Inch finally go the extra mile

ALL IRELAND LADIES SFC FINAL Inch Rovers (Cork) 0-9 Carnacon (Mayo) 0-7:CORK DUAL star Mary O'Connor kicked five points as Inch Rovers were crowned Tesco All-Ireland Ladies senior club football champions for the very first time yesterday.

O’Connor led the scoring charge at Cashel’s Leahy Park as Rovers finally got one over on Mayo champions Carnacon, in the third All-Ireland final meeting between the two teams in just four seasons.

Rovers had suffered big-day heartbreak against Carnacon in 2007 and 2008 but despite registering a massive tally of 14 wides, the team operating out of Killeagh GAA club would not be denied on this occasion.

With the breeze at their backs in the opening half, Rovers established a 0-6 to 0-3 half-time lead and they more than matched Carnacon in the second half to secure the Dolores Tyrrell Memorial Cup.

Cork defender Angela Walsh enjoyed a ding-dong battle with Carnacon’s Mayo county star Cora Staunton and this duel would go a long way towards deciding the outcome of the game.

Staunton hit 0-5, including three frees, over the course of the game but Walsh can look back on her display with a considerable degree of satisfaction as Staunton was unable to wreak a massive amount of havoc.

With just seconds remaining, Carnacon were reduced to 14 players when another of the team’s county stars, Martha Carter, received a yellow card from referee Joe Murray.

The game was gone from Carnacon by then and the final whistle sparked jubilant scenes from Inch Rovers, who follow in the footsteps of previous Cork winners Newtownshandrum, Watergrasshill, St Enda’s and Donoughmore.

CARNACON: M Higgins; N Hurst, C McGing, S McGing; M Corbett, A Loftus, N Tierney; C Egan, M McGing (0-1); N Beegan, C Staunton (0-5, 0-3 frees), M Carter; A Brennan (0-1), F McHale, D Hughes. Sub: E Flannery for Beegan (47 mins).

INCH ROVERS: G Kearney; M Kennedy, Angela Walsh, J Duffy; D O'Shea, S Smiddy, AM Walsh; O Cotter, Annie Walsh (0-1); J O'Shea (0-1), C Keohane, S Harrington; A O'Shea (0-1), M O'Connor (0-5, 0-3 frees), J Horan (0-1). Subs: C Walsh for Kennedy (56 mins), F Neville for Harrington (60+3 mins).

Referee: J Murray(Dublin).

IN THE All-Ireland ladies junior club football final Galway side Caltra Cuans and St Enda’s Tyrone played out a draw in Mullahoran on Saturday.

The sides will replay next Saturday at the same venue after finishing on 0-7 apiece.