Carmen Minor Ladies are Queens of Ulster

An Charraig Mhor 2-6

Emmet Og 1-5

A DISCIPLINED and clinical Carrickmore became the third Tyrone club to win the Ulster Minor Ladies Club Championship title on Sunday when they secured a four point victory over Monagahn side Emmet Ogs at Trillick.

Despite only scoring once in the second half, the first half performance from Carmen – along with a solid defensive display throughout the second – proved to be enough with Clodagh Munroe’s two goals crucial.

Aoibhinn Daly called the shots at full back for Carmen but they certainly had to dig deep as the Monaghan side, the county’s first finalists in the competition, took the game to Carrickmore scoring 1-3 during a spirited second half.

Sorcha Gormley hit four points and was creative throughout the contest, also going close for a couple of goals. While she led the attack alongside Alannagh McCallan, it was the defence who really stood firm.

Daly, Clare Donnelly, Rionach McCallan with goalkeeper Roise Kerr and late replacement Aoibhinn Canavan worked tirelessly; at times as many as 12 players were behind the ball.

Carrickmore led by nine points at the break, a brace of goals from Clodagh Munroe putting them in the driving seat. They got off to a dream start just 20 seconds in when Sorcha Gormley and Siofra Loughran combined to tee up Munroe who found the net.

Gormley and sister Caitkin added points in the opening seven minutes. Inspired by Sarah Tierney, the Monaghan side came more and more into the contest although they failed to score until the 11th minute with Tierney taking on Shannon Murphy’s pass and tagging on a point.

This was the Emmet Og’s best spell as they probed at the Carmen defence who managed to repel everything that came their way. Gormley pointed a close range free after Brenna Tierney saw yellow for her challenge on the Carrickmore attacker, and two minutes later Munroe drilled home her second goal with contender for player of the match, McCallan, the provider down the left.

Tierney saw her effort well saved by Roise Kerr but did snatch a well-taken point on the right before Munroe dropped over a point. Gormley showed genuine class to take on four defenders before firing over her side’s fifth point on 23 minutes. To their credit, Emmet Og worked hard in the latter stages of the half as they pressed.

But the Carrickmore rearguard were disciplined and confident. Gormley opened the second half scoring within a minute, although that was to be their only score in 36 minutes.

Early wides followed while Emmet Og tried to carry the ball into the danger zone. Tierney, Murphy and hard-working AmyLo Kierans all looked dangerous yet it took an opportune goal to change the complexion of this contest.

A high looping ball into the Carmen square was cleared only as far as influential Tierney who made space for herself at the edge of the ‘D’ before dropping a hopeful shot over the head of Kerr on 45 minutes to leave six in the game.

Gormley carved out a goal chance of her own moments later when Og’s keeper Leah Larmer turned her shot wide, and in the midst of that attack Rionach McCallan was yellow carded while Bronagh McPhillips scored a great long range point on the second water break.

After that break Gormley saw another goal chance snuffed out with excellent defending from the Monaghan side as Kieran’s point from the left closed the gap to four with three minutes of normal time remaining.

Once again Carrickmore’s defence stepped up. In the closing stages Emmet Og’s did their best to carve out openings but their wide count rose to double figures though while Carrickmore also missed several chances.

However, they did enough to steer themselves to the Ulster title.