time in the 58th minute. In the 60th minute a free from the boot of Smyth put Fermanagh again, the first time since the 11th minute.
She put two between them in the second minute of stoppage time. Down needed a goal. Substitute Niamh Rice took a shot but Breen stopped the ball on the line to earn a dramatic win for her side.
Scorers for Fermanagh: E Smyth 1-10 (3fs), C McGarrigle 0-1.
Scorers for Down: E Fitzpatrick 0-4 (1f, 1tpf), E Hicks 0-3, K Howlett, N McClory 0-2 each, L Duffy 0-1.
FERMANAGH: A Haren; Courteney Breen, A O’Brien, S McQuade (capt.); A Keenan, C Bogue, B Bannon; A McCarney, Caitriona Breen; S Britton, N McManus, C Gallagher; C McGarrigle, E Smyth, J Doonan.
Subs: A McCarney for Breen ht, S McCarville for O’Brien 40, C Gallagher for C McGarrigle 45, E Carrigan for B Smyth 55.
DOWN: M Deery; N Loudon, E Sands, A Greene; N Edgar, O Blaney, N McClory; M Doherty, K Howlett; A Laverty, L Duffy, N McGrath; N King, E Fitzpatrick, E Hicks.
Subs: R McKenna for Edgar 21, N Rice for McGrath 37, C Brown for Sands 54, C Donnelly for E Fitzpatrick 60.
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Roscommon stun Westmeath at the death to set up All-Ireland IFC decider with Fermanagh
Roscommon 2-14
Westmeath 2-10
By Ivan Smyth
ROSCOMMON STRUCK 1-1 in the dying embers as they overcame Westmeath in a titanic TG4 All-Ireland intermediate championship semi-final at Kingspan Breffni.
This game appeared destined for extra-time with the game tied at 2-10 to 1-13. However, Lauren Shanagher’s goal and Aisling Feely’s converted free ensured Roscommon reached their first intermediate championship final since 2005. Now, Roscommon will play in Croke Park for the first time since 2001 after this exhilarating contest.
Both sides were without key personnel. Aisling Hanly is away travelling while Vicky Carr missed out for Westmeath. Roscommon sharpshooter Aisling Feely got the ball rolling with two early points. On the flip side, Westmeath struggled to convert their chances as four wides in the opening eight minutes was an early sign that Roscommon’s deployment of Saoirse Wynne as sweeper was working.
An Abby Curran score propelled Roscommon three points ahead while at the opposite end, Sarah Dillon was denied a game-levelling goal by a superb Helena Cummins save. Westmeath found the breakthrough they craved as straight after that stop, Anna Jones ’45 ended up in the net to tie the game at 1-0 to 0-3.
Despite Westmeath registering six wides after 17 minutes, they showed their menace when Ashley Ruane’s powerful surge ended in her blasting to the net. The Roscommon response was immediate as within 90 seconds, Róise Lennon showed impressive composure to fire low to the net under severe pressure.
The game was now moving at a rapid pace with a superb Ella Thompson effort momentarily nudging Roscommon in front. But two neat Sarah Dillon scores and an Anna Jones free saw Westmeath lead 2-4 to 1-5 at half time.
Katie Kilmurray increased Westmeath’s advantage upon the resumption of play, but in what was a rip-roaring second half Roscommon fought back. Ella Thompson was superb particularly in the final period as her well taken effort capped a run of three points without reply and tied the game at 2-5 to 1-8.
Thompson’s third point from wing back kickstarted another run of three scores without reply for the winners as an Aisling Feely effort propelled Roscommon 1-11 to 2-6 in front. Sarah Dillon and Lauren Shanagher traded efforts before a superb two-point free from Anna Jones tied the game.
In a dramatic finale, Roscommon showed impressive mental fortitude as Shanagher found the bottom corner of the net before Feely ensured Finbar Egan’s side will grace Croke Park on 2 August.
Scorers for Roscommon: A Feely 0-6 (3f), L Shanagher and R Lennon 1-1 each, E Thompson 0-3, A Curran, L Mannion and C Lennon 0-1 each.
