Staunton and Mulcahy Blaze way to League Finals

CORA Staunton scored all of Mayo’s 1-10 as Peter Clarke’s side stunned Monaghan in Sunday’s Tesco Homegrown Ladies National Football League Division 1 semi-final in Ballinamore.

Staunton, arguably the greatest player in the history of Ladies football, produced yet another vintage display as last year’s Division 1 champions lost their grip on the title.

Monaghan won all seven of their group games in the top flight this year but Gregory McGonigle’s Ulster champions lost out by 0-9 to 1-10 against a Staunton-inspired Mayo.

At half-time, Monaghan led by 0-6 to 0-3 but eight-time All-star Staunton was on fire in the second half as wind-assisted Mayo recovered to claim a famous win.

Meanwhile, Cork booked their place in a ninth Division 1 final in ten seasons with a comfortable 4-12 to 2-8 victory over Laois at Sean Treacy Park in Tipperary town.

Valerie Mulcahy scored 3-5 for the Leesiders as they set up a showdown with Mayo at Parnell Park on Saturday, May 11.

Mulcahy had 3-2 on the board by half-time as the Rebelettes, despite playing against the wind from the start, led by 3-5 to 0-4 at half-time.

Laois had beaten Cork earlier in the season but with a final place at stake, the All-Ireland champions turned on the style to hand the O’Moore County a ten-point defeat.

Laois drew the second half and that was an achievement in itself as Tom McKittrick’s side trailed by 14 points on two separate occasions.

17-year-old forward Ciara Burke scored two second half goals for Laois, with Rhona Ní Bhuachalla belting home a stunning 44th minute goal for Cork.

Elsewhere, a late free from Edel Concannon sealed a 2-9 to 2-8 victory for Galway in an entertaining Division 2 semi-final in Banagher on Sunday.

All four goals were scored in the first half, with Aoibheann Daly and Concannon on target as the beaten 2012 Division 2 finalists opened up an early 2-3 to 0-1 lead.

But Kildare hit back with goals from Gillian Behan and Maria Moolick and at half-time, Galway led by 2-3 to 2-2.

On Saturday, last year’s beaten All-Ireland senior finalists Kerry had a facile 3-16 to 0-6 victory over Westmeath at Sean Treacy Park in Tipperary town.

Mags Fitzgerald, Louise Galvin and Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh raised green flags for William O’Sullivan’s rampant Kingdom, who were 1-12 to 0-2 in front at half-time. Kerry and Galway will now fight it out for promotion to Division 1.

Meanwhile, Armagh and Down will contest an all-Ulster Division 3 final after coming through their semi-finals against Tipperary and Longford respectively on Sunday.

Armagh, with goals from Caroline O’Hanlon, Mairead Tennyson and Cailin Duffy, beat Tipperary by 3-8 to 3-6 at St Loman’s GAA club, Mullingar.

And there was a dramatic finish in Clones as Down scored 2-1 in the final two minutes to clinch a 3-9 to 3-8 victory against Longford. Natasha Ferris scored the winning point for the Mourne County with a free in stoppage time.

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