TG4 All-Ireland Ladies Senior Football Championship Semi-Final

Monaghan v Cork, Saturday, 4.00, Birr

 

Monaghan will attempt to gain revenge on Cork for last year’s All-Ireland Final defeat against Cork when they take on the Rebelettes in Saturday’s semi-final.

What is more important to Gregory McGonigle’s side, however, is the opportunity to book their place in the September 30 decider at Croke Park. Monaghan have had an impeccable year so far, winning the O’Dowd Cup in January, flying through their National Football League campaign to win the Division One title (beating Cork in the final) and impressing so far in the championship. Comfortable wins over Tyrone and Donegal saw Monaghan continue to reign in Ulster and they followed that up with a seven-point win over Mayo in the quarter-finals. Cork beat Kerry to retain the Munster title and they annihilated an understrength Donegal team in the All-Ireland quarter-finals to keep their bid for a seventh Brendan Martin Cup in eight years on track.

Cathriona McConnell, who scored 3-3 against Mayo, is the star forward for Monaghan at the moment, but Ciara McAnespie, Niamh Kindlon and Ellen McCarron also have plenty to offer, as does Caoimhe Mohan, who is once again confined to the bench from the start but can be expected to feature. Amanda Casey has been in fine form at midfield, while Therese McNally, Nicola Fahy and Aoife McAnespie are adept at both attacking and defending from the half-back line. Captain Sharon Courtney is a leader for this Monaghan team from full-back, where she is flanked by Gráinne McNally and Christina Reilly.

Cork need no introductions to Monaghan, as the teams have met regularly over the years and the defending champions possess players of real quality all over the pitch from corner-backs Ann-Marie Walsh and Deirdre O’Reilly through to corner-forwards Nollaig Cleary and Grace Kearney. Full-forward Valerie Mulcahy and midfielder Juliet Murphy are also key players for Cork, as are Rena Buckley and Geraldine O’Flynn.

Having pushed Cork so close in last year’s All-Ireland and beaten them in the league final, Monaghan have the belief that they can win this one and that might just be enough to get them through in what should be a great battle. The winners will play Kerry in the final.

 

Monaghan: L Martin; G McNally, S Courtney (Capt.), C Reilly; T McNally, N Fahy, A McAnespie; A Casey, E McElroy; C McAnespie, L McEnaney, E McCarron; C McConnell, N Kindlon, C Courtney.

 

Cork: E Harte; AM Walsh, B Stack, D O’Reilly; B Corkery, R Buckley (Capt.), G O’Flynn; J Murphy, N Kelly; L McMahon, C O’Sullivan, A Walsh; N Cleary, V Mulcahy, G Kearney.

 

Monaghan Ladies SFC scorers 2012:

 

Cathriona McConnell 5-18 (1-0 pen, 0-9f)

Niamh Kindlon 0-16 (14f)

Caoimhe Mohan 1-11

Amanda Casey 3-1

Laura McEnaney 1-2

Ellen McCarron 0-4

Therese McNally 1-1

Ciara McAnespie 0-4

Cora Courtney 0-2

Aoife McAnespie 0-1