Ulster Senior Club Championship semi-final: Glenfin (Donegal) 3-17 Bredagh (Down) 1-15 (aet)
DONEGAL champions Glenfin were forced to dig deep to see off a determined Bredagh challenge after extra-time at a rain-sodden Pairc Taobhoige in Saturday’s Ulster Senior Club Championship semi-final.
The eight-point winning margin was a little flattering to the victors especially as it needed a late injury time equaliser from one of their star players Yvonne Bonner to send the game to extra-time.
However, over those additional 20 minutes it looked like there was only going to be one winner as the home side finally put to bed the Bredagh challenge.
A goal right at the beginning of the first period of extra-time from substitute Colene McGrath set them on their way and as they held Bredagh scoreless for those first 10 additional minutes to lead by four points 2-15 to 1-14 at the half way mark.
They were able to keep their opposition at arm’s length for the second extra time period, Bredagh managing just a point as Bonner added two points and Sinead McGinty grabbed a third Glenfin goal to seal their spot in just their second Ulster final - their first being in 2011 - against either holders St Macartans or Donaghmoyne.
The rain never stopped falling through this game and having rained all morning conditions were far from ideal for both sides. However, that did not the stop the teams producing an absorbing 80 minutes of football that produced two goals from penalties, a goal ruled out right at the death, some fantastic point taking and impressive performances, notably from Bredagh’s Eva Hicks who finished with nine points, as did Glenfin’s Bonner.
The game was level on eight occasions and when Clare Timoney put the Down champions one up, 1-14 to 1-13, two minutes into injury time it looked like Bredagh were going to cause a huge upset.
But there was still time for more drama when referee Yvonne Brady disallowed a Bonner goal calling a square ball and with Bredagh goalkeeper Emer Murtagh adjudged to have taken too long with the resulting free kick, Glenfin were awarded an easy 13 metre free that Bonner duly put over the bar to level the game, 1-14 apiece.
Glenfin full forward Bonner was soaked but delighted to get over the line after being pushed all the way by a “brilliant” Bredagh side.
“You are always looking for those games, closely contested right to the end. They are a brilliant side and they pushed us all the way,” she said.
“We didn’t really play much in the first whole hour and we needed that kind of wake up call when it came down to the wire and with that free after the goal that was disallowed we got that lifeline. We knew we could have played better so we got that wake up call and then we kicked on then in extra-time.”
Bredagh will be hugely disappointed to have lost this one given they were so close. Despite eight first half wides they snuck in front at the break, leading 1-6 to 0-7, thanks to a Clare Timoney penalty with the last piece of first half action.
Eva Hicks kicked three of their first four points with Karen Guthrie (two), Katy Herron and Karen Ward on target for Glenfin in the opening quarter which was deadlocked at 0-4 apiece.
Then Glenfin found an additional gear to move 0-7 to 0-4 ahead through Bonner, Guthrie and Herron but a strong final few minutes from Bredagh with Hicks hitting two points and that Timoney goal from the penalty spot after midfielder Laoise Duffy was fouled by Glenfin fullback Tara Martin gave the visitors a two point interval lead.
Colene McGrath was a half-time substitute for Glenfin and she made an immediate impression on the restart when she was awarded a penalty after a foul by cornerback Aislinn McCloskey and Guthrie duly despatched to Murtagh’s bottom right hand corner to put Glenfin back into the lead, 1-7 to 1-6.
However, that was wiped out in quick succession with three Hicks’ points, all from frees, in as many minutes, with another one from Anna McKee to open up a 1-10 to 1-7 lead by the 39th minute.
Glenfin got back on level terms before the game when tit-for-tat in the final quarter as Bonner really came to the fore replying for Glenfin with their final four points each time Bredagh got their noses back in front, including that match-saving 65th minute equalising point. ]]
Glenfin: S Conaghan; D McGlynn, T Martin, AM Logue; G Houston (capt), AM McGlynn, S McGinty (1-0); Kathy Ward (0-1), K Guthrie (1-4,1-0 pen); Karen Ward (0-1), K Herron (0-2), L Martin; G Glackin, Y Bonner (0-9,4f), K Long.
Subs: M Martin for T Martin, C McGrath (1-0) for Karen Ward, D McGinley for K Long, all ht; L McKenna for Guthrie (79).
Bredagh: E Murtagh; A McCloskey, D Curran, A McFarland; M Deery, H Murray (capt), O Duffy; A McCarvill, L Duffy; A McKee (0-2), C Timoney (1-2, 1-0pen), C McCreanor; M McCreanor, E Hicks (0-9,6f), E Durkin (0-1).
Referee: Y Duffy (Cavan)
