By Deniese O’Flaherty

Bennekenny/Tinryland (Carlow) 4-6
Mullahoran (Cavan) 1-12

Bennekenny/Tinryland produced a strong display to book their place in the AIB All-Ireland intermediate club final and a trip to Croke Park.

It was no more than the Carlow side deserved. From the start they were on top and, try as they might, Cavan side Mullahoran just couldn’t compete with them in a tough encounter at Kingspan Breffni Park. 

Despite the concession of three first half goals Mullahoran rallied and were level going in at the break. 

Just one minute had elapsed when Bennekerry/Tinryland found the back of the net when Cliodhna Ní Shé supplied the pass and Lauren Dwyer scored. 

Aishling Sheridan replied with a free for Mullahoran before a point from Orla Woods and a goal from Sinead Hayden extended the Carlow side’s lead to six in the sixth minute.

Geraldine Sheridan pulled a goal back for Mullahoran in the 13th minute and the gap was just one four minutes later when Hayden grabbed her second goal in the 18th minute with a stunning strike. 

But Mullahoran staged a comeback with Emilia Mussi scoring a fantastic point. Three pointed frees from the boot of Sheridan drew the Cavan side level in the 26th minute at 3-1 to 1-7.

Mullahoran squandered chances at the beginning of the second half to take the lead. They were to rue those missed opportunities when in the space of a minute Bennekenny/Tinryland scored 1-1 with Elaine Ware finding the back of the net for her side’s fourth. Points from Ní Shé (free) and Maeve O’Neill saw them extend their advantage to six points midway through the second half. 

Sheridan scored two frees and a superb point from play left three between them in the 54th minute but Ní Shé replied with an excellent point from play to edge them ahead by four.

As the clocked ticked down the crowd became boisterous as both sides put everything on the line. Sheridan cut the deficit to three again in the 60th minute. 

Both sides had chances to get further scores but failed to do so as Bennekenny/Tyryland held on for a famous win. 

Scorers - Bennekenny/Tinryland: S Hayden 2-1, E Ware, L Dwyer 1-0 each, C Ní Shé 0-3 (0-1f), O Woods, M O’Neill 0-1 each.

Mullahoran: A Sheridan 0-9 (7fs), G Sheridan 1-0, E Mussi, N Sheils, K Fegan 0-1 each. 

BENNEKENNY/TINRYLAND: S Cotter; C Mahon, L Corcoran, L Mullins; R Bermingham, N Mohan, M Cranny; E Lowry, E Ware; A Webb, C Ní Shé, L Dwyer; O Woods, S Nolan, S Hayden. Subs: M O’Neill for Mahon (30+1), K Bullen for Nolan (45).

MULLAHORAN: F Higgins; H Brady, A Galligan, K Comaskey; A Reilly, G Sheridan, S Reilly; M Sheridan, A Deneher; C Brennan, E Mussi, N Sheils; K Smith, A Sheridan, K Fegan. Subs: E Higgins for Brennan (43), O O’Reilly for Smith (59), C Sheils for Fegan (60+3).

Referee: Gus Chapman (Sligo)

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