DONEGAL MOVED AWAY FROM Cavan in the second half and into the Lidl Ladies National Football League Division 2 final.
Donegal 0-13 Cavan 0-6
Micheál Naughton’s team had their fill of it in the first half but found the scoring touch in the second half to book their place in the final, where they’ll meet Westmeath in two weeks’ time.
Geraldine McLaughlin posted eight points as Donegal clicked through the gears to get far enough in front of the Breffni at St Mary’s Park in Beragh.
Picture caption: Deirdre Foley, Donegal, in action against Donna English, Cavan. Picture by Oliver McVeigh/Sportsfile
Donegal mightn’t have been at their best, but they still managed to keep Cavan to just a solitary point in the second half.
The teams were level at four points apiece at half-time with Donegal surviving the concession of a penalty as Aisling Doonan fired wide of Aoife McColgan’s target.
Malin’s McColgan made her debut last week in the League win over the same opposition in Donegal town and, with Laura Gallagher still troubled by a rib injury, the Inishowen woman kept her spot.
The teams were level at two apiece when, in the 20th minute, Brendan Rice, the referee, awarded Cavan a penalty when Cátríona Smith was impeded as she broke through on goal.
Aisling Doonan stepped up, but shot her penalty high and wide of McColgan’s left-hand post.
McLaughlin and Gráinne Houston posted the early scores for Donegal with Rosie Crowe and Doonan on the mark for Cavan.
Donegal fashioned a couple of good goal chances themselves in the first half.
After just three minutes, McLaughlin got in with an opportunity, after Donegal recovered when Shauna Lynch stuck a hand in to disposses McLaughlin. The Termon woman might have off-loaded to Yvonne McLaughlin on her right shoulder, but elected to shoot and her effort cannoned off the crossbar.
Seven minutes later, Donegal were in again and felt they could have had a penalty when Niamh Hegarty, in a crowded goalmouth, went to ground, but Rice, on this occasion, waved play on.
The game was delicately poised, but Cavan lived a little charmed life at times with Donegal going close again when McMonagle rose to meet a high ball in from Karen Guthrie, but she batted wide of Elaine Walsh’s goal.
McMonagle had another shot that flew back off the goal frame as Donegal turned the screw without much luck.
Doonan and Roísín O’Keefe raised white flags for Cavan with McLaughlin and Gráinne Houston scoring for Donegal as the sides parted at the short whistle level on four points.
Cavan’s only point of the second half came courtesy of Doonan in the 44th minute, but by then Donegal had begun to widen the margin.
McLaughlin helped herself to three in the early minutes of the second half, two frees and another neat solo point, with McMonagle and Amber Barrett on target, as Donegal roared to life.
McLaughlin put four between them with a free and the Termon sharp shooter polished off a brilliant move down the right-hand side. It started with Therese McCafferty, whose ball in was won by Shannon McGroddy. After she fed McMonagle, possession was worked back to McLaughlin, whose expert finish was a touch of real class.
McLaughlin added the coup de grace after wing-back Deirdre Foley got in on the act, the Carndonagh woman capping a magnificent display with a point.
Foley was to the fore as Donegal’s rearguard stood firm and was the game’s best player, with Donegal – the reigning Ulster Senior champions – back now in a final they lost last year against Armagh.
This time, now on the back of eight wins this spring, they’ll meet Westmeath, who had a 4-12 to 1-11 win over Clare in today’s other semi-final.
Donegal began 2016 with promotion to Division 1 as their aim. It now remains a very real possibility with the final on Saturday, May 6, at Parnell Park in Dublin.
Donegal: Aoife McColgan; Treasa Doherty, Emer Gallagher, Nicole McLaughlin; Therese McCafferty, Ciara Hegarty, Deirdre Foley (0-1); Katy Herron, Karen Guthrie; Eilish Ward, Niamh Hegarty, Gráinne Houston (0-2); Amber Barrett (0-1), Yvonne McMonagle (0-1), Geraldine McLaughlin (0-8, 3f). Subs: Emma McCroary for Barrett (48), Shannon McGroddy for Herron (58), Kate Keeney for McCafferty (69), Carol Breslin for Guthrie (70).
Cavan: Elaine Walsh; Shauna Lynch, Rachael Jordan, Joanne Moore; Sheila Reilly, Laura Fitzpatrick, Sinéad Greene; Donna English (0-1), Rosie Crowe (0-1); Roísín O’Keefe (0-1), Aisling Traynor, Aisling Doonan (0-3, 2f); Niamh Halton, Aishling Sheridan, Cáitriona Smith. Subs: Amy Rooney for Sheridan (44), Sinead O’Sullivan for Crowe (50), Beth Farrelly-McGee for Halton (54).
Referee: Brendan Rice (Down).
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