Donoghue inspires Mullagh in narrow defeat of champions

Mullagh 2-5

Milford 0-9

MULLAGH’s senior camogie team produced a storming final quarter in Nenagh last Sunday to book their place in the All-Ireland Club final and, in the process, end Milford’s three-in-a-row ambitions.

In a contest that seemed to be slipping away, a Rachel Monaghan penalty on 39 minutes turned this game around as the Galway champions’ confidence soared following a nervous display.

Trailing 0-9 to 1-2 after 35 minutes, Mullagh needed a break and it arrived. Colette Glennon held off tight marking to pick out Monaghan in the square and before the Mullagh talliswoman could find the unmarked Patricia Manning, she was brought down.

Not the sweetest of strikes, Monaghan connected low and hard to beat the Milford defence and this semi-final’s complexion changed thereafter.

Scores were at a premium but it was the workrate of both sides that kept supporters engaged.  Mullagh started to believe and took the game to Milford. But the champions weren’t surrendering easily.

AIB’s sponsorship of the club championships includes individual awards called ‘The Toughest’ and never was it more evident. The Connacht and Munster recipients were Monaghan and Anna Geary respectively and their one-on-one tussle held nothing back.

Milford did threaten the posts 60 seconds after Monaghan’s goal when a move involving Maria Walsh and Marie O’Neill saw Emer Watson’s dangerous delivery dealt with by Catriona Daly. Even though Frankie Flannery’s team had subsequent chances, it was their last clean strike at the posts.

Monaghan levelled on the three quarter mark as Mullagh’s fitness started to tell. They had scored their first major just 31 seconds into the first half through Leona Monaghan, but found themselves 0-8 to 1-2 behind at the break before Maria Watson put four between the teams.

The club’s first appearance on the national stage in 22 years led to some early nerves but they pushed that to one side when victory was within their grasp. Defenders like Jennifer Coone, Sinead Cahalan and Ciara Donohue tossed aside previous errors to close down every ball; Glennon showed her leadership in setting the tone in all over the field with Therese Manton doing likewise; while in attack two of Mullagh and Galway’s young stars looked to come of age.

Full report in this week’s Connacht Tribune.