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ULSTER LADIES CHAMPIONSHIP
MONAGHAN V DOWN (SECOND LEG)
Monaghan 3-11 Down 3-08
The Down
Ladies team went out of the Ulster
Championship in sunny Clones on
Sunday with a brave but
unsuccessful contest against
Monaghan in the second leg of the
Ulster Championship.
Going into the game with a seven
point aggregate deficit, Down made
a very bright start with a point
in the second minute from Kyla
Trainor. Trainor turned supplier
a few minutes later, placing a
high ball into the square which
captain Eilish McConville neatly
palmed into the net. Monaghan
finally got on the scoreboard
after fourteen minutes with a
point from corner back Joanne
Courtney. Once they got into
their stride, they restored their
sizeable lead with scores from
Therese McNally, Niamh Kindlon and
a goal from Charlene Graham. In
what was a tightly contested half,
the teams continued to trade
points with Kyla Trainor and
Lyndsey Cunningham contributing
for Down. However, with a further
goal from the excellent Hazel
Kingham, Monaghan looked to be
putting themselves out of reach.
Down pulled themselves back into
it though with two goals in two
minutes. The first came from a
Michaela Downey free high into the
area which was caught and struck
by Eilish McConville only to see
‘keeper Linda Martin make a great
save. She had no chance with the
follow up strike though, low to
her right from Kyla Trainor.
Trainor also secured the second,
firing home after a great ball
over the top from Downpatrick team
mate Maeve McConville. So the
Down girls went into the changing
rooms, level on the day at 2-06 to
3-03 but still seven down on
aggregate.
The second half started as the
first ended with both teams
battling for every ball. Eliza
Downey and Aine Keary were
tenacious in defence for Down
while Kindlon and Graham were at
the heart of everything for
Monaghan. The score remained
unchanged for most of the first
quarter with Monaghan the first to
add to their tally with a point
from corner forward Grainne
McNally and an excellent 35 yard
free from Kindlon. Further Down
scores came from subs Grainne
McClean and Annaclone’s Grainne
Kelly, making her second senior
appearance at senior level, but it
was Monaghan who won the day,
winning by three on the day and
ten on aggregate.
Grainne Kelly
Down’s disappointment may been
slightly eased by what was a
better performance than the first
leg, with Emma Madine excellent in
goals and captain Eilish
McConville, Michaela Downey and
Maeve McConville contributing to a
fast paced attacking game.
However, the extent of the first
game deficit always gave Monaghan
the cushion they needed to run out
the clock. Final Score Monaghan
3-11 Down 3-08. Monaghan now
face Armagh in the Ulster Final,
in what is the orchard county’s
first appearance at that level.
Down team:
Emma Madine, Aine Keary, Eliza
Downey, Aveen McEvoy, Eilish
McConville Aoibheann Downey,
Geraldine Campbell, Kyla Trainor,
Patricia McKibben Sinead Murphy,
Lyndsey Cunningham, Michaela
Downey, Sonya McGaw, Maeve
McConville, Kerrie O’Neill. Subs
used: Grainne McClean,
Bronagh McCurry, Grainne Kelly,
Emma Mulhern
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