Remarkable second half comeback wins Cup for St Sinchill's in dramatic fashion

NINE points down at half time, St Sinchill's staged a remarkable second half recovery to defeat St Cillian's by a point and win the Offaly Intermediate Cup after an incredible final played at St Brendan's Park, Birr on Saturday.

HQ Physio Offaly Camogie Intermediate Cup Final

ST SINCHILL'S 2-13
ST CILLIAN'S 4-6

St Cillian's were completely on top in the first half and they found holes with ease in the St Sinchill's defence and could have bagged even more than the four goals they netted in that period.

At half time it was difficult to see St Sinchill's getting back into the game but they showed remarkable resilience in the second half and helped by two goals from placed balls in two minutes late in the third quarter, they then took control and snatched the winning point in the third minute of injury time.

St Cillian's will be kicking themselves for letting this game slip from their grasp. They played some wonderful camogie in the first half and their speedy forwards were causing problems for the St Sinchill's defence time and time again. They created some wonderful scores and looked all over the winners at half time.

But it was all change in the second half. Their lone point came in the third minute of the half and they failed to score again after that. They hit nine wides in total, including a number of scoreable frees, whereas St Sinchill's had only two wides in the whole of the game.

St Sinchill's did drop an awful lot of balls shot, including a number of frees, but they really got stuck in in the second half. They made positional switches at the break and their defence tightened up considerably and didn't allow St Cillian's the freedom they had in the first half. They lived on their nerves for a while and after getting themselves back into the game took some time to level before snatching that late winner.

St Sinchill's lost Rachel Dillon and captain Zara Kelly to injury in the first half but still recovered to win. Hannah Troy, Keelin Guilfoyle and Nicole Heffernan worked hard in defence, Jane Murray had a tremendous second half at midfield while in attack Bridin Walsh was always a threat and Jean Dunne and Sarah Dillon also put in a big effort.

For St Cillian's Lisa Hoctor, Laura Hogan and Cara Hoare did trojan work in defence, Sarah O'Rourke had a good hour in the middle of the field, while in attack Roisin Pinches, Caoimhe O'Donovan and Aoife O'Donovan were particularly impressive in the first half.

St Cillian's were very sharp out of the blocks and Aoife O'Donovan had them off the mark after just 21 seconds, followed less than a minute later by a second from Roisin Pinches. St Sinchill's settled and Jean Dunne pointed a free before Lauren O'Reilly levelled after four minutes. Jean Dunne then put St Sinchill's in front from a free but Sarah Freeman levelled from a free after 13 minutes.

Jane Murray edged St Sinchill's a point ahead again but the game changed in the 18th minute with two quick goals for St Cillian's. Firstly Roisin Pinches and Caoimhe O'Donovan combined to set up Aine Kennedy and almost immediately Sarah O'Rourke sent Caoimhe O'Donovan away and she finished to the net.

Jean Dunne pulled one back from a free but St Cillian's were on the goal trail again after 21 minutes when a lovely cross from the left picked out Aoife O'Donovan and she stuck the ball in the top corner. Jean Dunne pointed another free but Aoife O'Donovan replied at the other end. Lauren O'Reilly added another point for Sinchill's but their defence was opened up again after 27 minutes and although Caoimhe O'Donovan's first effort was well blocked by Shauna Denmead, O'Donovan picked up the rebound to fire to an empty net. Bridin Walsh and Sinead O'Rourke exchanged points, which left St Cillian's leading by 4-5 to 0-8 at half time.

Bridin Walsh and Roisin Pinches exchanged points inside the first three minutes of the second half but St Cillian's failed to score again. After eight scoreless minutes St Sinchill's earned a 20m fee and Jean Dunne fired her shot low into the corner. Two minutes later Clare Glynn was fouled and a penalty awarded and Jean Dunne stepped up and fired to the net again and it was game on. Bridin Walsh added a point midway through the half and the gap was down to two.

Five minutes later it was a single point when Bridin Walsh pointed again and then Jean Dunne levelled from a '45' with five minutes left. It was nip and tuck but then in the third minute of injury time Sarah Dillon cut off a free out from deep in the St Cillian's defence and fired her shot over the bar from about 40m out for what proved to be the winning score.

MATCH ANALYSIS

THE TEAMS

ST SINCHILL'S: Shauna Denmead; Zara Kelly, Hannah Troy, Clare Glynn; Keelin Guilfoyle, Rachel Dillon, Nicole Heffernan; Jane Murray, Aoibheann Walsh; Sarah Corcoran, Jean Dunne, Ava Flanagan; Karen Earls, Sarah Dillon, Bridin Walsh. Subs. Helen Hensey (for Rachel Dillon 11 mins), Aoife Greene (for Zara Kelly, 19 mins).

ST CILLIAN'S; Caoimhe Rice; Kacey Larkin, Lisa Hoctor, Laura Hogan; Caoimhe Ginty, Cara Hoare, Molly Hogan; Cailin Fitzgerald, Sarah O'Rourke; Elaine Hanlon, Roisin Pinches, Aine Kennedy; Aoife O'Donovan, Caoimhe O'Donovan, Sarah Freeman. Subs. Emma Harding (for Molly Hogan, half time), Aoife Hoctor (for Elaine Hanlon).

REFEREE: Simon Whelahan (Birr)

PLAYER OF THE MATCH

Up to half time it looked like this would go to one of the St Cillian's forwards but instead it goes to one of the St Sinchill's forwards, Bridin Walsh. She was lively in the first half but was much more prominent in the second half and her points helped to haul her side back into the game.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

The winning point with the final play of the game was the most decisive moment of an extraordinary game.

REFEREE WATCH

Simon Whelahan handled the game well throughout and was always in control of the game. Possibly could have allowed more injury time at the end of the game as there were a number of second half stoppages but overall he did well.

TALKING POINT

How did St Cillian's let a nine point lead slip away? They were in such total control in the first half it was hard to see how they could lose but it was so different in the second half when they only managed to score a single point.

WHAT’S NEXT

The sides now turn their attentions to the championship semi-finals in a couple of weeks.

VENUE WATCH

On a lovely sunny afternoon, St Brendan's Park was in perfect condition for the final. Unfortunately there was no scoreboard in operation for patrons, which was disappointing for a final.

STATISTICS

Wides; St Sinchill's 2 (1 in first half) St Cillian's 9 (4 in first half)

Yellow Cards: St Sinchill's 0 St Cillian's 1 (Molly Hogan)

Black Cards: None

Red Cards: None

THE SCORERS

St Sinchill's; Jean Dunne (2-5, 1-4 frees, 1-0 penalty, 0-1 '45'), Bridin Walsh (0-4), Lauren O'Reilly (0-2), Jane Murray and Sarah Dillon (0-1 each).

St Cillian's; Caoimhe O'Donovan (2-0), Aoife O'Donovan (1-2), Aine Kennedy (1-0), Roisin Pinches (0-2), Sarah Freeman (free) and Sarah O'Rourke (0-1 each).