A wind swept Garvaghey greeted Tyrone and Limerick II’s on Sunday for the opening match of the National Camogie League Division 4.Tyrone registered their first point of the game after 3 minutes when Shauna Jordan went on one of her trademark runs and slotted from the 20 metre line. The play immediately switched to the other end of the field and some exceptional play from Emma Fitzgerald and Niamh McNulty stopped a sure goal. There was a lot of play in and around the middle of the park and Niamh Gavin was fearless in her attacking. The next ten minutes saw total dominance from Tyrone but the wide count always seemed to have the upper hand. Aisling Jordan was the beneficiary of some good strong tacking and she took her first point of the game. Emma McAliskey on the wing was speedy and precise and it was from a free that she negotiated the swirling conditions to add to the points tally.
There followed another 2 wide’s before what was undoubtedly the best play of the game when captain for the second year in a row Julie Lagan passed to McAliskey who picked out a sublime pass to Caoimhe Rafferty and the first goal was on the score board. That really was it for Tyrone in the first half as Limericks forward line netted two goals in seven minutes when Sarah Collins took her chances with ease. There were then successive points for Emma Quaid, Mairead Fitzgerald, Marguerite McCarthy. The major difference between the sides in the first half was clearly the wide count and Tyrone went in at half time maybe feeling a little disappointed with the score-line of Tyrone 1-4 Limerick 2-4.
Limerick were always on top and first to every ball in the first fifteen minutes of the second half. Emma McShane came on and was determined in her defensive play. It was Limerick who took early goals with Collins and Carroll taking a goal and a point each. McAliskey for Tyrone was pinpoint with her frees but this was the only point this far in the second half. It was McAliskey again who took another two excellent frees despite her hand injury. Tyrone then pinned Limerick back to only five points when Aisling Jordan made space to fire home a goal. Claire Jordan and Catherine Casey came on with ten minutes to go However it was Limerick who then went straight down the other end and took a goal of their own. Next up for Tyrone will be Dublin in two weeks. Full Time Tyrone 2-7 Limerick IIs 5-6
Tyrone scorers E McAliskey 0-4, A Jordan 1-1, C Rafferty 1-0, S Jordan 0-1, N Gavin 0-1.
