Annaghdown 1-12
O’Donovan Rossa 1-9
BY MARTIN NALLY
O’DONOVAN Rossa’s remarkable run of championship titles has come to an end.
A strong second-half performance saw 2016 champions Annaghdown reach the AIB All-Ireland IFC club final after a hard-fought win over reigning All-Ireland champions O'Donovan Rossa at Cregg pitch in Annaghdown.
The Skibbereen team has won five championship finals in a row, between last season and this campaign, but found this one step too far.
Left half back Bronagh Quinn struck a goal three minutes into the second half for the Galway champions and it proved the decisive score as her side held on for a memorable win.
There was little to choose between the sides in a first half where scores were at a premium. It was one of their heroes of that victorious 2016 team, Jemma Burke, who got the scoring underway with a fine point from play.
Cork minor Èabha O'Donovan levelled with a seventh minute free before points by Emma Keane and Riona Quinn put the Galway side two ahead.
Fionnuala O’Driscoll of O'Donovan Rossa in action against Rebecca Fahy of Annaghdown. (Photo: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile)
O'Donovan Rossa then hit five consecutive wides while Ciara Haverty converted a free for Annaghdown to leave it 0-4 to 0-1 with five minutes of the opening half remaining.
O'Donovan Rossa finished the half strongly as Fionnuala O’Driscoll struck their first point from play in the 26th minute before O'Donovan got her second of the afternoon.
However, Quinn's goal after the restart put the Connacht champions on the front foot with Quinn, Hegarty and Ciara McCarthy all adding points to stretch the home side's lead.
There was no doubt the reigning All-Ireland junior champions were rocked by Annaghdown’s fast start to the new half but their cause wasn't helped by their mounting wides. They ended with eleven wides in total.
Michelle Donnellan of O'Donovan Rossa, right, consoles teammate Lisa Harte after the AIB All-Ireland Intermediate Club Championship semi-final. (Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile)
Their captain Laura O'Mahony did get them up and running and the lively Fionnuala O'Droscoll chipped in with two points as the Skibbereen club tried to claw their way back into contention.
Nonetheless, McCarthy added two brilliant points from play before Burke got her second of the day as the tie looked all but over.
However, points by O'Donovan and O’Driscoll along with an injury time Allie Tobin goal set up a grandstand finish but the Galway champions saw the game out to book their place in the decider against Bennekerry/Tinryland on Saturday, December 14th.
Scorers – Annaghdown: B Quin 1-2, C McCarthy 0-3, C Hegarty 0-3 (2f), J Burke 0-2, E Keane, R Quinn 0-1 each. O’Donovan Rossa: É O'Donovan 0-5 (3f), F O'Driscoll 0-3, A Tobin (1-0), L O'Mahony 0-1.
Annaghdown: E Lynch; R Fahy, I Claffey, M Canavan; Chelsie Crowe, Chloe Crowe (capt.), B Quinn; S O’Grady, R Naughton; R Quinn, C Hegarty, J Burke; E Keane, C McCarthy, B Naughton. Subs: C O'Neill for B Naughton (33), I Killilea for R Naughton (35), C Nally for E Keane, (52).
O’Donovan Rossa: E Hayes; M Donnellan, A Whooley, A Tobin; F Leonard, S Hurley, E McCarthy; L O’Mahony (capt.), T Murphy; J Beechinor, K O’Donovan, L Harte; E O’Donovan, F O’Driscoll, M O’Neill. Subs: A O’Driscoll for M O’Neill, (37), S Farrell for E McCarthy, (42), E Byrne for J Beechinor, (52).
Referee: Jonathan Murphy (Carlow)
