At the recent New York Ladies GAA 20th Annual Dinner Dance two girls with strong Monaghan connections were honoured. Cathriona Brady originally from the Aghabog club in County Monaghan received the New York Ladies Player of the Year Award 2011.  Cathriona played centre half back for New York Ladies in their All Ireland Junior campaign during 2011.  They were defeated in the replay of the All Ireland Junior Final by Wicklow.  Cathriona was also the Vice Captain of the New York County team and the Captain of her Club team Kerry/Donegal in New York in 2011.  She is no stranger to inter county football having played for Monaghan for 12 years in the top flight of football in both the Senior Championship and the Division 1 National League, winning Senior All Ireland with Monaghan in both 1996 & 1997. Courtney Traynor received the Young Player of the Year award for the New York Ladies team in 2011.  Courtney plays her club football with the Rockland Club in New York.  Her Monaghan connections come from her father’s side, as her father Philip Traynor originally hails from Carrickmacross in Co. Monaghan.

A spirited second half comeback by Killeshill ended Truagh’s campaign in the Minor Ulster league on Sunday last. It was a bitterly cold day in St Mellan’s but both teams served up an excellent and exciting game of football for the many spectators who had braved the chilly Winter weather conditions.

Truagh started the livlier with the impressive Amy Murray firing to the back of the Killeshill net with just a minute of the game gone. Eileen Mc Kenna followed with a fine point to put the home side 4 points up with just 2 minutes of the game gone. Good defending by Charlotte Mc Kenna kept the Killeshill forwards at bay before they did breakthrough with a great run by Louise Kelly who found Zoe Loughran who fired over the bar. Truagh responded almost immediately when Caoimhe Mohan pointed for Truagh. Anne Scullion added another point for the Tyrone girls to close the gap with just 7 mins on the clock gone.Killeshill were awarded a free which was quickly taken and Zoe Loughran got her name on the scoresheet once again when she scored Killeshill’s first goal of the day to level matters up. Once again Truagh responded very quickly with the excellent Eileen Mc Kenna  netting Truagh’s second goal of the day to put Truagh 2-2 to 1-2 up with 12 minutes of the first half gone.. Excellent defending by Faoiltiarna Keenan and Vanessa Doyle denied Truagh going further ahead before Caoimhe Mohan converted a free to put 4 points between the sides once again. Truagh then lost Amy Mc Kenna through injury but Further points from Eimhin mc Elligot, Eileen Mc Kenna and 2 from Caoimhe Mohan put Truagh 8 points clear with only a minute of the half remaining. Killeshill got a very crucial score just before the half time whistle blew when Genevieve Scullion fired to the back of the net to leave the half time score

It was Killeshill who started the livlier and they started to put enormous pressure on the Truagh defence. They failed to take 3 excellent goal opportunities and when Eileen mc Kenna fired over a point for Truagh it looked like Killeshill were in trouble. However they continued to drive forward and Louise Kelly fired over the bar to reduce Truagh’s lead to 5 points but Truagh again responded with Donna mc Meel firing over the bar to put 6 points between them once again. Louise Kelly then scored Killeshill’s 3rd goal of the day to narrow the gap to 3 points but Eileen Mc Kenna hit a fine point on the other side to leave 4 between them. Truagh should have went 5 up when a free from Caoimhe Mohan drifted wide. Grainne Rafferty made no mistake in converting a free to leave the scoreline afte 12 minutes  2-10 to 3-4. Indeed Grainne converted 2 more frees to narrow the gap to just a single point. Lauren Devine got her name on the scoresheet to level mattes up. With just 9 minutes to go, it was all to play for. Killeshill went ahead for the first time in the game when Genevieve Scullion fired over the bar. An excellent save by Cathy Donaghy denied Truagh’s Eileen Mc Kenna what looked like a certain goal. Truagh had an excellent opportunity to equalise when they were awarded a free close in, but Caoimhe Mohan’s attempt just drifted wide. Genevieve Scullion added another point to put the Tyrone champions 2 points up with just a few minutes remaining. Truagh needed a goal and they pushed forward. The dangerous Amy Murray received the ball and went on one of her runs cutting through the Killeshill defence. Her shot on goal went just over the bar to leave just a point between the sides. Killeshill kept possession to hold out for victory on a scoreline of

Caoimhe Rooney, Charlotte Mc Kenna, Kady Mc Kenna, Bryoni Daly,   Tara Mc Meel, Laura Mc Kenna, Eileen Mc Kenna(1-4), Niamh Mc Quaid,Amy Mc Kenna,Amy Murray(1-1), , Donna Mc Meel(0-1), Caoimhe Mohan(0-4 1f)Eimhin Mc Elligott (0-1)
Subs used Jessica Mc Kenna for Amy Mc Kenna Seana Mohan for Eimhin Mc Elligott

