Ulster Final match Report

Donegal 1-12 Monaghan 1-14

A personal tally of nine points from Catriona Mc Connell helped
Monaghan to a two point victory over Donegal in a close and exciting
minor final played in Ballybofey on Tuesday night last. Ciara Mc
Anespie and Niamh Hegarty exchanged points in the early stages and
then Donegal should have scored a goal. Aisling Mc Dermott got in
behind the Monaghan defence but the Farney keeper Edel Corrigan
was quick of her line to save brilliantly. The Tir Chonnail girls
did go ahead in the 13th minute when Zoe Doherty pointed but the
lead was short lived as Mc Connell fired over another free. A couple
of points from Roisin Friel and Karen Guthrie did give Donegal a
slight advantage but once again a Mc Connell free kept the gap to
the minimum.

In the 21st and 23rd minutes Hegarty and Guthrie pointed to give
Donegal a three point advantage, the biggest gap between the teams
at any stage of the game. Within three minutes Monaghan were level
thanks to the accuracy of Mc Connell (2) and Mc Anespie but Donegal
responded with a couple of points of their own from Hegarty and
Carol Breslin. Then on the stroke of half time Mc Connell set up
Deirdre Mc Kenna and the Farney forward netted from close range
to give Monaghan a slender half time lead 1-6 to 0-8.

Niamh Hegarty hit the post with Donegal’s first attack
of the second half. The Moville player then made amends as she sent
over on their next attack and another point from Breslin put Donegal
back in front. Another Mc Connell free levelled the game once again
but then in the 36th minute Donegal midfielder Grainne Heuston unleashed
an unstoppable shot which Monaghan keeper Corrigan had no chance with.
Monaghan’s response was brilliant. They hit five unanswered points,
three from Mc Connell and a couple from Mc Anespie to go two ahead
with six minutes remaining.

 

The teams exchanged another couple of points in the dying minutes
but when referee Sean Mc Intyre blew the final whistle Monaghan
had two points to spare after one of the most exciting Ulster finals
for many a year.

Donegal – L. Roper, O. Mc Cafferty, S. Cavanagh, L. Duffy, A. Corcoran,
A. Waters, A. Buggy, K. Guthrie (0-4), G. Heuston (1-0), Z. Doherty
(0-1), N. Hegarty (0-4), L. Byrne, C. Breslin (0-2), A. Mc Dermott,
R. Friel (0-1) Subs Used – A. Ward, R. Crawford, L. Mullarkey and
K. Feeney.

Monaghan – E. Corrigan, S. Cuddy, T. Fleming, C. Courtney, A. Newell,
C. Brady, A. Mc Anespie, M. Kierans, C. Mc Gahon, L. Mc Connon,
N. Reilly, E. Hackett, D. Mc Kenna (1-0), C. Mc Connell (0-9), C.
Mc Anespie (0-5). Subs Used – N. Fahy

Referee – S. Mc Intyre (Tyrone)

Paul Swift (Ulster PRO – pswift5@eircom.net)