TG4 Ulster Ladies senior football final

MONAGHAN regained the TG4 Ulster Ladies senior football title yesterday as the Farney County scored a 1-13 to 1-9 victory against Armagh in the provincial final at Clones.

Laura McEnaney, daughter of Monaghan senior football team manager Seamus, was one of the stars of this victory with a three-point haul.

Catriona McConnell finished as Monaghan’s top scorer with 1-2 and her goal arrived just before half-time to help the winners lead by 1-8 to 1-3 at half-time.

Monaghan, who were previously Ulster champions in 2008, were boosted by the fillip of McConnell’s goal as the deadly forward finished well.

But plucky Armagh hit back with a superb long-range goal from Caroline O’Hanlon which kept the Orchard County in touch at the break.

Monaghan held off a spirited Armagh in the second half to claim the Ulster crown for the fifth time and an added bonus for the winners is a direct route to the quarter-finals of the TG4 All-Ireland Ladies SFC.

Monaghan had shocked Tyrone at the semi-final stage in Ulster and proved that success was no fluke as the beaten National League Division 1 finalists claimed the win.

Ace corner forward Ciara McAnespie claimed the player of the match award for Monaghan, who can now sit back and wait for their All-Ireland quarter-final opponents.

Meanwhile, Tyrone claimed victory against Donegal in the Ulster Ladies U16 football final.

Armagh scorers: C O’Hanlon 1-1, M O’Donnell 0-1, M McAlinden 0-6, S O’Hagan 0-1.

Monaghan scorers: C McConnell 1-2, T McNally 0-2, C McAnespie 0-3, L McEnaney 0-3, E McCarron 0-1, L Connolly 0-1, R McKenna 0-1.