TG4 Ulster Finals Reports

MONAGHAN
2-8 TYRONE 1-6

Monaghan secured back to back Ulster titles
with a five point win over Tyrone at Clones
yesterday. Monaghan opened the scoring in the
second minute when player of the match Aisling
Tierney sent over from close range. The lively
Orla O Neill leveled matters with Tyrone’s next
attack. The Farney side regained the lead through
Dianne Dempsey and then went further ahead when
Niamh Lynch pointed a free after Brenda Mc Anespie
was fouled. Despite leading Monaghan could so
easily have been behind. Caroline Kelly shot
wide with the Monaghan goal gaping and then
Tyrone had a goal disallowed for a dubious square
ball. Monaghan also had a good chance for a
goal but somehow Elaine Mallaghan got a hand
to the effort from Niamh Kindlon and pushed
the ball out for a 45. Catriona Brady then sent
over as Monaghan worked the resulting 45m kick
into a scoring position. Ann Dooher was then
to hit Tyrone’s first score for fifteen minutes
as she sent over a nice point.  The sides then
exchanged a couple points each before the end
of the half. Veteran Brenda Mc Anespie registered
two for the Farney side while Maura Kelly from
all of forty three metres and substitute Clare
Mc Aliskey were the scorers for the Red Hand
County. At the break Monaghan led 0-6 to 0-4.

Tyrone were dealt a blow on
the restart when Cathy Donnelly was sinned binned
for a high challenge on Dianne Dempsey. Immediately
after the sin bining Tyrone went ahead when
Lynette Hughes speculative cross field effort
crept its way into the Monaghan goal. In fairness
to Monaghan they came straight back at Tyrone
and Aisling Tierney leveled the game with a
nice point after some good work by the excellent
Ciara Mc Guinness.. Monaghan then had purple
patch were they found the net on two occasions.
Elaine Mallaghan failed to hold on to a poor
effort from Dianne Dempsey and Therese Mc Nally
was in like a shot to fist the loose ball to
the net. The in the fourteenth minute Dempsey
collected a long ball out of the Monaghan defence
and her rocket of a shot came of the inside
of the post and behind the line. Tyrone continued
to attack in the final quarter but found scores
hard to come by. Maeve Mc Guirk and Eilish Gormley
did send over but the closest Tyrone got to
Monaghan was four points. Just as the hooter
sounded Therese Mc Nally pointed a free to give
Monaghan a five- point victory.

Monaghan:
– M.Gray, S.Courtney, C. Mc Guinness, C.Reilly,
M.Lavelle, J.Greenan, J.Courtney, C.Mulligan,
C.Brady (0-1), B. Mc Anespie (0-2), N.Kindlon,
T. Mc Nally (1-1), A.Tierney (0-2), N.Lynch
(0-1), D.Dempsey (1-1).

Subs Used: – G.Mc Nally and K.Byrne

Tyrone: – E.Mallaghan,
S.Mc Laughlin, E.Teague, S.Keenan, C.Fox, A. Mc
Closkey, C.Donnelly, M. Mc Guirk (0-1), M.Kelly
(0-1), O. O Neill (0-1), l.Hughes (1-0), A.Dooher
(0-1), G.Begley, E.Gormley (0-1), C.Kelly.

Subs Used: – C.Mc Aliskey (0-1) and K.Daly

Referee – G.Corrigan
(Down)

ARMAGH
5-7 FERMANAGH 1-7

Armagh remained on track for
the All Ireland junior title when they had four
goals to spare over Fermanagh in the curtain
raiser in Clones yesterday. Early Fermanagh
pressure paid off when Carrie Mooney sent over
in the third minute however the lead was short
lived as Maebh Moriarty leveled before the powerful
Patricia Mc Evoy rattled the Fermanagh net and
Alma O Donnell dispatched a penalty. Mc Evoy
and Moriarty then added further points. Fermanagh
fought hard to get back into the game and points
from Emer Martin (2), Aisling Moane and Caroline
Little left just four between the sides after
25 minutes. Armagh had the last say of the half
as raiding wing back Dervla Toal sent over to
leave the half time score 2-4 to 0-5 in favour
of the Orchard girls.

Armagh had a dream second
half start when Mairead Tennyson found the net
on their first attack. A couple of points from
player of the match Caroline Little were cancelled
by Alma O Donnell and Aileen Matthews. What
ever chance Fermanagh had of getting back into
the game were dashed by substitute Shauna O
Hagan who found the net less than a minute after
entering the game. Midfielder Sinead Mc Cleary
then scored Armagh’s last point. Fermanagh did
manger a goal when Caroline Little’s high kick
slid of the fingers of Denise Hagan in the Armagh
goal. Sharon Duncan then had a rasper come back
of the crossbar but Shauna O Hagan reacted quickest
to retrieve the rebound but was then upended
and Armagh were awarded a second penalty. O
Donnell expertly buried the spot kick and Armagh
went on to become Ulster champions for the second
year in succession.

Armagh: – D.Hagan,
C.Marley, F.Quinn, O.Murtagh, N.Smith, B.O Donnell,
D.Toal (0-1), A. O Donnell (2-1), S. Mc Cleary
(0-1), M. Tennyson (1-0), S.Duncan, M.Moriarty
(0-2), M.Mc Alinden, A.Matthews (0-1), P.Mc
Evoy (1-1).

Subs Used: S.
O Hagan (1-0), G.Grimley, A.Murphy, M. O Donnell

Fermanagh: – U.Collins, C. O Hart, N.Curran, T. Mc Girr, S.Woods, T.Hughes, T.Melanaphy,
R. Connolly, A.Moane (0-1), A.Johston, C.Little
(1-3), S.Hamilton, C.Mooney (0-1), M.Mc Creesh,
E.Martin (0-2).

Subs Used: – M. O Boyle, S.Little, M. O Hart, G. Scullion

Referee: Eileen
Jones (Tyrone)