Cork take Munster crown for ninth time in a row

CORK CLAIMED a ninth successive TG4 Munster women’s senior championship crown on Saturday but there were also provincial finals to be decided in Leinster and Ulster yesterday.

National League Division One champions Monaghan claimed a third successive Ulster title, after a 5-25 to 1-8 victory over Donegal in Clones.

They rattled Donegal with three goals in a devastating five-minute spell in the first half as Caoimhe Mohan, Amanda Casey and Therese McNally found the net. Donegal did manage the first score of the game but were barren for a 17-minute period after that as Monaghan ran riot.

Casey added a second goal and Cathriona McConnell also raised a green flag in the first half as Monaghan went in at half-time leading by 5-13 to 0-4. Donegal’s sole scorer in the first half was Geraldine McLaughlin.

Monaghan were in no mood to ease up and hit eight successive points before McLaughlin opened Donegal’s second-half account with 11 minutes remaining.

McLaughlin then notched a cracking goal for Donegal: the ace full-forward would finish with a haul of 1-6.

Meanwhile, Dublin regained the Leinster title they last won two years ago when they defeated Meath by 3-9 to 1-6 at Dr Cullen Park in Carlow to collect a fourth provincial title in five seasons.

At half-time, Dublin led by 2-3 to 1-4, but it was Meath which had registered the game’s opening goal from Jenny Rispin.

Amy Ring and Sinead Ahern scored Dublin’s first-half goals before substitute Natalia Hyland added a third in the second half.

On Saturday, Cork pocketed a ninth successive provincial senior crown, defeating rivals Kerry by 3-12 to 2-9 at Páirc Uí Rinn. By half-time, Cork were in total control and led by 2-6 to 0-1.

Juliet Murphy and Emma Farmer struck early goals. Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh replied with a consolation for Kerry in the second half, while Cork bagged a third goal when Valerie Mulcahy netted a penalty. To their credit, Kerry fought gamely to the finish.