Six goal Farney humble Kingdom

TG4 ALL IRELAND LADIES SFC QUARTER FINAL

Kerry 1-16 Monaghan 6-17

THERE was heartbreak for the Kerry Ladies when they were comprehensively beaten by a rampant Monaghan side in the TG4 All Ireland Championship quarter-final played in Birr last Saturday.

Kerry came into the game as slight favourites. However, a dominant second half performance from the Ulster champions put the Kerry girls to the sword.

Quite what happened Kerry in that second period will puzzle manager Alan O’Neill and his team for a long time as the team completely fell asunder under persistent Monaghan pressure.

The intensity that Kerry brought to the table early in the first half seemed to disappear as Monaghan tore into the Kingdom with intent and ruthlessness.

It all started so brightly for Kerry as two points each from Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh and Sarah Houlihan pushed the Kingdom into a four points to two lead after eight minutes, with the Monaghan reply coming from the boot of Ellen McCarron and the lively corner-forward Ciara McAnespie.

Kerry looked the much better side at this stage and a great ball from Kate O’Sullivan put Laura Rogers through on goal. Unfortunately for the Austin Stacks girl her effort for a goal went slightly too high and over the bar for a point.

Spurred by this let off, Monaghan attacked with gusto and Laura McEneaney goaled after slicing through the Kerry defence. It was worrying from a Kerry point of view how easily McAneaney got through, as they appeared to have several bodies back in their defensive formation. Unfortunately it was a portent of what was to come in the second half.

Kerry didn’t let this set back get to them and Lorraine Scanlon burst into the game with two good points before Cora Courtney replied from a free for Monaghan to see Kerry lead by one point, 0-7 to 1-3 with 15 minutes gone in the first half.

The Kerry forwards were putting some serious pressure on the Monaghan kick out and this intensity almost led to a Kerry goal when, after 18 minutes, Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh robbed a Monaghan defender and found herself with only goalkeeper Cathriona McKenna to beat.

Ní Mhuircheartaigh’s goalbound shot was expertly turned around the post by the Monaghan goalkeeper at the expense of a ‘45, much to the despair of the Kerry management.

Ní Mhuircheartaigh pointed from play following a good pass from Sarah Houlihan, to push Kerry two ahead with 20 minutes gone. Monaghan upped the tempo however and scored seven points in-a-row, with Caoimhe Mohan starting the run and Ciara McAnespie, Cora Courtney (two frees), a pair from Ellen McCarron and Mohan again to push them five in front. Houlihan pointed a free for Kerry on the stroke of half time to ease the pressure and leave the score at the break Kerry 0-9 Monaghan 1-10.

Kerry needed a strong start to the second half but it was Monaghan who again pushed on with points from McCarron and Mohan followed by a goal from centre half-back Sharon Courtney.

Ciara McAnespie put 10 points between the teams before Therese Scott made Kerry’s task harder with the third Monaghan goal. Houlihan, lively substitute Anna Galvin and Rogers had three Kerry points in a row but again Monaghan replied with points from McCarron and Mohan.

Kerry were down by 12 points 3-15 to 0-12, and they suffered a mortal blow when veteran midfielder Bernie Breen was shown a straight red card after an incident with a Monaghan player with 45 minutes played.

Wing-back Denise Hallissey did provide a glimmer of hope when her kick for a point looped in for a goal to reduce the deficit to eight points with as many minutes left.

Credit to the Kingdom as they kept battling away with 14 players, but Monaghan, with the player advantage, closed out the game well. Midfielder Eimear McAnespie scored a late goal after Cora Courtney’s brilliant pass and her sister Ciara added a fine individual effort before setting up Rosemary Courtney for a sixth Monaghan goal, and a final stake through Kerry hearts.

KERRY: Edel Murphy, Aisling O’Connell, Aislinn Desmond, Ciara Murphy, Denise Hallissey (1-0), Caroline Kelly, Eilis Lynch, Bernie Breen, Emma Sherwood, Kate O’Sullivan, Lorraine Scanlon (0-2), Jane Lynch, Sarah Houlihan (0-5, 3f), Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh (0-6, 3f), Laura Rodgers (0-1) Subs: Aisling Leonard for E Lynch (36mins), Anna Galvin (0-2) for J Lynch (36mins), Amanda Brosnan for E Sherwood (48 mins), Patrice Dennehy for L Rodgers (48 mins)

MONAGHAN: Cathriona McKenna, Rachel McKenna, Josephine Fitzpatrick, Lianne Ward, Aoife McAnespie, Sharon Courtney (1-0), Grainne McNally, Cora Courtney (0-3f), Eimear McAnespie (1-0), Laura McEneaney (1-1), Ellen McCarron (0-7), Therese Scott (1-0), Ciara McAnespie (1-3), Caoimhe Mohan (0-4), Rosemary Courtney (1-0) Subs: Niamh Callan for L Ward (36 mins), Lauren Jones for Mohan (58 mins), Muireann Atkinson for McEneaney (58 mins) REFEREE: John Niland (Sligo)