A rising of Ladies Football, among the Farney Hills
A statistical account for the development and successes of An Cumann Peil Gael Na mBan in Co Monaghan
1991 – 2004
Football arrived to CountyMonaghan, when on the 13th January 1991 Magheracloone affiliated to Cumann Peile Gael na mBan. By then on the 12 - 3 - 91 with plenty of enthusiasm and expertise from Pat Quill, Peter Rice, Helen O’Rourke and Christy Byrne from Central Council the first Ladies County Board was formed with representatives from two clubs; namely Magheracloone, and Monaghan Harps. Elected on that night in the Riverdale Hotel, Ballybay were Chairman Philip Kelly Magheracloone. The meeting elected Secretary Eileen McElvaney Monaghan Harps, Treasurer Elizabeth Martin Magheracloone. At a subsequent meeting on the 26 – 3 – 91 to the above list were added Vice-Chair Oliver Gavan Aghabog, Youth Officer Paddy Flood Aghabog and P.R.O. Damien Morgan Monaghan Harps.
This meeting was to be the beginning of a phenomenal rise of Ladies football – not only in Monaghan but also in Ulster as in 1992 counties Armagh, Tyrone and Donegal followed Monaghan’s lead. In 1993 Fermanagh joined the ranks and by the Spring of 1994 seven third level colleges/universities were active in competitions.
The ladies from Monaghan were so enthusiastic about this new found sport, that in 1992 – at only their second attempt they were to become All-Ireland Junior Champions capturing the John Timmins Cup at CrokePark on the 3 – 10 – 1992 defeating London by two points.
Early Days
In 1975 pictures and reports in the “Northern Standard” give accounts of Monaghan Ladies Competing against St. Brigid’s Ardee in the Psychiatric hospitals competitions. The report reads –
Ladies match:
The curtain raiser on the football programme was a ladies match between St Davnet’s nurses and St Brigid’s Louth St Davnet’s Monaghan – were victors by 2 - 2 to 1 - 0. After falling behind through conceding an early goal, the St Davnet’s girls were rampant in the second half. Scorers for St Davnet’s were R. Connolly 1- 1, E. Treanor 0 - 1, J. Murray 1- 0, St. Brigid’s scorer was M. Martin 1- 0.
Another photograph taken in 1979 protrays a South Monaghan team from Magheracloone, known as the “Red Devils” after competing at sports against a team from Fyans town countyMeath.
Another very important match for ladies football in Ulster could have been the meeting of Aghabog and Magheracloone on the 14th October 1990 when Aghabog scored 4 - 8 to Magheracloone’s 2 – 6.
1991 – on
After the inaugural setting up of Monaghan’s first County Board on the 12 - 3 - 91 and the further meeting on the 26 - 3 - 91 Pat Quill again returned to the Riverdale Hotel, Ballybay on the 31 - 3 - 91 where four clubs had approximately 50 people present namely Magheracloone 19, Aghabog 16, Monaghan Harps 8, Corduff 7 and Brenda Macklin from Ballybay.
Ladies football in Monaghan was up an running, to such an extent that at Donaghmoyne on 14 – 4 – 91 the first ever Monaghan Ladies county team took to the field with Longford as their opposition and lining out for Monaghan were: Blathnaid Carolan Aghabog, Jennifer Treanor Mon Harps, Mairead Kelly Aghabog, Celia Marron Magheracloone, Aoife Murphy Mon Harps, Brenda Macklin Mon Harps, Aisling Smith Aghabog, Linda Farrelly Magheracloone, Susan Maxwell Magheracloone, Rosemary McCabe M’cloone, Jennifer Greenan Aghabog, Eileen McElvaney Mon Harps, Anne Gavan Aghabog, Margaret Kierans Aghabog, Cora Jones Magheracloone, Subs used Catherine Finnegan, Marie Gargan and Karen Kelly all Magheracloone also Seanine McConnell Mon Harps, Patricia Goodman, Elizabeth MartinMagheracloone, Eilish Ní Mhurchũ & Michelle McKenna Mon Harps, Amanda Moloney Aghabog.
Manager: Paddy Flood Aghabog, Selectors: Philip Kelly & Maurice Kindlow Magheracloone, Oliver Gavan Aghabog. The final score of the above historic encounter was Monaghan 1 - 4 Longford 3 - 5. Monaghan scorers were Jennifer Greenan 0 - 2, Margaret Kierans 0 - 1, Ann Gavan
0 - 1, and Marie Gargan 1- 0.
