ALL-IRELAND SENIOR LADIES champions Termon survived a late Errigal Ciarán onslaught to book their place back in the Ulster final.
Termon 1-10 Errigal Ciarán 1-06
BY JAMES TREARTY
Errigal Ciarán went into this game on the back of a whopping 5-20 to no score quarter-final victory over Glen from Co Derry, but Termon’s craft and skill proved too much for the Tyrone girls.
Termon struggled to contain the lively Shannon Monaghan, Lycredia Quinn and the high-fielding Geraldine McGinley early on.
Indeed, McGinley was a contributor to all of Errigal Ciarán’s scores.
Francie Friel, the Termon manager, was forced into two late changes to his team with Petra McCafferty and Grainne McDaid deemed unfit to start while Dara Kelly was already ruled out.
Termon found themselves 0-3 to 0-1 in arrears after ten minutes, but by the break they were two to the good thanks to superb scores from Maureen O’Donnell, Olive McCafferty, Roisin McCafferty and Geraldine McLaughlin.
Termon led 0-6 to 0-4 and Errigal Ciarán lost McGinley to the sin bin in the 21st minute.
Claire and Aine Canavan, daughters of ex-Tyrone star Peter, were to the fore as Errigal regrouped, but Termon struck gold with the opening goal of the game as Roisin Friel (pictured above) fired home after an excellent team move by the Burn Road girls.
Errigal came right back and, following some hesitancy in the Termon defence, Ailise Gormley fired home a goal for the hosts.
Despite a lot of pressure and some near misses, Termon tacked on the scores to run out four-point winners and tee up an October 31 meeting with their old rivals from Donaghmoyne in the final
Termon were best-served by Emer Gallagher, Laura Gallagher, the evergreen Maureen O’Donnell and Roisin McCafferty delivered a five-star performance, although there remains plenty of room for improvement for the champions.
Termon: Laura Gallagher, Olive McCafferty, Lauren McElwaine, Lucy O’Flynn; Maria Carr, Therese McCafferty, Emer Gallagher; Shannon McGroddy, Nicole McLaughlin; Roisin Friel, Roisin McCafferty, Maebh McDaid; Maureen O’Donnell, Geraldine McLaughlin, Niamh Friel. Subs used: Petra McCafferty, Emily O’Flynn.
Errigal Ciarán: Grainne McAnenly; Julia Mallon, Niamh Kelly, Ailise McRoary; Claire Canavan, Kelly McRoary, Callin McCann; Shannon Quinn, Geraldine McGinley; Aine Canavan, Lycrecia Quinn, Selena Oguz; Shannon Monaghan, Maria Canavan, Meabh Corrigan.
Referee: Gerard Corrigan (Down).
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