04-08-2025
Red Hand redemption as Tyrone defeat Laois to win Intermediate All-Ireland after last year's heartbreak
Laois boss Stephen Duff was disappointed with his sides 'bad day at the office' yesterday
UP TO SENIOR Red Hand redemption as Tyrone defeat Laois to win Intermediate All-Ireland after last year's heartbreak
DARREN McCann never doubted that his Tyrone side had the measure of Laois as they captured the All-Ireland IFC title for the second time.
Goals from Aoife Horisk and Katie Rose Muldoon proved pivotal as the Red Hands, who lost last year's decider to Leitrim, made amends at Croke Park.
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Tyrone captain Aoibhinn McHugh lifted the Mary Quinn Memorial cup
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Horisk was the stand-out performer with crucial scores for the Red Hands
Tyrone chief McCann said: 'On the sideline, we felt totally in control. We were creating chances, but we just weren't taking them.
'When we play relaxed football, we're a hard team to stop. We played relaxed football, especially in the second half.
'The group has serious heart and determination and that was a collective performance. The key thing was getting on top and staying on top.'
Stephen Duff conceded Laois were always chasing the game.
The O'Moore chief said: 'Whether the occasion got to us or it was just a bad day at the office, it wasn't a great performance.
"We kept in the game in the third quarter. We probably needed another goal and they managed to pull away. We're savagely proud of everyone and we'll just take it on the chin.'
Laois' Shifra Havill raised the game's first green flag on 23 minutes but Horisk hit the onion bag four minutes later to give Tyrone a 1-7 to 1-5 interval lead.
Muldoon provided the decisive moment in the second half when the Kildress star beat Laois keeper Eimear Barry from close range.
Sorcha Gormley and Cara McCrossan got the opening points for Tyrone before Laois struck through Jane Moore and Emma Lawlor.
Lawlor edged Laois in front after corner-back Faye McEvoy produced a goal-line clearance at the opposite end. A Niamh O'Neill free restored parity.
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Emily Lacey and Horisk (free) traded points but Sláine McCarroll and Gormley gave the Ulster side a two-point advantage.
O'Neill placed a shot too close to keeper Barry in the 22nd minute and Lawlor did well to release Havill, who finished to the roof of Amelia Coyle's net.
Tyrone's Gormley was denied from the spot following a foul on Horisk in the 26th minute but the Errigan Ciarán star made no mistake a minute later, drilling home.
Laois wasted little time on the restart with Mo Nerney and Fiona Dooley restoring parity. But O'Neill (free) and Horisk again responded.
Nerney added two more by the 43rd minute to get to within one.
However, their momentum stalled ten minutes from time as Ciara Crowley was yellow-carded and O'Neill's free doubled Tyrone's advantage.
Muldoon then goaled after Emer McCanny had been denied to nail down Tyrone's triumph.
TYRONE: A Coyle; J Lyons, G McKenna, E Quinn; C Campbell, M Mallon, C Canavan; A McHugh 0-1, S McCarroll 0-1; E McNamee, S Gormley 0-3, A Horisk 1-3, 1f; N O'Neill 0-7, 3f, C McCrossan 0-1, M Corrigan.
Subs: E McCanny for McCrossan 36 mins, K Muldoon 1-0 for McNamee 45, A McGahan for Campbell 53, C McCaffrey for O'Neill 58, J Barrett for Horisk 59.
LAOIS: E Barry; S Farrelly, C Dunne, F McEvoy; A Gorman, A Moore, A Moran; F Dooley 0-1, J Moore 0-1; S Havill 1-0, E Galvin, C Crowley; E Lacey 0-1, E Lawlor 0-5, 3f, M Nerney 0-5, 3f.
Subs: L Kearney for Gorman 39 mins, M Cotter for McEvoy 45, K Donoghue for Lacey 47, A Fitzpatrick for Havill 56.
REFEREE: S Curley (Galway).
