O'Rourke and Finnegan goals key for Tuam Cortoon

Reidy’s charges defeat Bearna Na Forbacha ìn Intermediate decider

Tuam Cortoon 2-9

Bearna Na Forbacha 1-5

By Martin Nally

At Clonbur

MIDFIELD duo Aoife O'Rourke and Lara Finnegan were the goal heroes for Tuam Cortoon as Kevin Reidy's team defeated Bearna Na Forbacha in the Galleon Restaurant-sponsored Galway Intermediate Ladies Football Championship final in Clonbur on Saturday.

Having just missed out on getting their hands on the Thomas Clohessy Memorial Cup last year when they were beaten in the final by Caltra Cuans, Tuam Cortoon went into the decider as favourites to go one better this time round.

However, Bearna Na Forbacha, stood in their way and Myles Mac Donnacha's team were keen to avenge a 13-point defeat when the sides met earlier in the group phase.

Playing with the wind advantage in the first half, it was Tuam Cortoon who dominated possession in the opening stages and an early Clodagh Fallon free had them up-and-running on the scoreboard.

Despite playing most of the early football, Tuam Cortoon were given very little time on the ball in the final third as Bearna Na Forbacha's defence was working really hard and in big numbers, often forcing their opponents to shoot from distance.

Lara Finnegan did find her midfield partner Aoife O'Rourke with a lovely through ball in the 11th minute and O'Rourke's effort flew over the crossbar for the game's first score from play. Fallon then used her strength to fire a point from play before she got her third of the day from a placed ball.

Tuam Cortoon could have been further ahead but five wides and a few efforts that dropped into goalkeeper Orla McKeown's arms meant they led by just four after 18 minutes.

Bearna Na Forbacha's overworked defence got a bit of respite when Eabha Baird converted a free to get them off the mark in the 19th minute. Points by Eabha Smith and Aoife O'Rourke stretched Tuam Cortoon's lead to five as they continued to dominate.

Nonetheless, Bearna Na Forbacha finished the half strongly and Eabha Baird sent over a couple of more frees just before the half-time whistle to trail Tuam Cortoon by 0-6 to 0-3 at half-time.

The deficit was cut to just two points early in the new half when Eabha Baird got her fourth successful free of the match. The game then exploded into life with two goals within a minute.

First, excellent work by Gemma Casserly set up Clodagh Fallon for an attempt at a point. However, her effort seemed to be tailing to the right and wide. O'Rourke did well to not only keep the ball in play, but slot it into the back of the net from close range.

In such a closely fought, low scoring contest, that could have been a match winning score but Bearna Na Forbacha responded brilliantly. From the resulting kickout, Orna Dunne worked the ball to Meabh Mahon who turned and drove for goal. She then used the outside of her boot to place the ball in the bottom corner of the net beyond 'keeper Aoife Higgins for a brilliant goal.

Fallon added two more frees as Tuam Cortoon stretched their lead to four points as the game entered the final ten minutes. Despite having to work very hard defensively with Niamh Kennedy, Kelly O'Connor and Sarah Jane Flaherty putting in big shifts, Bearna Na Forbacha had a couple of half chances at goal. They included an Eabha Baird attempt that lacked the power to beat Tuam Cortoon custodian Higgins and another effort that went just wide of the posts.

A goal did arrive in the 55th minute which ultimately sealed victory for Tuam Cortoon. Lara Finnegan played a one-two with Eabha Smith before she struck for a point and her effort ended up in the back of the net. Finnegan’s midfield partner O'Rourke followed up with a fine point from distance to take her personal tally to 1-3.

Siún McGovern got Bearna Na Forbacha's first point from play and first score in 20 minutes in the 60th minute, but it was Tuam Cortoon's day. They had led from start to finish, never allowing their work-rate to drop and ultimately ran out worthy winners.

The victory means Tuam Cortoon are Intermediate champions for the first time since 2021 and will play Senior B football next season.

The last act of the day was for Tuam Cortoon and All-Ireland winning captain Kate Geraghty to accept the cup.

TUAM-CORTOON: A. Higgins; E. Roche, A. Whelan, L. O'Dea; I. Cunniffe, K. Geraghty (captain), J. Reidy; L. Finnegan (1-0), A. O'Rourke (1-3); C. Fallon (0-5, 0-4 frees), M. McGrath, S. Melia; E. Smith (0-1), G. Casserly, S. Devaney. Subs: E. Fallon, for Roche, half-time; S. Banks, for McGrath, 42 mins; G. Gavin, for Melia, 60 mins.

BEARNA NA FORBACHA: O. McKeown; K. O'Connor, N. Kennedy, C. Ní Mhainnín; C. Dunne, S. Flaherty, C. Faherty; C. Cleary (captain), N. Breathnach; S. Butler, E. Baird (0-4, 0-4 frees), Y. Connell; R. McDonagh, M. Mahon (1-0), S. McGovern (0-1). Subs: O. Dunne, for McDonagh, 41 mins; J. Tracey, for Butler, 49 mins; C. Timon, for Flaherty, 49 mins; I. Keane, for Breathnach, 58 mins; R. Kelly, for Ní Mhainnín, 60 mins.

REFEREE: Colm Conway.

HERALD SPORT PLAYER OF THE MATCH:

Aoife O'Rourke (Tuam Cortoon).