Fermanagh 4-18 Cavan 5-15
report courtesy of Eugene Kyne
The quest for glory will continue for these two sides after an extraordinary semi final on Sunday the 8th of August. It had all the components of a classic. A Big lead for Fermanagh in the opening moments , a determined comeback from Cavan, before a trilling finish to regular time. Extra time followed with both sides going ahead before Fermanagh had an astonishing comeback with time running out to force a replay. The game was marshaled by Mags Doherty from Wexford who was here for the CYC tournament and she was part of an encounter that will be spoke of long into the future.
Fermanagh had a glorious start to the semi final as they jumped out into a 2-03 to 0-00 lead in the first ten minutes. The first goal arrived when Loretta Cunningham was fouled and she converted the penalty to the net and the same player had goal number two within minutes before points from Ashling O’Sullivan and Cunningham two, moved them into the solid lead early in the game. Cavan were working hard to regroup after the devastating start and they came back into the game when a long ball from Linda McKeon was harnessed by Rosie O’Reilly who was then fouled as she prepared to shoot on goal. Colleen Jordon stepped up and slotted to the net. A point by Rosie O’Reilly followed to make the scoreline 2-03 to 1-01 Cavan continued their recovery with three of the next four scores with O’Reilly again showing prominently while Jordon popped two frees over the lathe. The Fermanagh score was a huge one however as they added their third goal. It came from Ashling O’Sullivan when she burst in on goal and made no mistake. Maeve DeBurca followed with a point but Cavan had the best of the last five minutes as they got within four after points from Colleen Jordon and Linda McKeon, McKeon’s was a towering free kick, the last score before the break. Fermanagh then took a 3-04 to 1-06 to the locker rooms.
While Fermanagh had the first point of the second half, Cavan continued their revival and they had their second goal within a minute of the restart. It came from Rosie O’Reilly who took a pass from Colleen Jordon and shot low to the net. After another O’Reilly point Colleen Jordon had their thirds goal when she broke free and it preceded three further Cavan minors, Hynes, McKeon and Jordan tallied. With ten minutes gone Cavan had reversed the deficit to a 3-10 to 3-05 lead. They were now dominating the exchanges at the middle of the field and the inside line of Jordon and Reilly were taking the scores. Fermanagh fought back however and it began with a goal chance when Loretta Cunningham went on a long solo run but blasted wide of the right peg. Ashling O’Sullivan had a good point 12 minutes in and Erin Galligan followed with a brace before Cavan had a huge opportunity at the other end. Two goal bound shots were blocked by Clare McElroy but Cavan did finish the pressure with a Caitlin Hynes point. McElroy’s heroics lifted her side however. Saoirse Finnigan had Fermanagh back within one after Galligan set her up and points from Caroline Murphy and a brilliant Maeve DeBurca score, had their side back in front of a game that had huge ebbs and flows. A move that originated with DeBurca deep in the Fermanagh half with five minutes left in the half, had life when Erin Galligan took her pass and fed Caroline Murphy in the right corner. She picked out Aisling Gormley with a superb cross field pass and after an early fumble, Aisling Gormley shot to the net. Caroline Murphy followed with a point and now had a four point lead with less than a minute on the clock. Cavan were not finished however. They moved the ball up the field through the hands of Sheana Kiernan and Linda McKeon before Colleen Jordon received it on the left wing. She took on a defender and then blasted to the net. On the kickout Rosie O’Reilly was set free and she drove over the tying point. The teams had put 4-12 on the board each but they were not finished as the powers that be stated that extra time was needed. Two ten minute periods.
Fermanagh had the better of the opening ten as they outscored their opponents 3 to 2. Erin Galligan had the final effort, a brilliant score when she returned to the field after a break. They opened the second half with another score, a Caroline Murphy point that gave them a two point advantage and Fermanagh also forced Fiona McLoughlin to make a brilliant save when Aisling Gormley rifled a shot on goal that the keeper had to dive full length to turn away. With four minutes on the clock, Linda McKeon took a Caitlin Hynes pass and stormed up the field. Forty soloed yards later she flicked to a wide open Nicola Rogan who fired to the net. Colleen Jordon added a point to goive Cavan a two point lead in a huge turn of events. Fermanagh were not giving up on this day and they worked the ball deep into Breffni territory. Erin Galligan won possession and fired over the bar to make the deficit the minimum, she then battled to get the ball a minute later and shot long range skimming the bar for the equalizer with time running out.
A brilliant contest, Fermanagh will have no fears in the replay after this tie. Tracey Ann McCullough was excellent at the back with Siobhan McCourt, and Clare McElroy also outstanding. Maeve DeBurca was brilliant in the middle and Cavan had no answer to her surging runs. Caroline Murphy chipped in with 0-04 and was very good in possession, while Aisling O’Sullivan, Erin Galligan and Loretta Cunningham were outstanding in front of goal. The amount of ball that Galligan won at the end was critical. Of the bench Ashling Gormley and Saoirse Finnigan had telling contributions. Cavan had stars in this outing as well, none shone brighter than Rosie O’Reilly, who was fouled for the penalty, and shot 1-04, and Colleen Jordon who contributed 3-06. They both showed constantly and were not afraid to shoot in front of goal. Fiona McLoughlin made one brilliant save and kick outs were good. Ashley Callery courageously battled throughout with Galligan, Sheana Kiernan was prominent with Linda McKeon setting up two goal’s and scoring two points. Aimee Gomez also had a lot of action off the bench.
Fermanagh 1 Donna Traynor 2 Nooleen Fitzpatrick 3 Tracy Ann McCullough 4 Caroline McArdle 5 Siobhan McCourt 6 Clare McElroy 7 Molly Boyle 8 Maeve DeBurca (0-02) 9 Caitlin Slattery 10 Caroline Murphy (0-04)11 Roisin Toner 12 Ashling O’Sullivan (1-03) 13 Loretta Cunningham (2-03)14 Erin Galligan (0-05)15 Marie Dunleavy Subs Aisling Gormley (1-00), Saoirse Finnigan (0-01), Christina Brown
Cavan 1 Fiona McLaughlin 2 Kate Kilkenny 3 Ashley Callery 4 Bridget Mulligan 5 Nicola Rogan (1-00)6 Sheana Kiernan 7 Katie McEvoy 8 Linda McKeon (0-02)9 Caroline McBrien 10 Rosie O’Reilly (1-04) 11 Caitlin Hynes (0-03)12 Kelly McArdle 13 Nicola King 14 Colleen Jordon (3-06)15 Nora Kilkenny Subs Aimee Gomez,
Referee Mags Doherty, Wexford.
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