Monaghan off the mark in Division 1
AN impressive second-half display saw Monaghan bag their first points of the 2018 Lidl Ladies National Football League Division 1 campaign, as they beat Munster champions Kerry by two points. Two first-half goals from Eimear McAnespie and Cora Courtney proved vital in the end, as Ciara McAnespie sprung to life to hit 0-4 in the second period. Elsewhere in the top flight, 2017 league finalists Donegal bagged nine goals on their way to a 36-point drubbing of Westmeath with Yvonne Bonner accounting for 3-6 in a 9-17 to 1-5 win. Meanwhile, Division 2 threw up a tasty clash between Tipperary and Tyrone. Both with two wins from two heading into the fixture, it was also a repeat of last year’s TG4 AllIreland intermediate final. And it ended similarly, with Tipperary running out three-point winners in Omagh. Player of the Match in September’s decider Aisling McCarthy finished top scorer for Tipp, with 0-5, three from play, to her name. After winning Division 3 last year, Shane Ronayne’s side have established themselves as serious contenders in the higher grade and now sit top of the table. Armagh and Sligo were also in action in Division 2, with the Orchard county cantering to a hefty 30point victory. In Division 3, there were wins for Roscommon and Offaly. They beat Meath and Leitrim, respectively, the latter back in action after conceding their first two fixtures. And in the sole Division 4 refixture of the day, Wicklow left Limerick with a 2-7 to 14 win under their belt.