Lilly blooms as Aghamore book ticket to decider
Hosts Aghamore booked their place in the county intermediate ladies final when they overcame Carnacon by seven points on Sunday evening.
The first-half was a tight affair, with scores hard to come by as both sides worked tirelessly in defence. However, goals proved key for Aghamore in the second-half as they eventually proved too strong for the visitors.
Aoife Lilly, who would scored a goal and seven points for the winners, got the first score of the day after four minutes, with Carnacon responding immediately to level proceedings when Ciara Cosgrave raised the white flag.
Aghamore won a free after the ball was touched on the ground, with Louise Cassidy slotting over to restore the home side’s lead. It would be eight minutes before the next score however, as both sides worked hard to turn each other over. Emma Halton found a way through the Aghamore defence to equalise at 0-2 apiece.
There was another eight-minute wait for the next score, this time from the boot of Lilly, who converted a free to restore Aghamore’s one-point lead. Lilly went on to score two more frees following breaches by Carnacon to give Aghamore a 0-5 to 0-2 lead at the break.
Carnacon got off to a flying start in the second-half when referee Ger Canny awarded the visitors a penalty after Aoife Doherty pulled Niamh Flannery’s jersey. Ciara Cosgrave stepped up to take the penalty and fired it over the bar to reduce the deficit to two points.
Lilly responded immediately with a point to restore Aghamore’s three-point advantage.
Aghamore were working hard and putting pressure on Carnacon as they attempted to work the ball out of defence, turning them over. They worked the ball to Lilly, who found captain Mairead Mooney. She slipped a pass to her sister Siobhan, who fired the ball past Lisa Nally for the first goal of the game, leaving the scoreboard reading 1-6 to 0-3.
Carnacon responded when Emma Halton took a quick lineball to find Louise Dowling, who popped over the bar. This was followed by a fantastic long-range effort from Karen Cosgrave to reduce the deficit to four points.
Lilly then made a great run through the Carnacon defence before taking aim at goal. Her initial effort was saved by Nally, but the ball bobbled around and found its way into the back of the net to give Aghamore a 2-6 to 0-5 lead.
Substitute Laoise Greally slotted over for Aghamore before Lilly rounded out her scoring for the day with two more frees, giving the home side a ten-point lead at 2-9 to 0-5.
Carnacon continued to work hard but were unable to break through the Aghamore defence, where Ciara Delaney was deployed as a sweeper. Emma Halton got the final score of the game when she found the net for Carnacon four minutes into added time. However, it was Aghamore who prevailed, booking their place in the final against Moy Davitts.
Scorers – Aghamore: Aoife Lilly 1-7 (5f), Siobhan Mooney 1-0, Louise Cassidy and Laoise Greally 0-1 each.
Scorers for Carnacon: Hannah Prendergast 1-1, Emma Halton 0-2, Ciara Cosgrave and Karen Cosgrave 0-1 each.
Aghamore: Cassie Niland; Ciara Delaney, Shauna Finn, Aoife Doherty; Ella Mulkeen, Rachel Lyons, Niamh Duffy; Mairead Mooney, Meabh Delaney; Niamh Mooney, Siobhan Mooney, Fiona Duffy; Louise Cassidy, Aoife Lilly, Caoimhe Delaney. Subs: Laoise Greally (for C Delaney 46).
Carnacon: Lisa Nally; Eabha Donnelly, Anna Heaney, Melissa McGing; Shauna Heneghan, Maria Keane, Leanne Durkan; Hannah Prendergast, Emma Halton; Ciara Cosgrave, Amy Dowling, Ellen Joyce; Karen Cosgrave, Niamh Flannery, Louise Dowling. Subs: Doireann Hughes (for Durkan ht), Eva Hallinan (for Joyce 44), Shauna Hallinan (for Heneghan 57).
REF: Ger Canny
