Monaghan ladies see off Down

by Kevin óg Carney

It will be a Monaghan v Cavan clash in the Ulster LGFA Intermediate Championship Final after the Oriel ladies overcame the challenge of Down in Smithborough on Sunday.

Within 24 hours of the Monaghan senior men qualifying for an Ulster Final, the county’s senior ladies repeated the trick, minus the extreme drama that occurred in Armagh on Saturday evening. Monaghan led this one from start to finish, ending up five points to the good, helped by a star turn from Chloe McBride, who kicked 0-7 on her home pitch to lead the way.

McBride kicked five points during the opening half as Monaghan built up a 0-7 to 0-4 lead, with wing-forwards Casey Treanor and Aoibhín McCormack also on target, while Down’s scores came from Eimear Fitzpatrick, Niamh King and Aoife Laverty. Monaghan maintained their advantage throughout the second half, with McBride adding to her tally and being joined on the scoresheet by Sarah Tierney and sub Éabha Sherry, who marked her return from injury with a couple of important points to help guide Enda Flanagan’s side through to the provincial final against his native Cavan. Holders Cavan, who were promoted from Division Two of the league earlier in the season, saw off Fermanagh last Wednesday night.

Monaghan: Órna Kelly; Áine Loughman, Áine McQuaid, Kerry Nolan; Maeve Monaghan, Jennifer Duffy, Amy Garland; Muireann Atkinson, Niamh Flanagan; Casey Treanor (0-1), Cora Courtney, Aoibhín McCormack (0-1); Chloe McBride (0-7, 3f), Sarah Tierney (0-2), Lauren Garland.

Subs: Leanne Maguire for Courtney; Amy-Jo Kierans for McCormack; Éabha Sherry (0-2) for Flanagan; Alison Gilliland for Tierney; Caoimhe Ward for L Garland.

Down: Maeve Deery; Neva Loudon, Órlagh Blaney, Aimee Greene; Niamh Edgar, Erin Sands, Aoife Laverty (0-1); Meghan Doherty, Katie Howlett; Niamh King (0-3), Laoise Duffy, Niamh McClory; Niamh McGrath, Eimear Fitzpatrick (0-4, 3f), Shanna Fettes.

Subs: Eva Hicks for Fettes; Cara Donnelly for Fitzpatrick; Vivienne McCormack for McGrath.

Meanwhile, Monaghan’s minor ladies lifted the Ulster Bronze title with a comeback win over Antrim in Ballygawley. Monaghan trailed by 0-7 to 4-3 after conceding four first-half goals, but they turned things around after the restart to end up pipping the Saffrons on a scoreline of 2-14 to 4-7. Karyn McGinn’s 1-7 tally proved decisive for Monaghan, while Abbie Leer also hit the net for Eugene Bannigan’s side. Three subs were among Monaghan’s eight scorers on the day, with one of those, Ruby Murphy, kicking the winning point late on.

Monaghan: Casey Treanor; Aoife Corrigan, Dionne Kindlon, Alannah McAdam; Aoife-Mae Flanagan, Millie Burns, Ríona McCarthy; Abbie Leer (1-1), Cáit Hughes (Capt.); Lucy Carey, Ellie Flanagan (0-1), Niamh Galligan (0-1); Karyn McGinn (1-7, 0-5f), Megan Boyle (0-1), Órlaith Hoey.

Subs: Ruby Murphy (0-1) for Carey; Hollie Mullen for Hoey; Georgia Fitzpatrick for Galligan; Chloe Hughes (0-1) for Boyle; Brannagh Connolly (0-1) for Burns.