Monaghan’s decision to return to competitive inter-county camogie after a 15-year hiatus was vindicated in spectacular fashion as they edged out Mayo in a thrilling Glen Dimplex Junior Camogie Championship final.
The final margin may have been the bare minimum. However, Monaghan were the better team for longer stretches of the tie.
The farney surged into a five-point lead before half-time. Then built on that to establish a match-winning position in the third-quarter.
Controlling the game with greater physicality, athleticism and decision-making on the ball in that phase of the game.
Niamh Kelly picked up the official player-of-the-match award but the Farney County had heroes all over the pitch.
Mayo got a serious tune out of Ava Murray and Laoise Greally off the bench, weighing in with 2-2.
However, 0-4 from play from the starters wasn’t enough; on a day when the ground was pristine and firm in Longford, and conditions were ideal for scoring.
Despite this it still took a while for the flags to start flying freely. Two dead-ball strikes from Greenan were the only scores in the opening 10 minutes.
McManus and Kelsey Lam made two huge defensive plays to keep Mayo scoreless but once Scahill pointed a 45, they found their feet.
Monaghan moved into the lead on the back of superb scores from Méabh Tunney and Niamh Greally.
Just when it looked like they were up and running, what looked like a serious knee injury to Gráinne Delaney killed their momentum. Monaghan fired 1-2 in first-half stoppage time to turn the tide.
Eileen Cullen struck a point from close range after hitting the post with a ground shot shortly before, Karen Boyle split the posts from 30 metres.
Monaghan move into half-time lead
A longer shot for a point was allowed to bounce on the hard summer ground, running into the net to help make it 1-7 to 0-5 at half-time.
Murray fired a point with her first possession but it was in the third -quarter that Monaghan cemented their strong position.
Kelly and Amber Lam added outstanding individual points, defensively where Monaghan’s dominance was most pronounced.
It looked like time was running out for Mayo when Laoise Greally gave them a lifeline in the 50th minute.
Whipping the sliotar inside Rebecca Hamill’s near post after she contested a floating Scahill pass with McManus.
Points from Murray and Scahill cut the gap to just two, but a string of errors in the next 10 minutes proved costly. Monaghan added the last two points of the game through Greenan frees.
The four minutes of stoppage time that was announced by Ronan Cahill had already been played when Laoise Greally showed a lovely touch to control Tunney’s low ball and fire to the Monaghan net. The Dublin official did throw Mayo a lifebuoy by allowing time for one last play, it did not yield an equaliser.
It was Monaghan’s day winning out 1-14 to 2-10.
Monaghan: R Hamill, T Mayne, M McManus, L Kindlon, L Dempsey, R Duffy, K Lam, A Lam, R O’Sullivan, M Morgan, K Boyle, G Ruxton, N Kelly, M Greenan, E Cullen.
Subs: K McLaughlin for O’Sullivan (48), C Morgan for A Lam (56), J Cullen for Mayne (59)
Scorers: M Greenan 0-7 (4fs, 2 45s); K Boyle 1-1; E Cullen, N Kelly, A Lam (1f) each
Mayo: G Robinson, M O’Malley, M Deely, G Delaney, K Scahill, C Delaney, É Delaney, N Kennedy, N Greally, M Tunney, L Scahill, A Dooley, B Joyce, C Greally, E Deely.
Subs: S Lynskey for G Delaney (17), L Greally for Deely (half-time), A Murray for Joyce (ht), R Cassidy for Dooley (39)
Scorers: L Greally 2-0; L Scahill 0-5 (3fs, 1 45); A Murray 0-2; M Tunney, N Greally, B Joyce 0-1 each.
Referee: Ronan Carroll (Dublin)
