Lauren Dwyer of Bennekery/Tinryland shot 0-4 as the Carlow champions saw off former champions Annaghdown to claim their first All-Ireland title. Annaghdown reduced the deficit in the closing stages with four consecutive scores, three of which came from from Ciara Hegarty. But it wasn’t enough as Bennekery/Tinryland ran out six-point victors.
Speaking post-match, Annaghdown manager Martin O’Neill said he was very proud of his side.
“It’s disappointing. Very proud of the team,” said O’Neill. “The game could easily have gone away from us, but in fairness to them, they stuck in there to the end and battled. Got it down to six points at the end. I’m very proud of the girls. They gave it everything on the day, it just wasn’t good enough.”
The contest began with a competitive opening, Bennekery/Tinryland flew out the traps with Cliodhna Ní Shé and Lauren Dwyer kicking unanswered scores. The Connacht champions settled themselves and flying wing-back Bronagh Quinn got them up and running with a fine white flag effort. The Tribeswomen then edged in front when Ciara McCarthy rifled a low shot to the opposition net just shy of the first-quarter mark.
A goal from Ní Shé meant that the Carlow side went into the interval 1-5 to 1-1 to the good.
Hegarty reduced the deficit to three points immediately after the restart, but Bennekery/Tinryland cemented their foothold in the tie from there with Dwyer, Sinead Hayden and Ní Shé all scoring.
Hegarty responded inside the final-quarter but the Carlow champions were on course for victory at that stage. Ní Shé put the contest beyond doubt with a penalty before Annaghdown’s late push.
