Ladies Football: Ulster Senior Championship
THEY are each other’s biggest critics but they wouldn’t have it any other way.
Ellen and Jack McCarron are two household names in Monaghan GAA and it seems that a bit of sibling rivalry can go a long way in the search for success.
They are both playing at the top of their game in the white and blue of the Farney County this year with Jack blazing a trail for the senior men’s team in their Division One league campaign while Ellen has been one of the ladies’ key players and instrumental in their fight to retain Division One status for a 26th season.
The sister and brother are crucial cogs in Paula Cunningham’s and Malachy O’Rourke’s Ulster championship plans and it seems the banter between the two of them certainly is a help rather than a hindrance.
“Ah now, we are each other’s biggest critics. He is always telling me how I should have done it or how he would do it or that I should have went for a goal when instead I took a point. I’d be safer like that whereas, he would always go for a goal in those situations,” laughs McCarron.
“There certainly is a bit of competition and banter between us especially after a game. We’d be talking about who scored the most out of the two of us that day.
“He is one of the most honest people you could meet and he would tell you honestly how you did and what you could do better next time.
“I don’t think now I’d be as good as him. We are both left footed but he uses his right too, I don’t!
“It’s great that he is back playing we know what he is capable of and now if he stays innjury free we will continue to see more of that for Monaghan.”
Monaghan begin the defence of their title on next month against Cavan on Saturday, June 17 in a repeat of last year’s final, however, the Ulster Championship begins the week before with the first of the semi-finals on Saturday, June 10 with the meeting of Donegal, winners in 2015, and Armagh who claimed the coveted provincial silverware in 2014.
The provincial junior championship semi-finals involving Fermanagh, Derry and champions Antrim, will be held over those same two June weekends as well, while the intermediate championship is a straight final between Down and Tyrone on Friday, June 30, while the other two finals are scheduled for Sunday 3 July.
It has been a tumultuous 2017 so far for Monaghan. Without playing bad, results just didn’t go their way in their Division One league campaign and they found themselves battling for survival with fellow Ulster side Armagh and their 25 years as a top tier team on the ropes.
They had to pull out all the stops to ensure they remained there, needing to win the final round game against Armagh and then play the same opposition a week later in a winner-takes-all relegation battle.
“The league results were not good and unfortunately that is what you are judged on, but performance wise we had some good ones against the likes of Cork, Galway and Donegal and only lost by one or two points,” says the 26-year-old who also admitted she is one of the ‘grannies’ on the team having played on the team for the last decade.
“We had to play Armagh two games in a row, and win, to stay up and we did that that’s not easy, having to play the same team twice in the space of a week with so much at stake.
“The second game, in particular, we showed a lot of belief and character but there was so much at stake.
“We didn’t want to be the team that were known for Monaghan’s relegation from Division One after 26 years. We wanted to stay up there.”
Normally, you would say the defending champions are the favourites in the competition, but McCarron is honest in her assessment, saying that any one of the province’s four senior teams are good enough to win the provincial crown.
“The Ulster Championship is the best competition out of the four provinces and we have four great teams competing for glory in 2017 and it really could be anyone’s title this year,” said the secondary school teacher who teaches PE at her alma mater - Largy College, Clones.
“Donegal have made really good ground this year. They had a great game against Cork and will be hitting the championship running.
“We had two tough games against Armagh already this year, and they have showed in the past what they can do, while Cavan are flying.
“Cavan proved themselves last year in the final that they are good enough and are at that level and they really put it up to us.
“Some of the football they have been playing this year has been brilliant and they are stronger in defence this year too while also being historically strong in attack.
“It is all going to be on the day and we have to knuckle down and get our heads together and put in the work now over the next few weeks to be prepared for what Cavan are going to throw at us. We will need a good plan in place to counteract them and we need to play to our best.
The Emmet Og club player added: “Last year, we were underdogs for the championship. We had to learn to adjust; there were a lot of changes to the squad, players that you had spent the last 10 or more years playing with were no longer there.
“The league was all about survival and hope that we did okay in the Ulster championship there were no expectations on us. Winning the championship was a massive achievement with such a young team.
“Hopefully, a year on with more experience, and with what we have come through in the league and the fight we showed, that will stand to us as we enter the championship.”
Ulster Senior Championship
Semi-finals: Donegal v Armagh (Saturday 10 June, Carrickmore, 7pm), Monaghan v Cavan (Saturday 17 June, Galbally, 7pm)
Final: Sunday 2 July
Ulster Intermediate Championship
Final: Down v Tyrone (Saturday 30 June)
Ulster Junior Championship:
Semi-finals: Derry v Fermanagh (Saturday 10 June, Carrickmore, 5pm), Antrim v loser of Derry/Fermanagh (Saturday 17 June, Galbally, 5pm)
