Ladies lack cutting edge in Monaghan loss

Monaghan 2-10   Tyrone 0-12

TYRONE Ladies crashed out of the Ulster Championship at Smithboro on Sunday as a defensively minded Monaghan saw them off by four points with two first half goals eventually proving crucial.

It was an afternoon of frustration for Tyrone. They huffed and puffed but overall there was a lack of potency in attack, with the exception of Maria Canavan who scored ten of their twelve points.

Monaghan were efficient, physical, had a game plan and stuck to it with some excellent individual performances over the hour. That game plan was to snuff out the Tyrone threat and in the main it succeeded.

The Red Hand attack was thwarted time and again with all the Farney players behind the ball. Even the trickery of Minor star Sorcha Gormley failed to unlock the home side in the latter stages.

There had been some good Tyrone displays over the hour. Emma Mulgrew, Joanne Barrett, Clara Daly and skipper Aoibhinn Mc Hugh worked hard but it wasn’t a good outing in the main.

Goals from Eabha Sherry in the first half had the hosts six points clear at the break, Monaghan recovering from three early pointed frees from Maria Canavan. Sherry tagged on a point from play when she closed in for a potential goal three minutes in.

Sherry’s first goal nudged Monaghan ahead in the ninth minute. Midfielder Jenny Duffy sent the ball through and the bustling attacker cut through the centre and finished well past Caitlin Donnelly. The impressive Sarah Tierney then added a point from a collected kick out.

Tyrone regrouped, Zoe Loughran tested the goalkeeper, McHugh drilled over a point and Canavan levelled things within five minutes but dogged defending from the hosts left it difficult despite that another free from Canavan nudged Tyrone ahead twenty minutes in.

Leanne Maguire added a brace in two minutes before Jayne Drury sent Sherry in again and again Donnelly was beaten, little she could do from close range.

Four to the good, Monaghan finished the half strongly with Amy Garland a workhorse throughout for Monaghan and Tierney delivering fine points.

Meabh Malllon moved to full forward for the second half and almost sent McHugh in for an early goal. Garland and Canavan exchanged points in an end to end third quarter dominated by no-one as both sides pressed against well drilled defences.

Aine Grimes did well alongside McHugh, Jayne Lyons and Mulgrew carried the ball well and Daly was confident coming out with the ball. The Monaghan attack wasn’t potent, just more clinical with five different scorers.

Tyrone could not press home any advantage though on the scoreboard with substitute Chloe McBride keeping the hosts seven ahead.

Canavan bagged a double of frees but Tierney and McBride again stretched the lead to seven with Canavan winning a free scoring herself on forty minutes.

Cue the introduction of Gormley. Attention switched to her, and, as expected, Monaghan captain Maeve Monaghan was tasked with keeping her under wraps.

With her first touch, Gormley tested the woodwork, won a free, set up Canavan for her tenth, before teeing up Ellie McNamee for her side’s final point.

She certainly she didn’t look out of place but her contribution was limited as Monaghan tightened up at the back further and held out for a four point win and a place in the Ulster final.

The Scorers

Monaghan

Eabh Sherry 2-1, Sarah Tierney 0-3, Amy Garland 0-2, Leanne Maguire 0-2, Chloe Mc Bride 0-2

Tyrone

Maria Canavan 0-10 (10 frees) Ellie Mc Namee 0-1, Aoibhinn Mc Hugh 0-1

The Teams

Monaghan: Orna Kelly, Aofe Bannigan, Naomi Cogan, Kerry Nolan, Amy Garland, Meave Monaghan, Aine Loughman, Jenny Duffy, Ella Carolan, Sarah Tierney, Eabha Sherry, Casey Treanor, Leanne Maguire, Jayne Drury, Lauren Garland. Subs Eva Woods for Carolin, Chloe McBride for Maguire, Niamh Flanagan for Treanor, Jodie Mc Quillan for Drury, Katie McCaffrey for Bannigan

Tyrone: Caitlin Donnelly, Jayne Lyons, Jo Barrett, Eimear Quinn, Caitlin Campbell, Emma Mulgrew, Clara Daly, Aoibhinn McHugh, Meabh Mallom, Emma Jane Gervin, Aoibhinn Daly, Aoife Horisk, Maria Canavan, Zoe Loughran, Emma Conroy. Subs Aine Grimes for Daly, Sasha Byrne for Conlon, Ellie Mc Namee for Horisk, Ciara Colton for Quinn, Sorcha Gormley for Loughran

Referee: Maggie Farrelly Cavan.