Scorers for Westmeath: A Jones 1-3, (1-0 ’45, 1tpf, 1f), S Dillon 0-4, A Ruane 1-0, C Kelly Gonoud, C Kilmurray, K Kilmurray 0-1 each.
WESTMEATH: A Temple; F Coyle, C Kelly Gonoud, S Murphy; L Power, A Ruane, L McCartan; A Jones, C Kilmurray; A Keegan, L McCartan, T Dillon; S Dillon, R Higgins, K Kilmurray.
Sub: P Ruane for A Keegan (ht).
ROSCOMMON: H Cummins; Á Connaughton, M McKeon, Á McGrath; N Feeney, R Cox, E Thompson; E Irwin, A Curran; K Nolan, S Wynne, L Mannion; R Lennon, A Feely, C Lennon.
Subs: L Shanagher for R Lennon (50), N Watson for K Nolan (50), R Fitzmaurice for E Irwin (59), G Lohan for N Feeney (60).
Referee: David Hurson (Monaghan).
*****
Fermanagh 1-11
Down 0-12
By Deniese O’Flaherty
THE TALISMANIC EIMEAR Smyth was on song as she helped Fermanagh book their place in the TG All-Ireland intermediate championship final with a narrow win over Ulster rivals Down at St Tiernach’s Park in Clones.
Smyth scored 1-10, all but three points of it from play, while at the other end the heroics of her team-mate Courteney Breen right at the end helped the Erne County to victory.
Ciara McGarrigale got the opening score of the game inside the first minute. Katie Howlett replied for Down before Fermanagh got a goal in the fifth minute. Niamh McManus with the pass to Smyth, she turned before firing to the net.
Eimear Fitzpatrick kicked over a lovely two point free to put just one between the sides before Smyth kicked over her second point in the 11th minute. After their fine start, that was to be Fermanagh’s last score of the half. They had chances but were guilty of some wayward shooting and kicking poor wides.
Eva Hicks kicked over three points in a row to give Down the lead for the first time in the 26th minute. Two minutes later wing-back Niamh McClory got up to fire over a neat point to put two between the sides.
Down also created some goal chances but were unable to find the back of the net as they went in at the break with a 0-8 to 1-3 lead.
Smyth kicked over the first point of the second half in the 31st minute; Fermanagh’s first score since the 11th minute. She followed up with another point to draw the game in the 33rd minute.
Fitzpatrick and Smyth exchanged points from frees before Laoise Duffy edged Down back in front again in the 36th minute. Fermanagh created scoring opportunities but just like the first half, they squandered them.
The game was level again in the 44th minute when Smyth was on target yet again from a free but down the other end McClory’s ball bounced over the crossbar to give Down the lead.
It wasn’t a classic, but it was end to end stuff and with Smyth in excellent form Fermanagh kept coming at Down. The sides were level for a seventh time in the 58th minute. In the 60th minute a free from the boot of Smyth put Fermanagh again, the first time since the 11th minute.
She put two between them in the second minute of stoppage time. Down needed a goal. Substitute Niamh Rice took a shot but Breen stopped the ball on the line to earn a dramatic win for her side.
Scorers for Fermanagh: E Smyth 1-10 (3fs), C McGarrigle 0-1.
Scorers for Down: E Fitzpatrick 0-4 (1f, 1tpf), E Hicks 0-3, K Howlett, N McClory 0-2 each, L Duffy 0-1.
FERMANAGH: A Haren; Courteney Breen, A O’Brien, S McQuade (capt.); A Keenan, C Bogue, B Bannon; A McCarney, Caitriona Breen; S Britton, N McManus, C Gallagher; C McGarrigle, E Smyth, J Doonan.
Subs: A McCarney for Breen ht, S McCarville for O’Brien 40, C Gallagher for C McGarrigle 45, E Carrigan for B Smyth 55.
DOWN: M Deery; N Loudon, E Sands, A Greene; N Edgar, O Blaney, N McClory; M Doherty, K Howlett; A Laverty, L Duffy, N McGrath; N King, E Fitzpatrick, E Hicks.
Subs: R McKenna for Edgar 21, N Rice for McGrath 37, C Brown for Sands 54, C Donnelly for E Fitzpatrick 60.
Referee: Gus Chapman (Sligo).
*****
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