Ulster Club Ladies’ SFC final: Lurgan (Cavan) v Castlewellan (Down) (tomorrow, Virginia, 4pm)
LURGAN and Castlewellan could not be separated after 80 minutes of football last Sunday and both captains are expecting another tight tussle in tomorrow’s replay.
This time around, Cavan champions Lurgan will hope that the home support will see them over the line for a semi-final berth against Donaghmoyne. The sides were level at the end of normal time, 1-11 to 0-14, Lurgan captain Claragh O’Reilly with the equalising point to send the game to extra-time.
It was then Castlewellan who needed to find the equaliser, Lisa Morgan stepping up to level the scores 1-14 to 0-17 from a free to ensure they would have to do it all again.
Castlewellan, who have represented Down in Ulster for the last three seasons would have been fancied, playing at home too, to have made the last four while Lurgan have not featured in the provincial competition since 2011.
Castlewellan captain Mairead Hardy admits they were disappointed not to have closed the game out in normal time, but feels a draw was probably the fairest result in a game that was nip and tuck from beginning to end.
“At the end of full-time I was disappointed in that we couldn’t see the game out being three points up with minutes in normal time to go and to let that slip back to get a draw was frustrating,” she said.
“I definitely do not taking anything away from Lurgan on Sunday, but I don’t think we played to our full potential; we have a lot of young girls playing in their first Ulster match and nerves and different things come into play."
Lurgan captain Claragh O’Reilly says the game is about more than the 15 players who start.
“It is a quick turnaround but it is the same situation for both teams,” she said. “Saturday will be another tough encounter but as both teams showed last week, it’s more than a 15-player game so I think that this will be key.”
Australasian State Games
ON the other side of the world last week, one of the highlights of the year for all codes was taking place in Wellington, New Zealand the 2015 Australasian State Games.
Ladies football was well represented at the competition and there was plenty of Ulster involvement with three players named on the 2015 Australasian Ladies All Stars team – Tyrone's Sarah Donnelly, Cavan's Ailish Cornyn and Donegal's Aoife McDonnell, who picked up the Best Player Award and celebrated winning the Ladies title with her team New South Wales who defeated Western Australia 5-10 to 0-10 in the final.
The Australasian State Games are a bit like the interprovincial competitions over here and involve the states that make up Australia and New Zealand. Wellington and Canterbury represented New Zealand while Western Australia, New South Wales (NSW), South Australia and Queensland represented Australia.
The competition for men's football, hurling and camogie as well, was held in Wellington and began last Wednesday, culminating in the finals for all four codes on Saturday past some 39 games later.
For a modest McDonnell, who has missed the last few competitions due to injury, it was a brilliant experience.
"It's nice to get it but at the end of the day it's the experience that counts. I was very fortunate to have met and played with a great bunch of girls.
"It's a big highlight out here, just after our own State Championships. I didn't play in previous years as I had injuries from playing both AFL and Gaelic and I needed the time off to recover and for rehab", she explains. "I was delighted to have had the opportunity this year; it was brilliantly organised and it is great to get the opportunity to travel with the games."
The Naomh Conaill club player, who now plies her club trade with Cormac McAnallens in Sydney has been in Australia for a couple of years but came home at the beginning of the year to play for Donegal and was an integral part of the team who clinched their first ever Ulster Senior Championship title.
So far, she is remaining tight-lipped on her inter-county future and while the hurt of losing to Armagh in the All-Ireland quarter-finals is still very raw, it does not outweigh their achievements under Davy McLaughlin this season.
"Looking back over the last 12 months, I'm still disappointed that we didn't make it to Croke Park because I believe we were good enough" admits McDonnell. "Taking Ulster was obviously amazing and I'm still bursting with pride over that win.
"I'm not making any decisions just yet in regards to next year. I believe there's a lot more to come from the Donegal ladies team next year. I'm also teaching out here and have all my clubs and sport. I have two great places to choose from, and that can be no bad thing!"
Sidelines
FERMANAGH are on the lookout for new personnel to lead their senior and minor teams in 2016.
They are currently seeking applicants for the positions of senior county manager and minor county manager.
Anyone interested in applying for these positions should forward their CV detailing their relevant experience and any other information to the County Secretary, by email to annamac1964@outlook.com or by post to FLGA County Secretary, Anna McKenna, 45 Moher Road, Kinawley BT92 5FJ by Monday, October 12 at 5pm.
ULSTER Ladies GAA are now taking applications from U12 clubs who would like to play at half time of the Ulster Club Championship Finals at Senior, Intermediate, and Junior finals.
This is open to U12 clubs from within Ulster and it will be an open draw with winners chosen at random from a pot.
Please specify which final you wish your team to play at and send in your name, club, and contact details (email and phone) to ciaran.murtagh.ulster@gaa.ie
In numbers
8 THE number of Ulster players who have been nominated for an All Star Award in 2015
3 ULSTER players were named on the 2015 Australasian All Star team: Tyrone's Sarah Donnelly, Donegal's Aoife McDonnell and Cavan's Ailish Cornyn
