Mullahoran ladies power to Ulster title with dominant performance

Ulster Club Ladies IFC final

Mullahoran 5-13

Carrickmacross 2-4

Paul Fitzpatrick at Healy Park

Mullahoran claimed the Ulster Ladies Intermediate Football Championship in fine style as they proved too strong for Carrickmacross at a rainy Healy Park, Omagh this afternoon.

Mullahoran came into this match as favourites, having had a comprehensive win in the county final and picked up three away wins to make the final, two of them very comfortable and one close battle against the Donegal champions.

And the Dreadnoughts showed why they were fancied as they tore into the Monaghan champions from the start and, by half-time, had built up an insurmountable 10-point lead, 2-9 to 1-2.

Driven on by superb individual performances from the likes of Aishling Sheridan and Emilia Mussi in attack among others, Mullahoran were tested early on but looked a cut above their game but out-gunned opponents here.

The Cavanwomen were handed a glorious opportunity when they were awarded a penalty in the first minute – there didn’t appear to be much in the incident but the ref thought otherwise – but Geraldine Sheridan’s low spot kick went wide of the left post.

Mullahoran, and Sheridan herself, made light of the setback however as, after a nervy few minutes, they took complete control of the contest. A free from the outstanding Aishling Sheridan opened their account but they quickly found themselves three points in arrears when Laura McGeown knocked over a point and then, after a good run from Sarah Capaldi, Sarah Hughes’s shot dropped into the roof of the net.

Carrick had the ball in the onion bag again moments later but the whistle had correctly sounded for over-carrying and perhaps that was a wake-up call for Seanie Smith’s charges as the Farney ladies wouldn’t register again until just before the short whistle.

Aishling Sheridan laid off to 16-year-old Emilia Mussi, who drove at the defence and saw her powerful goalbound effort well saved but she followed up to grab the point, soccer-style.

At this stage, Mullahoran were starting to over-run their opponents and they created another couple of goal chances which were saved on the line. From one Kate Fegan effort, Carrickmacross kept it out but didn’t clear and Mussi punished them by knocking over her second point.

The goal the Cavan champions had been threatening arrived in the 12th minute when Fegan went on a powerful run, drew the goalkeeper and squared for Geraldine Sheridan, who tucked away from close range to make it 1-3 to 1-1.

By now, Aishling Sheridan’s energy and robust play on breaking ball was proving invaluable – and she used possession smartly, too. She found Fegan with a long delivery and the All-Ireland minor medallist made no mistake in fisting over.

Nichole Sheils was next to score for the would-be winners, beating a defender and splitting the posts and when Mussi scored again off the left, it was 1-6 to 1-1 and Mullahoran were firmly in the driving seat.

A 35-metre Aishling Sheridan free kept the scoreboard ticking over; she added another as Carrickmacross squandered a couple of chances.

The second goal duly arrived five minutes before the break when Aishling Sheridan laid off to Fegan, whose found the net again to make it 2-8 to 1-1.

Sheridan turned finisher with a superb point after a direct run moments later before Capaldi, with a free, had the final say of the half.

For Mullahoran, it was about managing the second half and making sure the Monaghan representatives couldn’t build any momentum and that was how it transpired, with the winners actually kicking on and adding another 3-4 to their tally.

A free from sub Caoimhe Carolan got Carrickmacross off to a good start but any hopes of a comeback were dashed in the 37th minute when Aishling Sheridan again broke a tackle and passed to Fegan, who side-footed to the net to make it 3-9 to 1-3.

The deadly Fegan soon added another quality point on the turn but, to their credit, Carrickmacross kept battling and were rewarded when a long ball found Sarah Hughes, who finished well to the net on 42 minutes.

But, true to form, Mullahoran hit back with another major when Mussi won the ball bravely between two defenders and sent a rocket past the goalkeeper to leave 13 points between the sides.

Geraldine Sheridan pointed on the turn after Fegan’s shot dropped short and although Amy Scotson landed a good point off the left, Mullahoran were not to be denied as they finished strongly.

First, Fegan slalomed through and repaid the earlier favour by laying off for Aishling Sheridan to find the bottom corner and then two rising stars completed the scoring as Mussi slotted over a right-footed point from the edge of the D and Etain Higgins added a magnificent left-footed point from a seemingly impossible angle along the sideline to wrap up a most impressive victory.

Mullahoran: Fáinche Higgins, Hannah Brady, Aobhinn Galligan, Kyra Comaskey, Aoibhe Reilly, Geraldine Sheridan (0-2), Sheila Reilly, Mona Sheridan, Annie Deneher, Ciara Brennan, Emilia Mussi (1-4), Nichole Sheils (0-1), Kate Smith, Aishling Sheridan (1-4, 3f), Kate Fegan (2-2)

Subs: Cathy Sheils for N Sheils, Etain Higgins (0-1) for K Smith (both 51 mins), Ciara Denneny for C Brennan, Sholagh Briody for A Reilly (both 55 mins), Kathryn Cullen for K Comaskey (60)

Carrickmacross: Aoibheann O’Rourke, Grace Connolly, Sarah Corr, Caitlyn Gilroy, Áine Loughman, Kate Duffy, Amy Scotson (0-1), Ciara Larney, Ella Carolan, Aisling MacAuliffe, Laura Grimes, Laura McGeown (0-1), Sarah Capaldi (0-1f), Orna Kelly, Sarah Hughes (2-0)

Subs: Caoimhe Carolan (0-1f) for G Connolly (ht)