Donegal send message with mauling

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.

Elsewhere in the top flight, 2017 league finalists Donegal bagged nine goals on their way to a 36-point drubbing of Westmeath.

One of seven re-fixed clashes down for decision yesterday, IT Blanchardstown played host to the meeting of Monaghan and Kerry. The sides were level at half-time but the Farney county powered on following the restart.

Two first-half goals from Eimear McAnespie and Cora Courtney (pictured) proved vital in the end while Ciara McAnespie also sprung to life to hit 0-4 in the second period.

A late goal from Deirdre Geaney couldn’t steal the win for the Kingdom though, as Annmarie Burns’ charges held on for their first victory of the season.

Yvonne Bonner starred once again for Donegal as she accounted for 3-6 in a 9-17 to 1-5 beating of 2017 Division 2 league champions Westmeath.

Niamh Hegarty was also influential, scoring an early brace as the Ulster kingpins recorded their first league win of the year.

In the 27th minute the sides were level but from there, Donegal never looked back. Eilish Ward, Sarah Jane McDonald, Grainne Houston and Aoife McDonnell rattled the net as Maxi Curran’s charges sent out an ominous statement.

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 All-Ireland 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 five points, three from play. Armagh and Sligo were also in action in Division 2, with the Orchard county cantering to a 30-point victory. In Division 3, there were wins for Roscommon and Offaly, overcoming Meath and Leitrim respectively.

In the sole Division 4 re-fixture, Wicklow left Limerick with a 2-7 to 1-4 win.