Final agony for Eoghan Rua as misses come back to haunt them

Connacht LGFA Intermediate Club Championship – Final 

Ballinamore Sean O’Heslin’s 1-10 

Eoghan Rua 1-9 

Gavin Cawley in Markievicz Park 

In a game of small margins, this is one that Eoghan Rua will struggle to understand how they lost considering all the chances they wasted over the course of the 60 minutes.

Despite leading 0-7 to 0-5 at the break, their total of eleven first-half wides was to prove very costly at the end of the game.

It was the Leitrim champions who settled first as they opened a two points lead through Sarah McLoughlin and Roisin McHugh, who kicked a pointed free.

Despite some early procession it took nine minutes for Eoghan Rua, who draw from Castleconnor, Enniscrone and Easkey, to register a score, with Leah Duffy on target for her side. The teams were level on thirteen minutes when Duffy was on target again.

A converted free from Roisin McHugh had Ballinamore Sean O’Heslin’s back in front before the West Sligo girls levelled again, this time with a point from Fiona Feeney. But that score could really have been a goal, with Feeney firing marginally over the crossbar.

Ballinamore captain Grainne Prior had her side in front before Eoghan Rua kicked three points on the spin, including a brace from team captain Louise Lindsay. Sinead Naughton added a free before the break and so the Sligo ladies held a two points half-time advantage.

Ballinamore Sean O’Heslin’s began the second-half like they had the first, beginning the brighter and scoring the opening two points and so the sides were level once again. Leah Duffy restored the lead for her side after some excellent work in the move from Sarah Curley and although McHugh drew the Leitrim outfit level once again, Louise Lindsay soon hit back with another point, with Keeva Flynn and Duffy both involved in the attack.

It looked like Eoghan Rua were in a really strong position when they took a four-point lead with only eleven minutes left to play, as Sinead Naughton found the back of the net after her sister Orla played the ball across. The move itself had started in the full-back line with Sinead McGinty the instigator.

It only took three minutes for the Leitrim champions to respond with a goal of their own however, ,with McLoughlin having the final flick to the net from a Roisin McHugh free. And it was the latter who drew her side level yet again, this time scoring her first point of the game from play.

Despite having the minority of possession in the second-half, it was Ballinamore Sean O’Heslin’s who would come away with victory when Laoise Moran’s one and only point of the game broke Eoghan Rua hearts.

The result is very tough on an Eoghan Rua team who had so many chances to get over the line but just lacked some badly needed composure in the final third.

Scorers – Ballinamore Sean O’Heslins: Roisin McHugh 0-5 (3f), Sarah McLoughlin 1-1, Laura Maguire, Laoise Moran, Grainne Prior and Aoibheann Flynn 0-1 each.

Eoghan Rua: Sinead Naughton 1-1, Louise Lindsay and Leah Duffy 0-3 each, Fiona Feeney 0-2.

Eoghan Rua: Lauren Fitzgerld; Clara Battle, Sinead McGinty, Aoibhe Barrins; Sarah Feeney, Orna O’Dowd, Sarah Curley; Louise Lindsay, Ellen McGuire; Laura Conway, Sinead Naughton, Orla Naughton; Fiona Feeney, Sophie Barrins, Leah Duffy. Subs: Keeva Flynn (for S Barrins 32), Tara Hastings (for A Barrins 39).

Ballinamore Sean O’Heslin’s: Leighanne Flynn; Deborah McGourty, Abbi Sweeney, Emma Honeyman; Laoise Moran, Mollie Murphy, Grainne Prior; Megan McGovern, Ciara O’Dowd; Ciara McGoldrick, Roisin McHugh, Laura Maguire; Aoibhinn Flynn, Sarah McLoughlin, Lucy Murphy. Subs: Aoibhinn McGoldrick, Niamh Donohue.

REF: Garryowen McMahon (Davitts, Mayo)