Sport

Donaghmoyne claim All-Ireland Club title despite two red cards

The Donaghmoyne players celebrate their victory in Sunday's All-Ireland Club final<br />Picture by Sportsfile &nbsp;
The Donaghmoyne players celebrate their victory in Sunday's All-Ireland Club final
Picture by Sportsfile  
The Donaghmoyne players celebrate their victory in Sunday's All-Ireland Club final
Picture by Sportsfile  

All-Ireland Club Senior Ladies' Football Championship final: Donaghmoyne (Monaghan) 0-11 Mourneabbey (Cork) 0-8; All-Ireland Club Intermediate Senior Ladies' Football Championship final: Cahir (Tipperary) 2-12 Milltown (Westmeath) 2-14

MONAGHAN outfit Donaghmoyne finished Sunday's All-Ireland Club final with 13 players and yet still managed to win their fourth title at Parnell Park.

Cork opponents Mourneabbey lost in the final for the second year in-a-row, once again foiled in their quest to become the first club to win All-Ireland titles in the junior, intermediate and senior grades.

Instead, Donaghmoyne dipped into their vast reserves of experience to grind out the win, securing a first All-Ireland senior crown since 2012 in the process.

Cathriona McConnell top-scored with five pointed frees for the winners, but the difference between the sides was player of the match and Allstar goalkeeper Linda Martin, who pulled off three brilliant saves. 

Meanwhile, Ruth Kearney inspired Milltown to a historic All-Ireland intermediate success, but the Westmeath champions had to fend off a spirited late fightback from Cahir before landing the silverware.

Milltown were cruising to victory, leading by 10 points inside the final 10 minutes before their Tipperary opponents cut the deficit to just two points by full-time. Goals from Emma Buckley and Róisín Howard had Cahir dreaming of an incredible fightback and, when Aisling McCarthy pointed with just 15 seconds remaining, Milltown were clinging on at Parnell Park.

But the clock was against Cahir, who were also beaten finalists in 2012, as Milltown held on to claim a very first club title for Westmeath in any of the adult grades.