Ballymackey complete League and Cup double
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Ballymackey’s Chloe Whyte is challenged by Birdhill’s Laura Cunneen in the Ladies Cup Final which was called off with six minutes remaining due to poor light conditions. Odhran DucieImage 2 of 2
Borrisokane FC - Tipperary Women’s Shield Winners. Back row: April Slevin, Gwen Austin, Paula Chadwick, Jessica Moore, Sibo Mavuso. Middle row, Sabelo Mavuso, Ella Walsh, Shauna Quinn, Sekinat Bamgbose, Michelle Fitzgerald, Shauna Rooney, Gemma Fitzgerald. Front row: Olivia Harding, Maria Kennedy, Anna Harding, Stephanie O’Sullivan, Áine Cleary. Missing from photo, Gillian McKenna, Áine Leenane, Laura Leenane. PHOTOs: ODHRAN DUCIE Odhran DucieBy Gary Culbert
Cup Final
Ballymackey 3-1 Birdhill
Ballymackey took on Birdhill in the North Tipperary Cup final in Villa Park, Roscrea last Wednesday and completed a league and cup double with a 3-1 win.
The victors were on their game from the off, maintaining good possession of the ball and playing with invention in attack, and got their just rewards on the half hour when Christine O’Keefe was in the right place at the right time, to finish from close range following an Aoibhin Delaney cross.
Ballymackey continued on the front foot in the second half doubled their lead in the 70th minute, courtesy of a superb solo effort from Aoibhín Delaney, who jinked past three defenders after gaining possession just inside the Birdhill half, before finishing clinically. The two-goal cushion was short-lived however, as Ballymackey were caught with numbers forward by a swift Birdhill counter attack and Birdhill halved the deficit through Fiona Delaney.
Ballymackey reacted well to the set-back, exerting pressure on Birdhill once more and Míoda O’Shea delivered the third goal and what was the killer blow when she beat the Birdhill offside trap and left the recovering defenders for dead over forty metres, before rounding the keeper and finishing from a tight angle, for a goal on her senior debut.
There was some late drama as Ballymackey looked to enjoy the last few minutes of the game with a relatively safe lead, however, light was fading and the referee ended the game with still a few minutes on the clock, with player safety a concern.
Confusion rained for a few minutes as to the outcome, but league officials announced that with minimum time outstanding the result at the final whistle would stand and Ballymackey were crowned Cup winners, completing a League and Cup double.
Birdhill were missing some of their star players on the day, and the truth is they were well beaten. The in-form Christine O’Keefe was at the heart of all things good that Ballymackey produced, whilst the midfield trio of Rachel Sheehan, Lisa Toohey and Aoibhín Delaney ran the game from the engine room.
Shield Final
Borrisokane 5-0 Newport Town
Borrisokane were comfortable winners over Newport Town in the Shield final at Villa Park last Wednesday night.
Goal from Shauna Rooney and a brace apiece from Gillian McKenna and Anna Harding were unanswered by Newport Town. Borrisokane’s Anna Harding was the player of the match, but honorary mentions to Gillian Mckenna and Shauna Rooney who controlled the game from center midfield. Aine Cleary in defense made some fantastic forward runs from right back to overload the Newport rearguard and secure the silverware.