THE DAY TERMON had to return the Dolores Tyrrell Memorial Cup to the powers that be they began the next step in their route to reclaim the trophy.
Termon 3-15 St Paul’s, Belfast 1-4
The four-in-a-row Donegal SFC winners had too much for the Antrim champions St Paul’s, Belfast, in glorious autumnal conditions at the Burn Road this afternoon in the Ulster SFC quarter-final.
It was joked afterwards that the win was more 24-7 – the way they like it in Termon – than 3-15 to 1-4. Either way, Francie Friel’s side are still a major player in ladies’ football in both the province and indeed the country, with the Tesco Homegrown All-Ireland champions not looking to pass on the mantle just yet.
Who knows, maybe Doloroes might be back in the Lagoon soon enough?
Maureen O’Donnell and Geraldine McLaughlin (pictured above) halved 2-10 between them, while Roisin Friel netted one of those Termon specialties – a goal straight from the throw-in – this time in the second half.
The first half saw a decent contest initially, with St Paul’s giving as good as they were getting in the opening stages. In Kirsty McGuinness, in particular, they possessed a dangerous forward.
Her goal on 10 minutes was opportunistic, prodding home a rebound after Roisin McCafferty had failed to gather a free from Hannah Doherty that didn’t have the legs to go over the bar.
The goal gave the visitors a 1-1 to 0-3 lead but also gave Termon the kick up the backside they needed.
On 17 minutes, Geraldin McLaughlin came deep for possession and having been located by Olive McCafferty, made a beeline from the 65-metre line towards goal. Beating four tackles, she made it into range and planted her shot past Aisling McCaughey for a typically spectacular McLaughlin goal.
Then, two minutes later, McLaughlin made a similarly expressive burst and her only fault was her unselfishness, as she squared to give Maureen O’Donnell an open goal, which she duly netted, only to see match referee Sean McIntyre to call square ball.
There was no let-off for St Paul’s when O’Donnell got in on goal, this time from a Friel pass, on 27 minutes. O’Donnell pierced a shot past McCaughey to give Termon a 2-7 to 1-3 half-time lead.
When Termon overcame Glenfin in the Donegal SFC last month, Shannon McGroddy goaled after just 13 seconds. This afternoon in a similar move, it was Friel who rounded off a dynamic break from the restart with Roisin McCafferty, Nicole McLaughlin and Geraldine McLaughlin all playing their part. Once more, 13 seconds was all it took.
That goal came when Termon were down to 14 after Therese McCafferty was questionably sin-binned at the end of the first half.
From then on, it was something of a procession, with O’Donnell and Geraldine McLaughlin pointing, as did substitute Lucy O’Flynn, twice, and Roisin McCafferty and Friel. All that St Paul’s managed in the final 40 minutes was a point from McGuinness.
Termon meet either Glen from Derry or Errigal Ciaran of Tyrone in the semi-final in two weeks’time.
Donaghmoyne from Monaghan, last year’s beaten Ulster finalists, hammered Carrickcruppen of Armagh 5-18 to 2-3 today, while Castlewellen from Down drew 0-17 to 1-14 with Cavan’s Lurgan.
Termon: Laura Gallagher; Olive McCafferty, Lauren McElwaine, Maebh McDaid; Maria Carr, Therese McCafferty, Emer Gallagher; Shannon McGroddy, Nicole McLaughlin; Roisin Friel (1-1), Roisin McCafferty (0-1), Hollie McDaid; Maureen O’Donnell (1-5, 4f), Geraldine McLaughlin (1-5), Niamh Friel. Subs: Lucy O’Flynn (0-2) for M McDaid (34), Emily O’Flynn for Carr (56).
St Paul’s, Belfast: Aisling McCaughey; Louise McMullan, Emma Kelly, Laura O’Neill; Aisling McCall, Nicole Kelly, Niamhin Cooper; Saoirse Tennyson, Aine Tubridy; Orlagh McCall (0-1), Hannah Doherty, Brona Orchin; Mairead Cooper (0-1, 1f), Kirsty McGuinness (1-2), Colleen Doherty. Subs: Chloe Dahunsi for O’Neill (half-time), Lucy Wallace and Caoimhe McNiece for McCall and Doherty (46).
Referee: Sean McIntyre (Tyrone).
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