Farney book final slot after feisty affair

Gregory McGonigle’s Monaghan came through a tense battle against Galway on Saturday evening to book their place in the TG4 All-Ireland Ladies SFC final at Croke Park on September 29.

Monaghan, beaten finalists in 2011 and 2008, qualified for their third final in six seasons with a five-point victory against the Connacht champions in front of a bumper crowd at Kingspan Breffni Park in Cavan.

Both sides paid each other a huge amount of respect by adopting defensive systems and that led to an intriguing war of attrition.

Defensively, Monaghan were excellent as corner back Gráinne McNally denied Galway a certain goal with a brilliant goal-line save to keep out Gillian O’Connor in the 25th minute.

The sides were level twice in the early exchanges before Ulster champions Monaghan hit four unanswered points, including three from the boot of McConnell, to open up a 0-6 to 0-2 lead.

Galway responded with points from Ger Connolly and corner back Barbara Hannon to remain in touch at half-time, trailing by 0-4 to 0-6.

The Farney girls kicked the opening two points of the second half and could have had a goal in the 34th minute as Galway goalkeeper Johanna Connolly did well to divert McConnell’s shot wide.

Twice Galway got to within two points of the winners but Monaghan, who had scored 4-21 in their previous outing against Laois, bagged the final three scores of the game.

Galway brought in All-Ireland minor medallists Olivia Divilly, who scored a point, and Nicola Ward in the closing stages but Monaghan held firm as experienced midfielder Amanda Casey exerted a growing influence.

The second half saw three players sin-binned as Monaghan lost Cora Courtney with 16 minutes remaining, before Galway’s Caitriona Cormican was yellow-carded with 10 minutes to go.

Both decisions appeared harsh but there was no doubting Laura McEnaney’s yellow card with eight minutes remaining, as the daughter of Monaghan selector Seamus hauled down goal-bound Róisín Leonard.

Tracey Leonard tapped over the resultant free and Divilly added a brilliant point from play to reduce the deficit to two points with six minutes remaining, 0-11 to 0-13. But Monaghan did not suffer because of their numerical disadvantage and a late flurry of scores was enough to seal a 0-16 to 0-11 win and send them through to a final meeting with either Cork or Kerry.

There were moments of real quality throughout as Monaghan had a match-winning scoring contribution from Cathriona McConnell, who scored six of her seven points from frees.

Meanwhile, Bronagh Sheridan and Gráinne Smith tormented Down as Cavan booked their place in the All-Ireland IFC final on Saturday afternoon with a 4-12 to 0-11 win.

The lethal forwards bagged 3-6 between them as Cavan, beaten finalists in 2011, scored a comprehensive 13-point victory on home soil at Kingspan Breffni Park.

Down, who registered 13 wides, were outclassed in a surprisingly one-sided semi-final and their misery was compounded by second half sin-binnings for captain Sinead Fegan and substitute Gráinne Kelly.

Cavan lost Ciara O’Reilly and Gráinne McGlade to the sin-bin in the first half but Down, who won the Ulster semi-final clash between the sides, were unable to make amends.

The end result was in little doubt from a long way out as Cavan set up a final meeting with Fermanagh or Tipperary at HQ on September 29.