Down Ladies lift cup in Clones classic

22 May 2024

DOWN senior ladies just about held out against a Monaghan side that gave everything in the second half in what was a pulsating Ulster Intermediate final in Clones on Sunday.

A Laoise Duffy goal early in the second half looked to have put this match to bed, giving Down a ten-point lead and who were the much better side up to that point in the game. However, Monaghan really stepped up several gears and reeled off seven unanswered points to close the gap to a one score game.

Down had bossed the first half with captain Meghan Doherty driving on the Mourne ladies. In-form Burren forward Eimear Fitzpatrick’s scuffed shot had crept pass Monaghan’s Orna Kelly and given Down the first goal of the game and a lead of 1-5 to 0-3.

This was no less than they deserved as Monaghan struggled to get through Down’s hard working defence.

Meanwhile, at the other end, Down were opening up the Monaghan defence.

Laoise Duffy and Niamh King were finding gaps with their direct running and the Mourne ladies looked well on top.

By half-time the lead was 1-8 to 0-4 and after Duffy’s goal the game looked over for Monaghan. Chole McBride made a massive difference for Monaghan when she came on. Where they struggled to contain Down in the first half, Monaghan now were on the front foot and started to chip away at the lead.

Monaghan pressed forward and really put pressure on the Down kick out. The introduction of Natasha Ferris was a massive boost for Down and a converted free temporarily halted the Monaghan fightback.

With the game in the last few minutes and the lead at just one-point, Down were under serious pressure. The hottest day of the year had zapped the energy out of the players but a few pinpoint kick outs from ‘keeper Deery finding Down players allowed the Mourne outfit to hang on and win with the slimmest of margins.

Speaking after the game, Down midfielder Clara Mulvenna said: “It was a hard-fought game, we had to dig deep in the second half and try and keep composure to get us over the line.

“Everyone gave it everything they had. In the first half we found pockets of space and everything was clicking just how we hoped.

“The second half we were on the back foot a little bit, but hard work and sheer grit got us over the line in the end”.

Down: M Deery; A Greene, C Byrne, P Smyth; C Mulvenna, N McKibbin, O Duffy; M Doherty (capt), E Fitzpatrick (1-3); E Sands, N King, L Duffy (1-1); N McClory (0-2), S Dougherty (0-2), V McCormack.

Subs used: N Scullion for Sands, A McAlea for Greene (35), N Ferris (0-1f) for McCormack (38), A Laverty for McClory (38), N McGrath for King (52).

Monaghan: O Kelly; A Bannigan, N Cohan, K Nolan; A Garland, M Monaghan (capt), A Loughman; J Duffy, E Carolan; S Tierney (0-2), E Sherry (0-3, 0-2 frees), C Treanor; L Maguire (0-2 frees), J Drury (0-1), L Garland (0-1).

Subs used: C Nally for Carolan, C McBride (0-5, 0-4f) for Maguire (h-t), J McQuillan for Tierney (49), N Flanagan for McQuillan inj (51).

Referee: Oliver McKenna (Tyrone)

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