Ladies Football: Ulster Senior Championship semi-final: Monaghan (holders) 1-19 Cavan 2-10
ULSTER champions Monaghan produced a blistering second-half against neighbours Cavan at a warm and sunny Galbally to set up a final meeting with Donegal in two weeks’ time.
It will be an impressive 17th decider in 18 years for Paula Cunningham’s side and will see them and Donegal contest the final for the second time in three years and at this stage it is anybody’s guess as to who will be crowned 2017 champions.
However, things did not look good early on for the Farney girls as Cavan started much the brighter of the two sides, opening up a six point lead with the game still in its first quarter.
Aidan McCabe’s charges came storming out of the blocks with Aisling Doonan firing to the back of the net on four minutes after the sides had traded the first two points of the game.
Laura McEnaney pointed for Monaghan before they had the chance to move in front from the penalty spot but Cora Courtney fired her effort wide of the mark.
That miss was punished with a second Cavan major, this time Caitriona Smith firing past Linda Martin.
While Cavan were clinical, Monaghan were the opposite with Ciara McAnespie failing to convert a good goal chance as she fired straight at Elaine Walsh.
Doonan added a free and Cavan were six clear on the 12 minute mark.
Another goal chance went a begging as McEnaney was quickly closed down before an Ellen McCarron, from a free, and Caoimhe Mohan raised the white flag to reduce the deficit back to four.
While Monaghan were beginning to come more into the contest, they had a major let off on 19 minutes when Doonan played in Sinead O’Sullivan but Martin got down brilliantly to tip the effort away.
Aoife McAnespie, Rosemary Courtney (free) and Mohan all hit points and suddenly a single point separated the sides and Cavan had a numerical disadvantage with Shauna Lynch sent to the sin bin.
Aisling Sheridan momentarily halted Monaghan scoring spree with her side’s first score in 18 minutes but the champions added a brace from Mohan and McEnaney to leave the sides level at the break level 0-9 to 2-3. However, there was drama right at the end of that half with Aoife McAnespie receiving a yellow card and sent to the sin bin in what looked to be a case of mistaken identity with the linesman mixing up the jerseys and the white number five of McAnespie and not the blue number five of Sinead Greene been punished for a pull down on Ciara McAnespie.
On the resumption, Monaghan were a different animal. Substitute Eileen McKenna, with her first touch, put Monaghan in front for the first time and with Mohan adding a brace, suddenly Monaghan were three clear.
Aisling Sheridan tagged on a much needed Cavan point but playing with more purpose Monaghan look unstoppable. A quick lay off from Ciara McAnespie released Mohan to send the ball to the net in the 36th minute with the latter adding a point and from being six points down at one stage in the first half, they were now in the lead by six.
Two converted Doonan frees kept Cavan in touch before Aoife McAnespie returned following her time in the sin bin. Aisling Sheridan hit her third point of the day and Cavan’s third in a row to get back to within three.
But that was as close as they were to get with Ciara McAnespie, McCarron and Mohan all on target. Further points were traded prior to the Courtney sisters Rosemary and Cora and Cavan’s Amy Rooney and Doonan (free) bringing an end to the scoring after a highly entertaining encounter.
The final will take place on Sunday, July 2 in St Tiernach’s Park, Clones.
MONAGHAN: Linda Martin; Rachel McKenna, Josie Fitzpatrick, Shauna Coyle; Aoife McAnespie (0-1), Sharon Courtney, Grainne McNally; Cora Courtney (0-1), Eimear McAnespie; Laura McEnaney (0-2), Ellen McCarron (0-2, 1f), Lauren Jones; Ciara McAnespie (0-4), Caoimhe Mohan (1-6), Rosemary Courtney (0-2, 1f).
Subs: Eileen McKenna (0-1) for Jones.
CAVAN: Elaine Walsh; Rachel Doonan, Ailish Cornyn, Sheila Reilly; Sinead Greene, Laura Fitzpatrick, Mona Sheridan; Sinead O’Sullivan, Donna English; Shauna Lynch, Aisling Doonan (1-4, 0-4f), Neasa Byrd; Caitriona Smith (1-1), Claragh O’Reilly, Aisling Sheridan (0-3).
Subs: Sinead McKenna (0-1) for Cornyn, Amy Rooney (0-1) for Bryd, Grainne Smith for O’Reilly, Sinead McGovern for Smith.
Ladies Football: Ulster Junior Championship semi-final: Derry 5-15 Antrim 5-9 (aet)
DERRY shocked Ulster champions Antrim to book their place in the junior final against Fermanagh next month.
This game was the curtain-raiser to what turned out to be two highly exciting games at Galbally on Saturday evening and it was a very different and much improved performance from the Oak Leaf County than what was witnessed in very challenging conditions against Fermanagh in the first of the semi-finals in Greencastle just seven days earlier.
They did need extra-time and in particular the bottle from key player Emma Doherty who hit 1-1 in injury time to send the game into two extra periods of 10 minutes each half.
Playing with the aid of a strong breeze, but nothing in comparison to what they had to contend with last week, Derry, who looked to be a completely different team, led 1-6 to 1-3, with Doherty on target from the penalty spot in just the fourth minute while Antrim captain Eimear Gallagher hit Antrim’s goal in the 22nd minute.
Antrim looked set for victory with the excellent Michelle Magee, Gallagher and Fionnghula Rocks all finding the net to leave them four clear as the clock ticked into added time.
However, Doherty rescued Derry with 1-1 from free’s to send the game into an extra 20minutes.
Both sides added further goals from Michelle Magee and Erin Doherty as Antrim held a 5-8 to 3-13 lead at the end of the first period. Derry finished the stronger and stormed home with Emma Doherty, who finished with 3-5, converting her second penalty of the day and Erin Doherty netting her second goal to set up a rematch with Fermanagh in the Ulster final.
