Down Ladies pipped at post by Tyrone in TG4 Intermediate Championship match
LGFA,
TG4 Intermediate All Ireland Championship,
Venue : Pairc Esler, Sunday 8th June 2025,
Downxa0v Tyrone,
Final Score: Downxa02-8 (14) v Tyrone 1-14 (17).
“Do or die” was the message coming out of the Down camp this week as they faced Tyrone at Pairc Esler.
Dispute having the chances to win last time out against West Meath, the painful loss meant that they had to avoid defeat against Tyrone to have any chance of progression in the Championship.
This was always going to be incredibly tight game as a single extra time point in Down’s favour was the difference when these teams last faced each other in the Ulster semifinal,and so it proved to be exactly that,with these two evenly matched sides.
Tyrone were stronger in the opening few minutes. With Aoibhinn McHugh, Niamh O’Neill, Aoife Horisk and especially centre forward Sorcha Gormley all shining for the visitors and they would go on to be massive threats to the Down defence throughout the game.
O’Neill opened the scoring for Tyrone and but for waywood shooting the visitors should have added another two scores to that single point. The Tyrone early pressure was turned on its head with seven minutes on the clock.
A nice interchange of handpassing between Meghan Doherty, Niamh King and Niamh Rice, left Rice through on goal. As the Rostrevor forward was about to pull the trigger she was bundled over by a lunge from Tyrone’s Michaela Moore and referee Antony Marron had no hesitation in awarding the spot kick. Burren’s Eimear Fitzpatrick showed no sign of pressure after last week’s saved penalty, as she confidently blasted the ball into the corner of the net for a vitalxa0Downxa0goal.
Fitzpatrick followed this up with two converted frees in quick succession to extend the Down lead.
Tyrone almost hit back with a goal of their own as Horisk unleashed a powerful drive that was heading into the top corner, but Down keeper Cara Bradley flung out an outstretched hand to tip the ball over for a single rather than the maximum.
Horisk was denied another goal chance when good work from Clara Mulvenna closed down the Errigal Ciaran forward. However play was pulled back for Tyrone to convert the free to leave the score at Down 1-02 to Tyrone 0-3.
Down pressed forward again and as the Tyrone defence opened up infront of Ciara McCreaner the Bredagh defender gladly accepted the invitation to shoot and cleared the bar. Tyrone reeled Down back in with three late converted frees. The last on the stroke of half time brought the teams in level.
Downxa01-3 v Tyrone 0-6
Fitzpatrick has been deadly from frees all season and opened the second half scoring with another long range converted free in.
But then Tyrone really stepped up the pressure. Aoibhinn McHugh powerful run and clever hand pass, left Sorcha Gormley in space on the right and she made no mistake burying the ball into the net.
Down hit back with yet another Fitzpatrick free but that was cancelled out by Tyrone’s Niamh O Neill. O’Neill must have one of the best left foots in ladies football and put the ball over with ease.
Player of the match Gormley got another point as she raced through the middle. Gormley’s pace and work rate gave the Down defence no rest bite throughout the game and the Tyrone forward was a real live wire throughout the game.
Down were working incredibly hard. A patient build up where they recycled the ball multiple times was rewarded when Niamh King found a touch of space and cleared the black spot to bring Down within two of the visitors.
Fitzpatrick and Horisk exchanged frees before danger woman Gormley pointed again. Castlewellan’s King then done well getting a shot off at full pace to keep Down in touch.
Three unanswered Tyrone points followed, and it looked like the game had slipped away from Down, but a bit of magic from young Niamh Rice got Down a much needed penalty and a lifeline back into the game. Rice weaved her way past several Tyrone defenders before being brought down. Second half substitute Aine Smyth dispatched the penalty to reduce the gap to two in Tyrone’s favour.
With time running lowxa0Downxa0pushed bodies forward and left gaps in defence. Aoife McGahan expoilted this and slotted over for the visitors and a three point lead.
A few scrambled balls into the Tyrone square in added on time was well delt with asxa0Downxa0tried everything to get the goal they so desperately needed.
It was not to be as Tyrone held out in this highly entertaining Championship game by three. The large crowd, although disappointed we’re well entertained by two cracking teams. Tyrone now face West Meath to see who will win this group whilexa0Downxa0face a relegation playoff to stay in next year’s Intermediate Championship.
Final Score: Down 2-8 (14) v Tyrone 1-14 (17).
Down: C.Bradley. A. Greene. N.McGrath. N.McClory. C.Mulvenna (c). A.Brogan. E.Sands. M.Doherty. A.Laverty. E.Fitzpatrick (1-5). L.Duffy. N.Burns. N.King(0-2). N.Rice. V. McCormack. C.McCreanor (0-1). A.Smyth (1-0).
Tyrone: A.Coyle. J.Lyons. G.McKenna. E.Quinn. S.McCarroll. M.Moore. C.Canavan. A.McHugh. M.Mallon (0-1). E.McNamee. S.Gormley (1-3). A.Horisk (0-5). N.O’Neill (0-4). C.McCrossan. C.Coulton. A.McGahan (0-1)
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