Heartbreak for Kinawley as they lose out in decider

Kinawley ladies made the journey to Derrymacash in Armagh on Sunday morning, for their first ever Ulster final. The Shane O’Neill’s side were widely tipped to take the title but Kinawley made it difficult for the team from Camlough.
Kinawley enjoyed the perfect start, opening up a 2-02 to no score lead in the first ten minutes. Shauna Melanaphy and Lisa Maguire both finding the net for the Borus. 
The Armagh champions responded quickly though hitting 2-02 without reply. Aoibheann Jones and Blaithin Mackin both registering goals.
Joanne Doonan edged Kinawley ahead once more with a point but Shane O’Neill’s were finding their way through the Kinawley rear-guard too easily. Aine McGovern landed a point for Kinawley but another goal from Jones and Mackin before half time had Kinawley chasing the game.
The Borus had a good chance to close in on the oppositions lead but Lisa Maguire’s effort was brilliantly tipped over the bar by the Armagh side’s goalkeeper, Katie Daly. Aoife McCoy tapped over the final point for Shane O’Neill’s as they went in leading 4-05 to 2-05 at the break.
In the second half, the goal fest continued. 
Aoibheann Jones got her hat-trick but Kinawley’s response was immediate with Lisa Maguire finding the net. On the 38th minute Shane O’Neill’s registered their sixth goal from Shauna Grey to put nine points between the teams and it looked like a huge mountain for the Fermanagh champions to climb. The Brian Borus never gave up though and two goals in as many minutes from Alannah Maher left only a goal between the sides.
The Armagh ladies could always find the goals at crucial points though and Aimee Mackin bagged their seventh of the day with a shot low into the corner of the net. As the game entered the last ten minutes, two more points from Maher left four between them but once again Aimee Mackin was on hand to net another goal. Lisa Maguire got a hat-trick but that was to be the final score of the game and it was not enough, as Kinawley’s chance of Ulster glory went a begging.
Kinawley’s joint manager Noel Melanaphy said: “The girls were very disappointed. They put a lot of effort in to getting there and they know themselves they were a bit porous. We knew Shane O’Neill’s go for goals and a couple of loose passes and unfortunate slips just let them in for a few of those goals.”
Despite their disappointment, Melanaphy was delighted with the fighting spirit his team has shown, not only on Sunday but throughout the campaign:
“In the last three matches, even when we’ve been hit by a couple of goals the girls never dropped the heads. That has been very pleasing all year and they have shown great maturity in their play.”
Kinawley’s season doesn’t end there though. They still have a league final to contest against Newtownbutler.
“Our objective all year was to achieve the double and that’s still very much on the cards. We enjoyed the journey but now it’s all about that league final.”
Kinawley had a number of fine performances on Sunday. Alannah Maher and Lisa Maguire were both very impressive, contributing a huge 5-04 between them. Roisin O’Reilly and Aine McGovern at midfield contested well and Courteney Murphy had a superb game on the prolific Aimee Mackin.