It was another fascinating year on the club scene for ladies football in Monaghan with Donaghmoyne lifting their first ever Senior Championship, and indeed dominating all through the different levels. By Alan Gunn. Senior Championship Five sides took part in this championship: Donaghmoyne, Monaghan Harps, Aghabog, Magheracloone and Scotstown. The Harps were aiming for their forth title in a row but in the championship draw made in March they were handed a tough opening assignment against Donaghmoyne in the semi-final. The championship began in Tyholland with Scotstown and Aghabog coming face to face in the quarter-final. With the blues unable to win a game all year as expected it was the vastly experienced Aghabog girls that booked a place against Magheracloone. The first semi-final was the much-awaited meeting of Donaghmoyne and the Harps but it failed to live up to the high expectations with Donaghmoyne easily accounting for the holders. Aghabog also progressed to the final helped by an improved second half performance to see off the Mitchell's Donaghmoyne came in the final played in Latton as hot favourites to lift their first title. They didn't disappoint convincingly overcoming Aghabog in a disappointing decider by 2-14 to 1-07. The eventual winners led at the break by 1-09 to 1-05 with the majors from Majella Woods and Catriona Brady hitting the net. The second was to see Donaghmoyne continue to dominate and with a second goal from Lisa Kingham twenty minutes into the half they coasted to the end. However after claiming the county title Donaghmoyne fell at the first hurdle in the Ulster campaign when they welcomed Letterkenny side St Eunan's to Monaghan. The Donegal side proving to strong on the day and sending the Monaghan champions packing. They did finish the year with a victory when they picked up the double by beating Monaghan Harps in the league decider, after going the full year with just one defeat in the league to Aghabog. Intermediate Championship There was just one game in this year's Intermediate championship, the meeting of O'Neill Shamrock's and Tyholland. Tyholland hoping to build on last year's All Ireland Junior success and the Shamrocks aiming to go one better than last year's county final defeat. As it turned out it was to be the Shamrock's day leading from start to finish and running out surprisingly easy winners by 1-15 to 0-07. They led by three points at the break but dominated the second half with player of the match Rosie Hughes finishing the game with five points. In the Ulster campaign they had also a successful run that only seen it all end with a crashing defeat at the final hurdle. Opening round victories over Moville (Donegal) and Lurgan (Cavan) set up the decider with Glen (Derry). The Shamrocks were unable to recover from a nightmare start that seen them concede two early goals and from there they had to play second best against the strong Derry outfit. They did however end the year on a high lifting the Division Two league title after beating Latton at the second attempt. Junior Championship The Junior championship was to be the hardest fought of all the champions of 2004. Eleven teams in all battled it out but in the end Rockcorry and Inniskeen were left to fight for the title. Rockcorry accounted for Truagh, and Latton after two thrilling days before edging their neighbours out by a single point in the reply, while Inniskeen saw off Clones and Donaghmoyne 'B' to book their spot. The final its self also served up some wonderful football with Inniskeen racing into an early advantage. But this Rockcorry side had shown all year of their battling qualities and they fought back to deservedly claim the honours, and their first county title. Into the Ulster campaign they went and they also made a big impact in it. First to fall was Kinawley (Fermanagh) and then Flaughanvale (Derry) and with those two victories Rockcorry were into the Ulster decider. In the final they were up against Antrim side Moneyglass in Clones. A late Bernie Carroll point rescued Rockcorry to earn a draw and a replay in Scotstown the following Sunday. All roads led to St Mary's Park and in a very low scoring game Moneyglass dominated and led by 0-05 to 0-1 with time almost up. Yet like the first day Carroll again came up with the goods firstly with a point and then a goal right at the death to force extra time. The Rockcorry girls played some wonderful football in the first period to lead by four points at the switch around. However the second period was to see them put on the back foot and Moneyglass edged closer and closer and in the end won the tie with a goal in injury time to agonisingly end Rockcorry brave bid for the Ulster title. The Division Three title went to Donaghmoyne 'B' after they saw off Emyvale in the final. Underage The underage scene once again served up some fantastic encounters and it also seen the introduction of Killanny into ladies football for the first time ever and indeed reached the U12 final. Donaghmoyne dominated proceedings lifting the U12, U14 and U16 15-a-side competitions. Aghabog too had a great year with three titles also going their way. Other winners on the underage scene were Tyholland, St Brigid's, Sean McDermott's and Magheracloone. Tweet

Most Read Stories