Tyrone denied by last-gasp Monaghan goal

Jenny Greenan stepped up two minutes into injury time to rifle a terrific shot to the back of the Tyrone net and in doing so break the Red Hand girls hearts as they fell to a 3-05 to 1-12 defeat at Irvinestown on Sunday evening.

That goal sealed a barely deserved win for the Farney side, and leaves Tyrone’s hopes of qualification to the Ulster decider very much in the balance as it all now rests on the outcome of the final round of fixtures which sees Tyrone face high-flying Donegal while Monaghan tackle Down.

Tyrone got off to the best possible start as captain Eilish Gormley led the way for her side with a pointed free. Within two minutes, Gemma Begley had sent Tyrone into dreamland with a well-taken goal as she capitalised on a defensive error to put her side firmly in control.

Monaghan though managed to steady themselves and their captain Niamh Kindlon converted a free kick as her side began to gain the ascendancy. Tyrone goalkeeper Elaine Mallaghan pulled off a point blank save from Therese Mc Nally as Monaghan continued to press, and midfielder Ciara Mulligan pointed her sides second score of the day.

Tyrone defender Sinead Mc Laughlin pulled off a fantastic goal line clearance, and Kindlon was forced to settle for a point. Seconds later, Aisling Tierney saw her rasping drive rebound off the crossbar and over the bar for the levelling score with fifteen minutes played.

With Tyrone still firmly on the back foot, Monaghan continued to attack relentlessly with Kindlon again converting a free and corner forward Diane Dempsey firing over to put Monaghan two points ahead.

Tyrone finally found some breathing space, as Gormley again pointed, her sides first score for all of eighteen minutes. Begley again got herself on the score sheet soon after as she finished off a good passing movement with a well-taken point.

At the other end, the Tyrone full back line were continuing their heroics, as Eimear Teague pulled off a sublime block to deny Dempsey what looked like a certain goal.

As the half drew to a close, Caroline Kelly and Maura Kelly shot wide for Tyrone, while Ciara Mulligan got back superbly well from her midfield berth to block a shot from Tyrone attacker Cathy Donnelly when a goal seemed a certainty.

Before the half time whistle, Monaghan had a goal chance of their own, but Diane Dempsey could only watch as her shot rebounded back off the woodwork and was cleared by a grateful Tyrone defence to leave the sides level at half time, 1-3 to 0-6.

Niamh Kindlon scored the point of the day from a long-range free kick to open the second half scoring and to edge her side back in front. What the Monaghan captain could do at one end, Gormley showed she could do at the other as she coolly slotted over a free kick to level the sides once more.

Dempsey scored her second of the day to restore her sides slender advantage before Caroline Kelly levelled matters once more. Monaghan again rattled the woodwork, this time by Dempsey, before Arlene Mc Closkey pulled off a great block to deny Monaghan the goal they craved.

Minutes later Monaghan keeper Martina Gray was again called into action as she saved bravely from Caroline Kelly. In the resultant scramble, the referee spotted an infringement by the Monaghan defenders and pointed to the spot. Up stepped corner forward Begley to hit the spot kick, but her effort was well stopped by Gray between the Monaghan posts in yet another moment of drama in what was a thoroughly entertaining tussle.

The introduction of Katrina Daly to the Tyrone attack proved to have a major impact on the tie. Within minutes of her introduction, Daly fielded a high ball on the edge of the square before turning sharply and firing to the Monaghan net to put her side two points up.

From the resultant kickout, Daly again found herself on the ball and finished her powerful run with a measured finish to the Monaghan goal. Suddenly, Tyrone had turned a one-point deficit into a five-point lead, and looked sure to have sealed victory with just eight minutes left on the clock.

Monaghan, with their continued participation in the competition resting on the outcome, were not to be denied. The defending champions went on an all-out bombardment on the Tyrone goals as the Red Hand girls finished the tie very much on the back foot.

It took great goalkeeping from Mallaghan in the Tyrone nets to keep the Farney girls at bay, before Jenny Greenan got forward in support to fire over an inspirational point. Niamh Kindlon again pointed twice from frees to leave just two between the sides, and to set up a grandstand finish to the game.

Brenda Mc Anespie drew a save from Mallaghan, who turned the ball around the post for a ‘45’. Monaghan worked the ball in smartly, and possession again fell to Greenan in space, who let fly a rasping drive from all of twenty metres high to the roof of the Tyrone net to put her side in the lead.

With time up, Monaghan had snatched victory from what had looked like a certain defeat, and Tyrone were left shellshocked to figure out how they had managed to let a five point lead slip in the closing stages.

Teams & Scorers
Tyrone: Elaine Mallaghan, Sinead Mc Laughlin, Eimear Teague, Seana Keenan, Connie Fox, Arlene Mc Closkey, Martina Doyle, Maeve Mc Gurk, Maura Kelly, Orla O’Neill, Cathy Donnelly, Ann Dooher, Gemma Begley (1-1), Eilish Gormley (0-3, 3 frees), Caroline Kelly (0-1)
Subs Used: Katrina Daly (2-0) for Cathy Donnelly, Claire Mc Alliskey for Anne Dooher, Lisa Mc Alliskey for Martina Doyle, Etaoine O’Kane for Orla O’Neill

Monaghan: Martina Gray, Mary Croarkin, Michelle Grimes, Christina Reilly, Joanne Courtney, Jenny Greenan (1-1), Ciara McGuinness, Ciara Mulligan (0-1), Catriona Brady, Brenda McAnespie, Niamh Lynch, Niamh Kindlon (0-06, 5 frees), Aisling Tierney (0-01), Diane Dempsey (0-2), Therese McNally
Subs Used: Katrina Byrne for Therese Mc Nally