Galway 0-11
Monaghan 0-16
GREGORY MCGONIGLE’S MONAGHAN came through a tense battle against Galway this evening to book their place in the TG4 All-Ireland Ladies senior football championship final at Croke Park on 29 September.
Monaghan, beaten finalists in 2011 and 2008, qualified for their third final in six seasons with a five-point victory against Connacht champions Galway, in front of a bumper crowd at Kingspan Breffni Park in Cavan.
Both sides paid each other a huge amount of respect by adopting defensive systems and that led an intriguing war of attrition.
But there were moments of real quality throughout as Monaghan had a match-winning scoring contribution from Cathriona McConnell, who scored six of her seven points from frees.
Defensively, Monaghan were excellent too as corner back Gráinne McNally denied Galway a certain goal with a brilliant goalline save to keep out Gillian O’Connor in the 25th minute.
Earlier, goalkeeper Linda Martin had diverted O’Connor’s shot wide for a 45 as Galway created the better goal chances in the first half.
The sides were level twice in the early exchanges before Ulster champions Monaghan hit four unanswered points, including three from the boot of McConnell, to open up a 0-6 to 0-2 lead.
Galway responded with points from Ger Conneally and corner back Barbara Hannon to remain in touch at half-time, trailing by 0-4 to 0-6.
In the battle between last year’s beaten semi-finalists, Galway were dogged in the second half without getting close enough to really trouble defiant Monaghan.
The Farney girls kicked the opening two points of the second half and could have had a goal in the 34th minute as Galway goalkeeper Johanna Connolly did well to divert McConnell’s shot wide with an outstretched leg.
Twice, Galway got to within two points of the winners but Monaghan, who had scored 4-21 in their previous outing against Laois, bagged the final three scores of the game.
Galway brought in All-Ireland minor medallists Olivia Divilly, who scored a point, and Nicola Ward in the closing stages but Monaghan held firm as experienced midfielder Amanda Casey exerted a growing influence.
The second half saw three players sin-binned as Monaghan lost Cora Courtney with 16 minutes remaining, before Galway’s Caitriona Cormican was yellow-carded with ten minutes to go.
Both decisions appeared harsh but there was no doubting Laura McEnaney’s yellow card with eight minutes remaining, as the daughter of Monaghan selector Seamus hauled down goalbound Róisín Leonard.
Tracey Leonard tapped over the resultant free and Divilly added a brilliant point from play to reduce the deficit to two points with six minutes remaining on the time clock, 0-11 to 0-13.
But Monaghan did not suffer because of their numerical disadvantage and a late flurry of scores was enough to send them through to a final meeting with Cork or Kerry.
Scorers for Monaghan: C McConnell 0-7 (6f), T McNally & C Mahon 0-2 each, C Reilly, E McCarron, E McKenna, C Courtney & C McAnespie 0-1 each.Scorers for Galway: T Leonard 0-3f, R Leonard 0-2 (1f), B Hannon, G Conneally, C Cormican, G O’Connor, A Daly & O Divilly 0-1 each.
GALWAY: J Connolly; N Ward, M Coyne, B Hannon; R McPhilbin, E Flaherty, S Burke; A Clarke, G Conneally; C Cormican, A Daly, T Leonard; R Leonard, G O’Connor, E Concannon.
Subs: T Hession for Concannon (39), O Divilly for O’Connor (48), N Ward for Hannon (54), A Rohan for Daly (56).
MONAGHAN: L Martin; G McNally, S Courtney, C Reilly; L McEnaney, E McCarron, A McAnespie; Y Connell, A Casey; T McNally, C McConnell, C Courtney; N Kindlon, C Mohan, C McAnespie.
Sub: E McKenna for Kindlon (h.t.).
Referee: G Corrigan (Down).
TG4 All-Ireland Ladies intermediate football championship semi-final
Cavan 4-12
Down 0-11
BRONAGH SHERIDAN AND Gráinne Smith tormented Down as Cavan booked their place in the TG4 All-Ireland ladies intermediate football final this afternoon.
The lethal forwards bagged 3-6 between them as Cavan, beaten finalists in 2011, scored a comprehensive 13-point victory on home soil at Kingspan Breffni Park.
Down, who registered 13 wides, were outclassed in a surprisingly one-sided semi-final and their misery was compounded by second-half sin-binnings for captain Sinead Fegan and substitute Gráinne Kelly.
Cavan lost Ciara O’Reilly and Gráinne McGlade to the sin-bin in the first half but toothless Down, who won the Ulster semi-final clash between the sides, were unable to take advantage.
The end result was in little doubt from a long way out as Cavan set up a final meeting with Fermanagh or Tipperary at Croke Park onSeptember 29.
All six of Cavan’s starting forwards got on the scoresheet as Sheridan (2-3) and Smith (1-3) ran riot in front of a vocal home support.
Sheridan, who won an All-Ireland intermediate club medal with London outfit Parnells last year, struck for the game’s opening goal in the tenth minute and Cavan led from there all the way to the finish.
Smith set up Roisin O’Keeffe for Cavan’s second goal midway through the first half and by half-time, nine points separated the sides as the Breffni girls led by 2-6 to 0-3.
Cavan could have added further goals in the first half but Down goalkeeper Katie Farrell did well to deny Doonan and Smith rattled a shot off the crossbar.
But Smith made no mistake three minutes after half-time, cutting in from the right touchline to net a brilliant solo goal. And the roving forward turned provider for Sheridan’s second goal 12 minutes from time.
But this was much more than just a sound attacking performance from Cavan, as goalkeeper Caron Fay also produced an assured performance.
Rosie Crowe and captain Donna English, who was yellow-carded in the dying seconds, forged a solid midfield partnership but Sheridan and Smith will grab the headlines for their attacking exploits.
Scorers for Cavan: B Sheridan 2-3 (0-1f), G Smith 1-3, R O’Keeffe 1-0, A Doonan 0-2f, S Greene, M Sheridan, Claragh O’Reilly & E Galligan 0-1 each.Scorers for Down: N Ferris 0-6 (5f), L Morgan 0-3, L Cunningham & C McArdle 0-1 each.
CAVAN: C Fay; Ciara O’Reilly, G McGlade, P Lynch; S Greene, A Cornyn, R Jordan; R Crowe, D English; Claragh O’Reilly, R O’Keeffe, M Sheridan; A Doonan, B Sheridan, G Smith.
Subs: C Grey for Clara O’Reilly (35), J Moore for Jordan (37), C Smith for Claragh O’Reilly (52), G Sheridan for M Sheridan (56) E Galligan for G Smith (56).
DOWN: K Farrell; C McKibbin, L Sharvin, O Boyle; H Murray, N McGowan, S Fegan; C Fitzpatrick, M Doherty; S McNamee, L Morgan, O Fegan; L Cunningham, K Trainor, N Ferris.
Subs: G Kelly for McNamee (34), G McClean for Cunningham (40), C McArdle for Doherty (56).
Referee: G Chapman (Sligo).
