Sinead Hayden of Bennekerry Tinryland in action against Ellen Carolan of Dee Rangers during the 2024 AIB Leinster LGFA Intermediate Club final between Dee Rangers and Bennekerry Tinryland at Coralstown/Kinnegad GAA in Westmeath. Photo by Tyler Miller/Sportsfile

Bennekerry/Tinryland (Carlow) 3-11
Dee Rangers (Meath) 0-12

By Daire Walsh

Cliodhna Ní Shé, Lauren Dwyer and Maeve O’Neill all struck goals at Coralstown/Kinnegad GAA on Saturday as Carlow’s Bennekerry/Tinryland overcame Dee Rangers of Meath to claim the AIB Leinster LGFA Intermediate Club Championship crown.

Supplementing Ní Shé’s impressive final tally of 1-6, Dwyer and O’Neill both rattled the net off the bench to ensure Bennekerry/Tinryland became the first team from the O’Hanrahan County to triumph at this grade since St Fortchern’s defeated tomorrow’s senior finalists Eadestown in a 2007 intermediate decider.

While Dee Rangers twice held slender leads during the early exchanges courtesy of points from Meena McConnell and Eva McConnell, Bennekerry/Tinryland were presented with a golden opportunity to edge in front when they were awarded a penalty on six minutes for a foul on Ní Shé. The reliable inter-county star subsequently drilled home from the spot herself and immediately followed up with a pointed free to offer her side a strong platform.

Sinead Hayden and Dee Rangers full-forward Briona Rowe proceeded to trade points, before Bennekerry/Tinryland moved five points clear with unanswered scores from attacking duo Ní Shé and Hayden. The influential Ní Shé knocked over another free before the end of the opening half, but with Eva McConnell, Grace Durnin and Rowe all finding the range, Dee Rangers were just three adrift (1-6 to 0-6) at the interval.

The Meath side had a former inter-county stalwart of their own in the form of Orlaith Duff (a two-time TG4 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship winner with the Royal County) and she was driving Rangers forward at every available opportunity.

A brave of successful frees from Rowe on the resumption left the bare minimum between the teams and it was back at this deficit when centre-forwards Lisa Young and Ní Shé swapped scores in a lively third-quarter.

However, in between two more points from Ní Shé, substitute Dwyer turned sharply before hammering a low shot to the bottom left-hand corner of the net in the 43rd minute.

Further contributions from Meena McConnell and Young initially kept Dee Rangers in the reckoning, but Bennekerry/Tinryland were not to be denied. After Dwyer added a 0-2 salvo to her personal haul, O’Neill fired beyond the reach of Sinead Carolan in stoppage-time to propel the Carlow women over the line.

Scorers –Bennekerry/Tinryland: C Ní Shé 1-6 (1-0 pen, 0-5f), L Dwyer 1-2, M O’Neill 1-0, S Hayden 0-3. Dee Rangers: B Rowe 0-4 (3f), L Young 0-3 (3f), E McConnell, M McConnell 0-2 each, G Durnin 0-1.

BENNEKERRY/TINRYLAND: S Cotter; C Mahon, L Corcoran, L Mullins; R Bermingham, N Mohan, M Cranny; L Lowry, E Ware; A Webb, C Ní Shé, K Bullen; O Woods, S Nolan, S Hayden. Subs: L Dwyer for Bullen (h-t), M O’Neill for Nolan (46), D Tomlinson for Lowry (63).

DEE RANGERS: S Carolan; A Myles, O Duff, E Cassidy; E Carolan, A Reilly, A McNulty; O Sheehy, L O’Neill; E McConnell, L Young, E Halpenny; M McConnell, B Rowe, G Durnin. Subs: N Byrne for Halpenny (45), K Farrelly for E McConnell (50), A Curran for E Carolan (57).

Referee: Kevin Phelan (Laois).

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