All the latest news from Ulster

Only three Suzuki National league games involving
Ulster teams survived the wet weather. The games involving Donegal,
Cavan, Derry and Antrim were all postponed late on Saturday night
due to the unavailability of pitches. Roscommon couldn’t field against
Monaghan so the rsulting two points sees the Farney side through
to the quarterfinals. 

Next weekend had been set aside for playoffs however it now looks
likely that it will be used for unplayed fixtures and in order
to accommodate the backlog it also looks likely that some teams
may be forced to play midweek.

Of the games that survived Armagh took the biggest scalp with
a single point win over Kerry. Hero of the day was substitute
Caroline O Hanlon who scored the winning point in the dying minutes
of the game. Kerry raced into a 0-6 to 0-0 lead after fifteen
minutes, Geraldine O Shea scoring all the kingdom points from
frees. The Orchard management introduced O Hanlon at this stage
and she fired over with her first touch. Armagh then battled back
and with Meabh Moriarty, Bronagh O Donnell and Aileen Matthews
in fine form they eventually drew level. With just seconds left
O Hanlon pointed to give her side a 0-11 to 0-10 win and secure
a quarterfinal place.

Tyrone lost to Waterford 1-14 to 2-6 and now face a playoff with
Dublin to avoid relegation. Playing with the wind Waterford hit
eleven first half points while Tyrone scored 2-2, the goals coming
from Maura Kelly and Sarah Connolly. Midway through the second
half Gemma Begley broke through the Deicies defence and with the
goal at her mercy and the chance to equalize she hit the post.
The miss knocked the Red Hand girls for six and Waterford then
went on to win by five points.

Monaghan B lost their unbeaten run to Dublin’s second string
0-12 to 0-6. The Farney side had been decimated by injuries and
traveled to the capital with just 16 fit players. Playing with
the aid of a strong wind Dublin raced into a 0-9 to 0-2 half time
lead. Monaghan did improve in the second half but the gap was
always too big to close. Bonnie Fleming and Edel Hackett scored
a brace of points each. Louis Ruddy and Tessa Fleming contributed
the other two points. The Ulster minor championship kicked off
of Saturday last. Down overcame Fermanagh 3-13 to 3-7 in an exciting
encounter played in Teconnaght. The Mourne girls reward for their
win is a quarterfinal away game against Monaghan next Saturday.

Paul Swift – Ulster PRO pswift5@eircom.net