Ulster LGFA Senior Club final at Owenbeg
Donaghmoyne 1-11 Moneyglass 1-7
Moneyglass ladies left Owenbeg on Sunday evening, bitterly disappointed after a narrow defeat to Monaghan champions Donaghmoyne in the final of the Ulster LGFA Senior Club Championship. However their fans can feel very proud of their team after coming so close against the Monaghan legends who collected their 14th provincial title in this their 18th final in a row.
Donaghmoyne were pushed to the pin of their collar to get past the Moneyglass girls, who trailed by just a single point entering injury time, only to be hit by a late sucker punch as the brilliant champions struck with a late goal from substitute Grace Cumiskey to seal a four point win.
Once again Oraith Prenter led the line for the Antrim champions with another fantastic display of score taking. In the semi-final against Tyrone champions McCartan’s two weeks ago Prenter finished the day with a goal and 13 points and this time out she was again the game’s top score with 1-6, the goal coming from a penalty in the second half, which brought her team back on terms going down the home straight.
Moneyglass will rue their slow start as the champions, playing against a stiff breeze raced into and early lead with points from corner forward Cathriona McConnell and Rosemary Courtney, before Orlaith Prenter then hit three in a row to edge Moneyglass ahead.
Donaghmoyne were reduced to 14 players nearing the end of the opening quarter when wing back Hazel Kingham was red carded, but despite this setback they drew level with a point from Eileen McElroy, but Prenter edged her team back in front soon afterwards. Donaghmoyne showed their craft and experience as they hit three three in a row to move two clear, but before the break Prenter sent over her fifth point to cut the deficit to the minimum.
Donaghmoyne flew from the traps at the start of the second half and points from Lauren Garland and Eimear Traynor increased their lead to three. However the Monaghan champs were then reduced to 13 players when Rosemary Courtney received a yellow card.
The highly dangerous McConnell stretched the Donaghmoyne lead, despite their numerical disadvantage, but Aine Devlin kept the Antrim champions in contention with a well taken point from play. Seven minutes from the end Moneyglass were thrown a lifeline when Maria O’Neill was fouled in the box and up stepped Prenter to fire home the resultant penalty to bring Moneyglass level for the fifth time in the game.
The excitment was at fever pitch as the Moneyglass dream was still very much alive, but to their credit the champions responded well and points from McConnell and right half forward Amy Garland, put them two clear with time ticking away. The brilliant Prenter sent over her sixth point of the game to cut the gap to a single point as the game went into injury time.
With time ticking away Moneyglass went looking for the score that would take the game to extra time, but they were hit on the counter when Eimear Traynor set up substitute Grace Cumiskey for the game clinching goal.
A heartbreaking defeat for the Antrim champions, but they can take great encouragement from their performances this season. The way their game has advanced is truly remarkable and they can go forward with great confidence knowing that an Ulster title is not just a pipe dream.
Donaghmoyne: L Martin, J Geoghegan, N Callan, F Courtney, H Kingham, S Courtney, E Traynor, S McConnell, E McElroy (0-01), A Garland (0-02), C Courtney (0-01), R Courtney (0-02), C McConnell (0-03) (0-2f, 0-1), L Garland (0-02) (0-02f), A Burns
Subs: G Cumiskey (1-0) for S McConnell
Moneyglass: A McCann, S McErlain, E McAreavey, N Neeson, N McIntosh, R Bradley, S O’Neill, A Kelly, A Boyd, C Griffin, C Carey, M O’Neill, A Devlin (0-1), 0 Prenter (1-6) (1p, 0-04f, 0-02), B Devlin
Subs: E Mallon for S McErlain, D Duffin for A Devlin and O Rooney for E Mallon
