Monaghan lifted the ZuCar All-Ireland Minor B title with a stunning extra-time victory over Longford. Monaghan winning out 7-16 to 2-19.
Ulrika McMahon was super-sub for Monaghan scoring 2-2 in extra-time. For the second game in a row, Monaghan came from seven points down. Eabha Sherry scoring Monaghan’s third goal during extra-time in Ashbourne.
Monaghan were four points up inside three minutes, Sarah Tierney finding the net. Longford worked their way back into the game and were level in the ninth minute. Megan Glennon kicking over three points, including one free.
Captain Caoimhe McCormack won a terrific ball leading to a Longford lead for the first time through Kate Shannon on 10 minutes.
Tierney drew Monaghan level before Longford took control of proceedings. Shannon scored her second point to put four between the sides in the 28th minute. Sián Gallagher then fired a powerful shot to the net.
Kerriane Walsh and Shannon exchanged points as Longford held a 1-10 to 1-3 advantage at the break.
Barely 25 second-half seconds elapsed when Tierney set up Áine McQuaid for Monaghan’s second goal.
Sián Gallagher grabbed a second goal in the 39th minute, hitting a fantastic shot past Orna Kelly to restore her side’s seven-point lead.
Monaghan stuck with Longford and the gap was just two points with 13 minutes remaining.
Tierney raced through and scored Monaghan’s third goal. Monaghan were reduced to 14 players in the 49th minute when Niamh Flanagan was sin-binned.
Despite the numerical disadvantage, Monaghan levelled the game in the 58th minute when Walsh raced through and made no mistake scoring Monaghan’s fourth goal. One minute later Sherry hit over a free, edging Monaghan ahead.
Just after Flanagan returned from the sin-bin, Tierney received a yellow card while Longford also lost Ella O’Reilly through a sin-bin. Both sides had chances near the end to win the game but it went to extra-time and Monaghan dominated on the resumption.
Monaghan: O Kelly; R Lennon, T Renaghan, T McArdle; A Carolan, L Connolly, H Haughey; K Walsh, L McGeown; H McQuaid, N Flanagan, S Tierney; S Murphy, E Sherry, Á McQuaid.
Subs: L Grimes for Connolly (45), M Byrne for Haughey (47), U McMahon for Tierney (61), B McPhillips for McGeown (74), G Hanratty for Á McQuaid (78).
Scorers: U McMahon 2-2, E Sherry 1-4 (1f) S Tierney 2-1, K Walsh, L Grimes 1-1 each, H McQuaid 0-3 (1f), A McQuaid 0-2, N Flanagan, S Murphy 0-1 each.
Longford: L Tierney; L Shannon, G Kenny, R Fallon; F Talabi, C McCormack, E Duggan; E O’Reilly, S Gallagher; M Glennon, K McEntire, S Macken; K Shannon, E Lynn, A Hayden.
Subs: K O’Connor for Fallon (19), S Egan for Macken (38), M Shannon for Lynn (48), T Tiernan for Hayden, R Fallon for O’Reilly (61), T Cosgrove for Talabi (67), E O’Reilly for O’Connor (68), C Heaney for Kenny (81).
Scorers: K Shannon 0-8 (4f), S Gallagher 2-1, M Glennon 0-5 (2f), E O’Reilly, A Hayden, S Egan, M Shannon, S Macken 0-1 each
Referee: Lorraine O’Sullivan (Dublin).
