Fethard wrap up the two in-a-row in Tipperary senior ladies football championship

Fethard 1-15 Brian Borus 3-7

Champions Fethard made it back-to-back titles with a brilliant display of attacking football that proved too much for Brian Borus in the Camida County Senior Ladies Football Championship final in glorious sunshine at Sean Treacy Park, Tipperary on Sunday.

Their attack was in sparkling form, with the outstanding Kate Davey, Meah Cuddihy, Muireann O’Connell and Niamh Hayes kicking twelve points from play between them. Sisters Lucy and Heather Spillane chipped in with one each from midfield and a stunning goal from Aine Connolly meant that Fethard scored all but one point from open play.

Just like the buses, having waited so long for their first senior title, the second one then comes along for two in a row, and the win was celebrated in style at the Tipp town venue, and again on their triumphant return to Fethard.

“I’m absolutely delighted with the win,” said team manager Micheál Spillane.

“It was a great display, the way football should be played, and our forwards were excellent. But it was a tough battle, Brian Borus are a serious team and have more experience than us. They have lost a few finals now but they keep coming back”.

In fact, this was Brian Borus’ third final defeat in a row, losing out to Aherlow in 2021 and to Fethard by a point in last year’s decider. They pushed the champions all the way and their three goals meant they were always within touching distance.

They scored the last three points as they chased down a Fethard lead of five points and they were on the attack again, looking for the crucial fourth goal, when referee David Grogan’s final whistle saw them run out of time.

Brian Borus lacked Fethard’s sharpness upfront. Their starting attack accounted for just 1-1 from play. Mairead Morrissey made an impact when introduced for the injured Shauna Maher after just six minutes, hitting 1-1, with goalkeeper Patricia Hickey finishing as their top scorer, with 1-2 from a penalty and two well-struck frees.

Sarah English opened the scoring for Brian Borus in the second minute after early pressure from the challengers. However, they were dealt a serious blow after just six minutes when Shauna Maher had to leave the field after taking a heavy knock. She was replaced by long-time club servant Mairead Morrissey, who went in full forward in a re-arranged formation.

Brian Borus still looked dangerous but had failed to add to their lead by the time Fethard captain Kate Davey hit the equaliser after twelve minutes.

They then went on to kick three more in a row from Meah Cuddihy, Lucy Spillane and Niamh Hayes for a 0-4 to 0-1 lead midway through the half.

But then the very real threat from Mairead Morrissey became evident when she sprinted onto a breaking ball down the left wing and hit a thunderous shot to the net past Aoife Morrissey. All Fethard’s good play had been wiped away in an instant and that was repeated twice more in the game.

They steadied the ship again to go two clear, with points from Hayes, from a Heather Spillane pass, and Cuddihy, after taking a pass from a quick free from Emily Spillane. But again, their defence was caught out, Isobel O’Donnell cutting through the centre and nestling the ball in the top corner of Aoife Morrissey’s net for a super goal to put Brian Borus 2-1 to 0-6 ahead.

Fethard responded in style, Hayes setting up Davey for the equalising point, and then following great work from Emaleigh Cuddihy, the other wing back Aine Connolly burst through to hit an unstoppable shot past Patricia Hickey in the Brian Borus goal.

Sarah English, from a free, and Kate Davey exchanged points before Mairead Morrissey burst through again to hit the final point of the half and leave Fethard two clear at the break, 1-8 to 2-3.

Fethard started the second half brighter, pushing the lead out to four with scores from Meah Cuddihy and a Kate Davey free following a foul on Muireann O’Connell.

The Clogheen/Burncourt/Ballylooby side then called up goalkeeper Patricia Hickey to point a long range free but Fethard responded in brilliant fashion, Muireann O’Connell hitting a superb point after a flowing move, and Heather Spillane hitting a huge point from distance to put five between the sides, 1-12 to 2-4.

But as happened twice already, Fethard were knocked back by a third Brian Borus goal, Patricia Hickey converting the penalty after Helen Burke had been fouled in the square when taking a pass from Isobel O’Donnell.

Again, Fethard responded in style with the next three points – Aine Connolly and Emily Spillane creating the chance for Muireann O’Connell to score, followed by two in a row from Meah Cuddihy, the second of which might have been a goal.

A five-points lead with just about six minutes to go should have been enough for Fethard to see out the game, but Brian Borus were going to do everything in their power to avoid a third successive county final defeat. They began to lay siege to the Fethard goal with Jennifer Grant, Helena Walsh, Cliona O’Dwyer and Mairead Morrissey leading the charge.

Patricia Hickey came out from goal again to kick a huge free and then Cliona O’Dwyer pointed from play. With the game going into added time, Jennifer Grant pointed in the next move to reduce the margin to just two points.

It was a nervy time for Fethard as they defended in depth, knowing that another Brian Borus goal would deprive them of an historic two-in-a-row.

Brian Borus were still attacking, probing for that vital opening, when the final whistle brought their challenge to an end. However, it was their lack of penetration over the hour that cost them in the end, with just 2-4 from play.

In comparison, Fethard hit 1-14 from open play to establish themselves as the top team in the county. The celebrations reflected how much it meant to them.

Fethard play like a team that knows each other’s game perfectly, and that’s not surprising as it contains four Spillane sisters, Nell, Lucy, Heather and Emily, spread across half back, midfield and half forward; two Davey sisters, team captain Kate and corner back Carrie; two Cuddihy sisters, wing back Emaleigh and top scorer Meah; and two Connolly sisters, Alison, who was superb in the corner back position, and goalscorer Aine.

That’s a real Sister Act.

Fethard: Aoife Morrissey, Carrie Davey, Sinead Delahunty, Alison Connolly, Aine Connolly 1-0; Nell Spillane, Emaleigh Cuddihy, Lucy Spillane 0-1; Heather Spillane 0-1; Emily Spillane, Niamh Hayes 0-2; Megan Coen, Muireann O’Connell 0-2; Meah Cuddihy 0-5; Kate Davey 0-4, 1 free.

Sub: Kate Burke for Sinead Delahunty.

Brian Borus: Patricia Hickey 1-2, 1-0 penalty, 0-2 frees; Rosaleen O’Gorman, Jennifer Grant 0-1; Marie Clare Murphy, Shauna Maher, Laura Morrissey, Helena Walsh, Cliona O’Dwyer 0-1; Alison O’Mahoney, Caoimhe Ryan, Maureen Murphy, Aisling Ryan, Isobel O’Donnell 1-0; Helen Burke, Sarah English 0-2, 1 free.

Subs: Mairead Morrissey 1-1 for Shauna Maher (injured); Anna French for Sarah English, Alanna English for Isobel O’Donnell.

Referee: David Grogan (Aherlow).