All-Ireland Intermediate Ladies Football Championship quarter-final
Down 2-12 Monaghan 2-9
By Ronan Scott
IT WAS Down who showed the greater will and determination to win Sunday’s Intermediate quarter final against a very strong Monaghan team.
A string of scores in the final 15 minutes, including one from Laoise Duffy and two from Niamh King, sent the Mourne girls into the final four of the competition.
In a game that ebbed and flowed, the lead changed eight times.
Down were surprised early in the game. After Sarah Tierney opened the scoring, Monaghan hit them with a goal. Two scores from Natasha Ferris levelled the game though.
Monaghan edged back in front, but then Down’s Orla Duffy got her first point of the game to make it 0-4 to 1-1. Two scores from Natasha Ferris put Down ahead but Monaghan’s Chloe McBride got on the scoreboard to make the score 0-6 to 1-2 in Down’s favour. The same player levelled the game for Monaghan. But then Natasha Ferris made a big move to hit the net, and that put Down ahead 1-6 to 1-3.
Just before half time, Monaghan added another score from Eva Woods to close the gap to two, 1-6 to 1-4.
But Monaghan are a hardy group of players and they fought back with a couple of points and then a goal in the early stages of the second half to take the lead at 2-6 to 1-6.
A Niamh King point closed the margin to two, 1-7 to 2-6.
But then the crucial score went in as Sarah Dougherty goaled for Down.
With the score at 2-7 to 2-6 Down were in command. Niamh King made it 2-8 to 2-6. But Monaghan managed to get the game back level at 2-8 a piece with a couple of quick points, but Down managed to edge ahead and the final three scores were hit by Laoise Duffy and Niamh King (2) to earn a thrilling victory for the Down ladies.
