AIB Ulster Senior Club Championship semi-final: Clann Eireann (Armagh) 2-10 St Ergnat’s Moneyglass (Antrim) 1-10; Lurgan (Cavan) 2-14 Termon (Donegal) 0-5
IT will be the battle of the Lurgans in this year’s Ulster Senior Club Championship final when defending champions Clann Eireann meet Cavan champions Lurgan later this month.
Clann Eireann held off a late comeback from Moneyglass in yesterday’s semi-final in Lurgan while in Virginia, Lurgan were far too strong for Donegal champions Termon.
Clann Eireann were well in control at half-time, leading 1-5 to 0-2, Cassie Henderson with an 18th minute goal, the replacement forward also grabbing a point, while full-forward duo Niamh Murray and Eimear McConaghy each hit two points.
That 1-5 was unanswered as the visitors struggled to get the scoreboard, Emma Louise McArevey finally getting them off the mark in the 23rd minute and Orlaith Prenter adding their second in first half injury time.
Aoibhinn Donohue gave the home side the ideal start to the second half when she found the back of the net two minutes in to put Gregory McGonigle’s side nine up, 2-5 to 0-2.
That became 10 points in the 39th minute, 2-8 to 0-4, and with the sides exchanging the next four points, Clann Eireann did not look in trouble, however, a point from Eimear McConaghy in the 48th minute would prove to be their final score as Moneyglass came roaring back.
Prenter hit three in-a-row but the gap was still seven points with five minutes remaining. With the game in injury time, captain Cathy Carey fired home in the 62nd minute and Prenter followed with another point to leave just a kick of the ball between them but time ran out for the Antrim champions as a relieved Clann Eireann heard the final whistle.
Cavan champions Lurgan will contest their first ever senior club final after an impressive win over Termon.
The Donegal champions were in good form coming into this semi-final after their last eight win over St Macartan’s last weekend and with Lurgan too showing well after putting six goals past Ballymagugian in their quarter-final two weeks ago, this was expected to be a closely fought battle, especially after Lurgan had defeated Termon on their home patch two years ago when the sides met in the quarter-final.
Termon started brightly with the in-form Geraldine McLaughlin getting off the mark with a free and as it would turn out, she would be their only scorer of the afternoon, with all five points coming from frees.
Aoife Brady, who would finish with 1-7 for the winners, levelled the scores from a free before McLaughlin edged Termon back in front, that fourth minute lead the last time they would be in front.
Catherine Dolan, captain Eimear Corcoran and a Brady brace from frees put three between the sides, 0-5 to 0-2, with the first quarter just gone. McLaughlin pulled one back but Kacey McDermott and Emma Tolan both raised the white flag in the final few minutes of the half to give Lurgan a 0-7 to 0-3 half-time lead.
Brady and McDermott frees opened up a six point lead before Brady’s goal from the penalty spot in the 47th minute all but killed off the game as they led 1-9 to 0-3.
McLaughlin popped over a point in the 51st minute, their first score of the half, Brady added to her tally before Dolan’s goal four minutes from time was the final blow for Termon, the scoreboard now reading 2-10 to 0-4 as Niamh Tolan, Corcoran and Brady (2) wrapped up the scoring for the home side.
