Ballymartin and Mayobridge met in the semi-final of the Intermediate Championship at Hilltown on Saturday evening and the Lilywhites put in an impressive performance over the sixty minutes to reach their first ever Intermediate final.

In a whirlwind start Michele Cousins found the back of the Mayobridge net in the first minute after good build up play by Lauren Cunningham and Jacqueline O'Neill. The Ballymartin midfield duo of Aine O'Hare and Ciara McGreevy were dominating the centre field exchanges and the Mayobridge defence was under considerable pressure. In the 3rd minute Caroline O'Neill created the opportunity and found herself bearing down on goal only to be denied by a great reflex save by the keeper. Mayobridge in only their 2nd attack brought the game level when a high drooping shot by Clodagh Linden deceived the Ballymartin keeper and found its way to the net. The Ballymartin response was immediate, Lauren Cunningham netted in the next attack. From the resultant kick-out the ball made its way to Michele Cousins and she duly despatched the leather to the back of the net. Michaela Cunningham tagged on a great point and the Lilywhites were in control. Play ebbed and flowed from end to end though the next score did not arrive until the 13th minute when Jessica Collins kicked her first point after good work by Lauren and Rebecca Cunningham. Ballymartin continued to press and this resulted in further points for Lauren (0-01) and Michele (0-02, 1 f). In the 21st minute Caroline O'Neill netted after slick build up from Ciara McGreevy and Lauren Cunningham. Michele tagged on a point 3 minutes later followed by another minor score from Lauren after a fine pass by Rebecca Cunningham. As we approached half-time Ballymartin upped the ante with Caroline O'Neill adding a point and a fantastic effort from Aine O'Hare who surged up the middle of the park before splitting the posts. Lauren added another point and on the stroke of half-time Michele goaled after some good link up play by Jacqueline O'Neill and Jessica Collins to leave the half-time score Ballymartin 5-10 Mayobridge 1-00

Ballymartin started the 2nd period as they finished the first with Caroline O'Neill goaling in the 1st minute. Mayobridge hit a purple patch and for the next ten minutes they found a presence in midfield where Jordan Magee and Sinead McNamee led the challenge. This resulted in scores from Courtney Linden (0-04), Sinead McNamee (0-01), and Martina McConville (0-01). Sinead Rooney then pulled off a point blank save from Sinead McPolin as Mayobridge searched for a route back into this game. The Mayobridge full back line appeared to have got a handle on the Ballymartin attack with Orla Caldwell and Pauline Brogan particularly impressive. It was the 14th minute before Ballymartin got their next score when Ciara Cunningham took a pass from Aine O'Hare and jinked her way through the sky-blues defence and poked the ball into the corner of the net. This score energised the Lilywhites and points followed from Lauren Cunningham (0-02) and Aine O'Hare (0-01). Courtney Linden and Martina McConville responded with like scores. As we entered the last 10 minutes Michele Cousins tapped over a 13-metre free. Mayobridge despite a good 2nd half performance were struggling to break through the Ballymartin rearguard due to tenacious defending by Carol Rafferty, Sinead Brannigan, Rebecca Cunningham and Andrea Annett and when Jessica Collins added her 2nd point of the day followed by a Ciara Cunningham effort after good work by Mary Jane Smyth who appeared to have chased a lost cause before creating the space for Ciara to score it was really all over. Courtney Linden fired over a fine individual effort and the game ended with a bang when Michele Cousins chipped the keeper for her 4th goal to leave the full-time score

Ballymartin 8-16 Mayobridge 1-10

Ballymartin team and scorers Sinead Rooney, Orla Cunningham, Carol Rafferty, Katrina Gerstenbrand, Sinead Brannigan, Rebecca Cunningham, Andrea Annett, Aine O'Hare (0-02), Ciara McGreevy, Caroline O'Neill (2-01), Michele Cousins (4-04), Jacqueline O'Neill, Michaela Cunningham (0-01), Lauren Cunningham (1-05), Jessica Collins (0-02). Subs Ciara Cunningham (1-01), Joanne Poland Mary Jane Smyth

Mayobridge team and scorers Lizzy McConville, Lisa Coulter, Orla Caldwell, Pauline Brogan, Roisin O'Hare, Kate Kane, Marion Coulter, Jordan Magee, Sinead McNamee (0-01), Sheryl McNamee, Martina McConville (0-02), Sinead McPolin (0-01), Merissa Quinn, Courtney Linden (0-07), Clodagh Linden (1-00) Subs Kirsty O'Hare, Kitty O'Hare, Andrea O'Hare Tweet

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