Tyrone 1-09 Kerry 0-11:Tyrone are through to a very first TG4All-Ireland ladies senior football final after squeezing past Kerry in today's semi-final replay at Banagher in Offaly.
Influential centre forward Gemma Begley led the charge with a personal 1-03 haul as the Red Hands edged out the Kingdom by just a single point.
Tyrone will now meet last year’s beaten finalists Dublin in the decider at Croke Park on September 26th while Kerry will regroup for next year in good spirits after emerging as the surprise package in this year’s championship.
Tyrone had to win the hard way too as they came from three points down at half-time (1-02 to 0-08) to secure the win.
Begley netted after just 65 seconds to set the Red Hands on their way but they were outscored by 0-02 to 0-08 for the remainder of the half.
Tyrone suffered an early blow when Niamh Woods was unlucky to receive a yellow card for a challenge on Louise Galvin and spent ten minutes in the sin-bin.
Kerry were level by the 12th minute (0-04 to 1-01) and moved a point in front with a superb Mags O’Donoghue score two minutes later.
Kerry then had a goal disallowed for a square ball in the 20th when Emma Sherwood’s fisted goal from top-scorer Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh’s free.
Catriona McGahan’s 22nd minute point for Tyrone levelled proceedings at 1-02 to 0-05 but three unanswered points before half-time saw Kerry regain the initiative.
After the break, Tyrone upped their game and reduced Kerry’s interval lead as full forward Sarah Connolly shot the opening point in the second period.
By the 11th minute, Tyrone were level at 1-06 to 0-09 before Ní Mhuircheartaigh responded with her and Kerry’s second point of the half.
With eleven minutes remaining, Tyrone’s Nina Murphy then hit a shot off the post with just the goalkeeper to beat but Cathy Donnelly hauled the Red Hands level again.
Points from top corner forward Joline Donnelly and Aisling O’Kane pushed Tyrone two points clear (1-09 to 0-10) with three minutes remaining before Ní Mhuircheartaigh popped over her sixth point in the final minute.
Scorers
Tyrone:G Begley 1-3 (0-3f); J Donnelly (0-2, 1f), A O'Kane, C McGahan, S Connolly, C Donnelly (0-1) each
Kerry: L Ni Mhuircheartaigh (0-6, 4f), L Galvin (0-3), M O'Donoghue (0-2)