Naomh Abán ladies win Munster Intermediate football title after extra-time

Naomh Abán 2-11

Clounmacon/Moyvane 2-8

After extra-time

Naomh Abán were crowned AIB Munster Ladies Intermediate football champions following their extra time win over Clounmacon/Moyvane at Mallow on Sunday.

It looked like they had it won in normal time but a goal six minutes into injury time for Clounmacon/Moyvane took it to extra-time.

It wasn’t only Naomh Abán who were mystified a the amount of injury time which led to the equaliser, with no stoppages in the second half, but they got their in the end.

Overall they were the better side with Roisin Lehane, Grace Murphy and Rosie Corkery, in particular outstanding for them.

Clounmacon/Moyvane had the first real chance of the game when Erin Finucane played Ornaith Wall in, but her shot was easily saved by Lauren Hughes.

Naomh Abán broke down the pitch to see Colleen Phelan set up Lydia McDonagh for the game’s opening score in the third minute.

Three minutes later and Clounmacon/Moyvane had their keeper, Danielle Clemmer, to thank as she saved superbly to deny McDonagh a goal, after some good build up play by Roisin Lehane and Phelan.

It took until the 12th minute for the next score to arrive as Kelly Enright equalised for Clounmacon/Moyvane, to make it 0-1 each.

Two minutes later and Naomh Abán got the game’s opening goal. Lehane took on the Clounmacon/Moyvane

Defence and even though she was fouled she kept going to find the back of the net to make it 1-1 to 0-1.

From the restart they regained possession and worked the ball to McDonagh who rattled the net for the second goal as they were enjoying the better of the exchanges at this stage.

Finucane pulled a point back for Clounmacon/Moyvane, with Laura Sheeran adding another to make it 2-1 to 0-3 after 20 minutes.

Gillian Musgrave pointed from a free for Clounmacon/Moyvane to reduce the deficit, with Enright adding another to make it 2-2 to 0-5 after 25 minutes.

Lehane and Phelan combined again to set up McDonagh for the last score of the half as Naomh Abán led by 2-3 to 0-5 at the break.

Musgrave pointed from another free at the start of the second-half to put three between the sides as the Kerry team were now playing the better football.

Annie Maher got Naomh Abán’s first score after the break, with Lehane adding another to make it 2-5 to 0-6.

Clemmer kept her side in contention when she made another great save, this time denying Maher a goal.

Marie Kennelly pulled a point back for Clounmacon/Moyvane, with her first touch after coming on as a sub in the 40th minute.

Lehane replied at the other end and Murphy played another great ball to McDonagh to make it 2-7 to 0-7 with 10 minutes to go.

From the restart Clounmacon/Moyvane’s Finucane played Muirne Wall in but her shot came back off the bar.

But Kennelly was quickest to react to goal, putting three between the sides.

But the Cork team didn’t panic with Lehane scoring at the other end to put four between them, 2-8 to 1-7.

Finucane pulled a point back and with the last shot of the game she scored a goal to take it to extra-time.

Lehane got the first score of extra-time from a free to put the Cork side back in front.

Clounmacon/Moyvane should have taken the lead but Wall blazed wide with the goal at her mercy, before Clemmer made yet another great save to deny Kelly a goal.

Lehane’s point was the only score of the first-half in extra time as both sides had visibly tired.

She was on target again after the restart with Joanne Kelly adding another as Naomh Abán led by 2-11 to 2-8 after 76 minutes.

That proved to be the final score as the Cork side ran out deserving winners on the day.

Scorers for Naomh Abán: R Lehane 1-6, L McDonagh 1-3, A Maher, J Kelly 0-1 each.

Clounmacon/Moyvane: E Finucane 1-2 (1f), M Kennelly 1-1, G Musgrave (2f), K Enright 0-2 each, L Sheeran 0-1.

NAOMH ABAN: L Hughes; I Riordan, M Dineen, U Vaughan; C Murphy, R Corkery, A Creedon; A McDonagh, G Lucey;

C Vaughan, G Murphy, A Maher; R Lehane, C Phelan, L McDonagh.

Subs: J Kelly for C Phelan (49), L Hughes for C Murphy, ME Kelliher for A Maher (both 55), C O’Connell for I Riordan (60), A Hoare for C Vaughan (62), C Maher for A Hoare (66), A Maher for G Lucey (70).

CLOUNMACON/MOYVANE: D Clemmer; C Hudson, A Kelly, A Sheehy; O Wall, K McGrath, T Enright; L Sheeran, M Wall; A Quinn, M Mulvihill, K Enright; G Musgrave, E Finucane, F Buckley.

Subs: M Kennelly for F Buckley, G Stack Mulvihill for C Hudson (both 40), C Flavin for A Sheehy (53), L Stack for T Enright (55), A Sheehy for L Sheeran (80).

Referee: Patrick Smith, Waterford.