Antrim set up Ulster Final after blowing away Monaghan in second half
9th May 2023
Antrim have qualified for the Ulster Intermediate Championship Final after beating Monaghan by a scoreline of 3-12 to 1-13 at Aghabog on Sunday.
Monaghan started the game well and stopped Antrim from scoring for almost 10 minutes before Bronagh Devlin opened the Saffron’s account. The Farney ladies never relinquished their lead in the first period and despite strong pressure from Emma Kelly’s team, they couldn’t breakdown the Monaghan defence.
Leanne Maguire raised the green flag for the home side with what should have proven a deathblow for Antrim who trailed by six points, but the Saffron heads didn’t drop and Moneyglass forward Maria O’Neill responded immediately by slicing through the Monaghan defence and slotting past Orna Kelly in the Monagahan goal.
Overturning a four point deficit at halftime Antrim dominated second half proceedings as Maria O’Neill and Theresa Mellon grabbed goals, as well as a number of fine points taken by league top scorer Orlaith Prenter who finished the day with six points to see Antrim through to the final.
With Monaghan having now lost both games in the Ulster Championship round robin, they bow out of the competition. Tyrone, the opposition that Antrim will face on the 28th May decider in Clones make the trip to Belfast this Sunday for a game which will be anything but dead rubber as both teams attempt to get the measure of one another ahead of the showpiece later this month.
