10 May 2006 Ulster Final match Report Share this Article 0 0 0 Shares! 0 Shares! ULSTER MINOR FINAL 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. Monaghan joint captains Cora Courtney and Michelle Kierans receiving the Ulster minor cup from Provincial Secretary Mary Keegan. 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) Share this Article 0 0