Aghada capture first senior title after beating Éire Óg on penalties
County joy for Aghada! Picture: Chani Anderson
Aghada became Cork LGFA Senior A champions for the first time following an unforgettable win over Éire Óg in MTU.
Having come up short in each of their previous senior three semi-final appearances, Eric Smith’s side defeated Éire Óg 4-1 on free-kicks after a thrilling conclusion.
A home Munster SFC semi-final beckons but, for now, Aghada will bask in the glow of a terrific senior county achievement.
As for Éire Óg, a gut-wrenching fourth consecutive senior county final loss will be tough to fathom, especially considering how well the Ovens club performed.
Awful windy conditions played their part in Sunday’s decider, making attractive football impossible. It is a pity considering the array of talent on both teams.
Add in intermittent showers and neither Aghada nor Éire Óg could be criticised for producing a total of three points in the opening half.
Gaining the advantage of the wind in the first half, Éire Óg’s Sadhbh McGoldrick fired over inside the second minute. Anyone in the huge attendance expecting a deluge of scores was disappointed as the only deluge turned out to be heavy showers.
Playing against the wind, Aghada defended stoutly with Yvonne Burgoyne, Hannah Looney and Roisín Phelan giving little away.
Emma Farmer converted a free to bring parity to the score after 10 minutes but as the conditions worsened, so did the clearcut scoring chances.
Aghada (five wides) and Éire Óg (six wides) changed ends with the latter 0-2 to 0-1 in front thanks to a long-range Emma Cleary effort.
Admirably, the second half proved a thrilling affair despite the conditions. Emma Cleary (free) and Emma Farmer exchanged scores before Farmer landed a free to make it 0-3 apiece.
After 46 minutes, Roisín Phelan landed a long-range free to restore Aghada’s lead only for Lisa Murphy to level matters once again.
Then, with less than six minutes to go, former Cork senior and only a week home from Australia, Eimear Scally edged Éire Óg back in front.
Aghada dug deep and mustered yet another response with Kaitlin Smith splitting the posts three minutes from the end.
Amid a raucous atmosphere and deep into injury time, Aghada were awarded a free that was brought forward for dissent. Emma Farmer’s attempt trailed wide and extra time was needed.
Aghada had the wind in the first period and made it count, turning over a kick-out and releasing Kaitlin Smith who finished to the net. Roisín Phelan added a free and her side changed ends 1-6 to 0-6 in front after Shauna Cronin split the uprights.
Refusing to accept defeat, Éire Óg used the wind to kick three unanswered points in the second period with Eimear Scally levelling the score via a marvellous effort.
That meant 25-metre free-kicks. Sarah Leahy, Hannah Looney, Brian Smith and Roisín Phelan all converted to send Aghada and their supporters into wild celebrations.
K Smith 1-1, E Farmer 0-3 (0-1 f), R Phelan 0-2 f.
E Cleary 0-3 (0-1 f), Eimear Scally 0-2, L Murphy, S McGoldrick, S Cronin, Elaine Scally (f) 0-1 each.
S Walsh; S Leahy, S McAllister, K O’Farrell; M McRae, Y Burgoyne, A Cooper; R Phelan (c), H Looney; C Walsh, K Smith, A Smith; C Moran, E Farmer, B Smith.
A Coughlan for C Walsh (44), M Leahy for A Smith (44), B Wall for Y Burgoyne (60, inj), A Bennett for E Farmer (e-t).
R Halligan, A Rodgers (jc), J Gorman (jc), S Sheehan; C O’Brien, S McGoldrick, M Cahalane; S Cronin, E Cleary; L Murphy, L Cleary, M Kelleher; A Hayes, Ó Cremin, O Cahalane.
Eimear Scally for M Kelleher (h-t), G Young for C O’Brien (36), Elaine Scally for A Hayes (52), E Sheehan for L Cleary (e-t), R Sheehan for A Rodgers (et).
Mairead Dullea (Bantry Blues).
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