Cathy Donaghy, Una Hamill, Ursula Mc Gee, Dearbhla O Hagan, Emma Louise Mulgrew, Faoiltiarna Keenan, Vanessa Doyle, Anne Scullion(0-1), Lauren Devine(0-1), Genevieve Scullion(1-2), Louise Kelly(1-1)Grainne Rafferty(0-3 3f), Zoe Loughran(1-1)

SHARON COURTNEY NAMED AS MONAGHAN LADIES SENIOR PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Monaghan’s inspirational captain Sharon Courtney has been named as senior county player for 2011. Sharon has been in outstanding form all year, leading her team to the All Ireland final and receiving a 2nd All Star Award. Well done Sharon

Monaghan ladies entered the O Dowd cup for the first time. In their opening game they beat Jordanstown 4-7 1-10. They then went on to beat Tyrone 5-27 to no score thus qualifying for the finals. In the semi final they beat Queens and in the final they had a hard earned win over Jordanstown, beating then by a point. 7 players received college All Stars Edel Corrigan, Sharon Courtney, Christine Reilly, Isobel Kierans, Therese McNally, Catriona Mc Connell and Caoimhe Mohan.

Lavina Connolly was named Senior Ladies Footballer of the Year for 2010

Former All Star Edel Byrne gave birth to a baby girl Katie Elizabeth

The girls opened up their National League campaign with a win over Tyrone 2-14 to 0-7. Next up was Mayo and once again the girls came out on top winning by3-13 to 1-8. The last game in February was against Cork and Monaghan their 100% record beating them 1-13 to 2-7.

,3 Monaghan girls, Laura Mc Eneaney, Caoimhe Mohan and Barbara Ward received Colleges All Star Awards with Caoimhe captaining the Ulster selection that beat Connacht 4-20 to 3-13

At the county presentation night, the following awards were given:Awards on the Night
U14 County Player of the Year – Leanne Maguire(Magheracloone)
U16 County Player of the Year – Barbara Ward (Carrick/Corduff)
Minor County Player of the Year – Ciara Duffy (Aughnamullen)
Senior County Player of the Year – Lavina Connolly (Latton)

Divisional Players of the Year

Division 1 – Niamh Lynch(Donaghmoyne)
Division 2 – Martina Larmer(Gray) (Scotstown)
Division 3 – Kelsey Maguire (Seans)

Club of the Year  Awards
Junior  – Scotstown
Intermediate – Truagh
Senior – Emyvale

Overall Club of the Year
Truagh

Monaghan’s good run in the National league campaign continued beating Kildare 2-15 to 1-7 and then Galway 1-11 to 0-11. Last up was Laois and an excellent game of football saw the Monaghan girls maintain their 100% record winning by a single point Monaghan 2-8  Laois 1-10.

Monaghan Minor team lose out to Down in their opening game in the Ulster league

U14 A team were defeated by a strong Donegal side in their opening Ulster league game and U14 B team were beaten by Antrim in a closely contested game in Belfast 5-4 to 4-10.

Monaghan’s 2 under 14 teams travelled to Cookstown to take part in the Ulster Blitz. In Group 1, the A team came out on top of their group but were beaten by a strong Armagh side in the semi final. The B team won the B Plate Final.

A  number of our players took part in the O Connor Cup weekend in Limerick.Emma and Louise Byrne were part of the Carlow IT team that won the Lynch Cup. Ellen Mc Carron, Aoife Mc Anespie and Ciara Mc Anespie were part of the successful DCU team that won the O Connor cup for the 3rd year in a row. Ciara Mc Anespie won player of the match in the final  and she also recieved a Colleges All Star award . Ellen Mc Carron and Emma Byrne won replacement All Star awards.

Monaghan county board launch their new Sponsorship Draw.

Monaghan beat Donegal in their last game of Division one 3-14 to 1-7, finishing top of the table.

Unfortunately they lost out to Laois, their first defeat of 2011, in the semi final 2-11 to 1-10.

St Louis Carrickmacross lose out to Clonmel after extra time in the All Ireland schools final.

U14 A team lose out to Tyrone in the Ulster league but then record their first win of the season with a win over Down.

U14 B team narrowly lose to a strong Derry team 3-12 to 3-10 but then go to record their first win of the season with a good win over Fermanagh.

Minors suffer defeats to Donegal and then Tyrone in the Ulster league’

U16s open their Ulster campaign with a great win over Donegal 6-6 to 2-14.

Emyvale club host the annual Kevin Donnelly Tournament for Minors. Cup winners were Carryduff from Down. Runners Up Truagh.

Shield Winners Emyvale  Runners Up  Aghabog.

Player of the Tournament Aodaoin Early. Player of The Sheild Alana O Donohue

Skull Inn Smithboro win the Sponsorship Draw.

Next week we will continue to look back over the year 2011.