TG4 Ulster Intermediate Championship Round 2: Monaghan 1-13 Antrim 3-12
ANTRIM captain Cathy Carey has described their Ulster Intermediate Championship win over Monaghan as “massive” as the Saffrons claimed a first ever provincial win at this level.
A strong second half performance, in which they overturned a four-point deficit to win by five in Aghabog on Sunday, saw them book their place in the provincial decider against Tyrone in just under three weeks.
“We are delighted. It's massive for the county to get that win in intermediate and there was probably a bit of pressure on us to get over the line,” said Carey, who added that nerves played their part in a below par first half.
“We want to be competing at a higher level, so the aim would be to push on from here into the final and then the All-Ireland series.”
There is still one final round robin game to play – Antrim and Tyrone this weekend – but the result will have no significance and it’s the game on May 27 when they meet in the final in the Athletic Grounds that is the important one and Carey knows they have to prove themselves once more.
“I think we have a lot to prove yet but it's a good start. Tyrone will, no doubt, be a huge test in the final so we'll have to put the heads down and focus on that next hurdle," she said
“The win took the pressure off us a bit heading into next weekend, so I'd imagine both teams will keep their cards close to their chest with the final in a few weeks' time,” she added.
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Monaghan will be disappointed to have bowed out of the competition, a second successive defeat ending their hopes, and with only three teams in the competition it shows there is little room for error.
It did seem that nerves played a part at the start for last year’s All-Ireland junior champions as it was the home side who enjoyed the better of the first half.
Monaghan started brightly and led 0-3 to no score after six minutes before stretching the margin out to four points by the 20th minute, three points from Jodie McQuillan helping them to a 0-6 to 0-2 lead. It got even better for Kieran Kearns’ side a minute later when Leanne Maguire found the back of the net to put the home side ahead by six, 1-6 to 0-3.
However, that was cancelled out immediately when Maria O’Neill raised the green flag to half the deficit. Monaghan though kicked two points from Shauna Coyle and Chloe McBride (free) to move 1-8 to 1-3 ahead before Orlaith Prenter (free) had the final say of the half to leave four between them at the break, 1-8 to 1-4.
Whatever the management team of Emma Kelly and Kyla Trainor said in the Saffrons changing room at half-time had the desired effect as a different Antrim team emerged for the second half.
Prenter reeled off three points from frees in the first three minutes to leave just a point between them and they hit the front for the first time when Theresa Mellon goaled in the 34th minute.
Monaghan did level the game, 1-10 to 2-7, two minutes later with points from captain Muireann Atkinson and McBride. However, Antrim hit the next five scores, adding 1-4 without reply, to move within reach of an historic victory.
Aine Tubridy edged Antrim back in front before O’Neill grabbed her second goal of the game in the 44th minute to give them a huge boost as captain Cathy Carey, Prenter and Grainne McLaughlin followed with three more points as Antrim turned the tables to lead by seven, 3-11 to 1-10.
McBride pulled back a point for Monaghan from a free with seven minutes remaining, but Prenter cancelled that out. The Emmet Og player added two further points to bring her tally for the day to six points, but Antrim were too far in front, and the Saffrons finished with five points to spare.
