Late Monaghan point downs Tipp
LADIES FOOTBALL: Lidl National League Division 2 Round 2
Monaghan 0-10
Tipperary 1-6
MATCH DIGEST
Player of the Match: Shona Brady (Cavan).
SCORERS – Monaghan: Eabha Sherry 0-5 frees; Aoife Burns, Jennifer Duffy, Casey Treanor, Amy Garland, Leanne Maguire 0-1 each.
Tipperary: Emma Morrissey 1-4 (0-2 frees); Aoibhe O’Shea, Ava Fennessy 0-1 each.
A last gasp point saw Tipperary leave Monaghan with nothing to show for their efforts in their round 2 National Ladies Football League clash in Castleblaney on Sunday.
Sundays game couldn’t have been played under any better setting for the month of February, with the underfoot conditions of the Castleblayney pitch really excellent, plus the absence of wind and the sun shining brightly in the second half was a plus.
Jodie McQuillan and Jennifer Duffy were primed for the throw-in, as Casey Treanor was through to take the pass, but was stopped in her tracks as she advanced, Éabha Sherry put over the resulting free with ease to get the scoreboard moving in the first minute.
Monaghan’s defensive style didn’t stop Tipperary in the initial minutes with Emma Morrissey converting two frees in between a point from Ava Fennessy as the visitors began promisingly.
Monaghan responded with Amy Garland landing a super point from long range and Casey Treanor, who played a starring role throughout, led the charge again towards the forwards, and a second free was converted by Sherry.
Aoibhe O’Shea came back with one from play to put Tipp two up as the second quarter emerged. A sideline kick for Tipp eventually came back of the post to safety as an injury to Emma Morrissey held up play for a time.
As play resumed, it became apparent Monaghan had adapted well as firstly Leanne Maguire put over from a placed ball, and a goal chance somehow went astray for Niamh Flanagan, but Aoife Burns having claimed the resulting kickout from distance to put over a beauty.
Tipperary were finding it difficult to penetrate the Monaghan rearguard, but Anna Rose Kennedy eventually found a way through to point from play. Jennifer Duffy after a good run through the middle put herself on the scoreboard as half time arrived with Monaghan one to the good 0-6 to 0-5.
The second half changes saw Tipp bring Ava Ryan to the field, as Orna Kelly starring in her goalkeeping position, pulled of three brilliant saves in a matter of minutes to keep Monaghan in front, however, it was Emma Morrissey who resumed the scoring from play in the 33rd minute.
Treanor again won a free for Sherry to convert in the 36th minute saw Monaghan keep their noses in front. Sophie Corley was called into play in the 37th minute to assist the hardworking defence who were now on top of their game. A yellow card for Tipp’s Nora Martin for a foul on Duffy saw the visitors now down to fourteen players for ten minutes, with Sherry putting over the resulting free.
Monaghan were now totally on top, but not without glimpses of good attempts from the southerners as a high ball had to be dealt with and indeed so by the well balanced backline.
Tipp suffered another sin-bin with Hazel Brennan adjudged to have overstepped the mark. A long shot in from Monaghan came back of the post but Casey Treanor put the passage to good use with a simple tap over.
Tipp had a chance when the post denied them also, but Monaghan were quickest to respond. Enter injury time and it became a battle with a free awarded to Tipp, Emma Morrissey went for the juggler and it landed in the Monaghan net, to level and surely a share of the spoils.
Not so, as Monaghan’s Lauren Garland led the charge from the kickout and earned a free, which Eabha Sherry converted to send Tipperary on the long drive home empty-handed.
TEAMS - Monaghan: Orna Kelly; Caoimhe Brennan, Shona Brady, Dervla Cawley; Aine Loughman, Aoife Burns, Sophie Power; Jennifer Duffy, Jodie McQuillan; Casey Treanor, Niamh Flanagan, Grace Hanratty; Amy Garland, Leanne Maguire, Éabha Sherry.
Subs used: Sophie Corley, Laura Connolly, Lauren Garland.
Tipperary: Lauren Fitzpatrick (Brian Borus); Nora Martin (Sliabh na mBan), Lucy Spillane (Fethard), Emma Cronin (Moyle Rovers); Sarah English (Ardfinnan), Maria Curley (Templemore), Brid Condon (Aherlow); Anna Rose Kennedy (Aherlow), Sinead O’Carroll (Ardfinnan); Hazel Brennan (Moyle Rovers), Neasa Towey (Templemore), Aoibhe O’Shea (CJ Kickhams Mullinahone); Caoimhe Condon (Cardiff St Colmcille’s), Emma Morrissey (Aherlow), Ava Fennessy (Clonmel Commercials).
Subs used: Ava Ryan (Moyne-Templetuohy), Kate McFadden (Sliabh na mBan), Nicole Shelly (Moycarkey/Borris), Niamh Martin (Sliabh na mBan).
Referee: Philip Conway (Armagh).