currentaccount.ie All-Ireland Intermediate Club Championship semi-final

Mullinahone 2-6 Derrygonnelly 1-7 AET

By Mark McGoldrick

LORRAINE  O’Shea scored a late goal in the second half of extra-time to book Mullinahone a place in the currentaccount.ie All-Ireland Intermediate Club Championship Final after victory over Derrygonnelly in John Locke Park, Callan, Kilkenny.

The sides were nip for tuck right throughout the game. Derrygonnelly got off to a nervy start and Mullinahone made the most of it, with two frees from Lorraine O’Shea giving the Tipperary champions an early advantage.

Eimear Smyth tagged on a free with 22 minutes played to get Derrygonnelly up and running. She later chipped in with a great score from distance after a dazzling run to level the sides.

Derrygonnelly, brimming with confidence, then struck for the net, late in the half. Eimear Smyth drove up the pitch from deep and she flicked the ball across to her sister Bronagh Smyth who fired low to the bottom corner, to give the Ulster champions a 1-2 to 0-2 lead at half time.

Their lead was short lived though and just two minutes into the second half, Mullinahone captain Molly Walsh palmed the ball into the back of the Derrygonnelly net to level the game.

Eimear Smyth, Lorraine O’Shea and Lauren Dowling then traded scores for their sides and the game was level heading into added-time.

Derrygonnelly did have two late chances, but two successive frees from Eimear Smyth deflected off the post, sending the game into extra-time.

Emma Burns, Aoibhe O’Shea and Lynne Carroll got on the scoresheet in the first half of extra-time, with Derrygonnelly leading by one point, 1-6 to 1-5, at the break.

Derrygonnelly continued to dominate in the second half of extra-time but the momentum eventually swung back in Mullinahone’s favour and they finished the stronger, with a late 1-1 from Lorraine O’Shea sealing the Munster champions a place in the Croke Park decider.

Mullinhone: A Browning; E Horan, G Horan, A O’Brien; E Cody, M Walsh (1-0), J Brett; N Shelly, L Dowling (0-1); D Gaule, L O’Shea (1-4, 3f), A O’Shea (0-1); C Gunn, M Kenneally, K Egan.
Sub: L White for Gaule (53)

Derrygonnelly:M Maguire; N Smyth, A Gordon, C Leonard; B Bannon, D Duffy, E Cassidy; E Burns, (0-1) R Wallace; N Jones, SJ Jones, A Jones; K Elliott, B Smyth (1-0), E Smyth (o-5, 3f)
Subs: E Cassidy for Elliott (46), L  Carroll (0-1) for N Jones (60)

Ref: Kevin Phelan (Laois)