By the end of their league campaign Monaghan were in possession of ten points from a possible twelve, some however were awarded by default, for various reasons and important subsequent results for 1991 were as follows:
U16 All-Ireland Semi final: Roscommon 3 - 5, Monaghan 0 - 4.
U18 All-Ireland Semi final: Roscommon 0 - 8 Monaghan 2 - 2.
Replay: Monaghan 2 - 5, Roscommon 2 - 6.
National Junior Championship Quarter Final: Monaghan 0 - 5, Clare 5-18.
All-Ireland 7 – A – Side Shield Final Monaghan Harps 2 - 3, St Fintan's Wexford 6 - 6.
Club Competitions in Monaghan in 1991.
Clubs participating:
Donaghmoyne, Carrickmacross, Magheracloone, Inniskeen, Corduff, Aghabog, Monaghan Harps, Doohamlet, Aughnamullen and Tyholland.
U14 Community Games Final: Kilmore Drumsnatt 5 - 5, Clontibret 1- 0.
U14 CountyLeague Final: Aghabog 3 - 4, Kilmore Drumsnatt 3 - 3, played at Aughnamullen on the 11 - 7 - 91 with Aghabog captained by Jennifer Greenan.
U16 final: Aghabog 3 - 2, Donaghmoyne 0 - 7.
Minor final: Aghabog 4 – 4, Monaghan Harps 1- 4. 28/11/91
All CountyLeague Semi – finals
Mon Harps 4 - 7 Donaghmoyne 1 - 6 & Aghabog 2 - 10 Carrickmacross
2 - 2.
County final: 26 - 9 - 91 Aghabog 4 - 6 Monaghan Harps 1- 4.
All Ireland Club Championship Quarter final
Aghabog 1-1 Rochfortbridge – Westmeath 3 - 8
Vocational Schools final
InverCollege Carrickmacross 5 - 6 Castleblayney 0 - 0.
1992
The final act of 1991 was the County Convention in the Riverdale Hotel, Ballybay and with Oliver Gavan as acting Chairman the following officers were elected to serve for what was to be an historic 1992 –
Chairman - Mr P.J. Finnegan Magheracloone,
Vice Chair - Mr Oliver Gavan Aghabog,
Secretary - Mrs Anita Finnegan Aughnamullen,
Ass Sec - Ms Brenda Macklin Aughnamullen,
Treasurer - Mrs Mary McCabe Kilmore/Drumswann,
Development Officer - Philip Kelly Magheracloone,
Youth Officer - Mrs Suzanne Murphy Donaghmoyne,
Registrar - Paddy Clerkin Kilmore/Drumsnatt,
PRO - Owen McNally
Central Council Delegates - Maurice Kindlon Magheracloone, and Mrs Anita Finnegan Aughnamullen.
Path to All-Ireland title 1992
Monaghan’s second year in Cumann Peile Gael na mBan saw Margaret Kierans collect the All-Ireland Junior Championship – John Timmins Cup – from President Mr Peter Rice from Wexford and lose the Junior league final in a replay to Cork.
Monaghan’s Title Trail
Ulster Semi-Final: St. Enda’s Omagh: Monaghan 1 - 12, Tyrone 2 - 0.
Ulster Final: Castleblayney: Monaghan 3 - 13, Armagh 2 - 7.
All-Ireland Junior Semi-Final: Kiltormer: Galway 0 - 1, Monaghan
2 - 7.
All-Ireland Junior Final: CrokePark: Monaghan 2 - 8, London 2 - 6.
MONAGHAN’S FIRST TASTE OF
ALL-IRELAND SUCCESS 1992
Monaghan Co Board had a rapid growth in clubs, and interest in ladies football. On the county football scene Monaghan played Longford in the league at Donaghmoyne giving the Leinster team a good run losing by 3-5 to 1-4 with late scores by the more experienced midlanders the difference at the finish of an historic occasion for the Farney girls.
In the junior All-Ireland championships, Monaghan entered as Ulster representatives but were heavenly defeated by Clare in the All-Ireland semi-final by 6-17 to 0 –5. The county also entered a team in the U-16 competition but were trounced by Roscommon by 2-5 to 0-4. However in the Minor Championship they played with a Roscommon team on the score Roscommon 0-8 Monaghan 2-2. Replay Ros 2-6 to Mon’s 2-5 at Rockcorry.
In the following year Monaghan were more battle hardened and experienced and with more preparation they embarked on the first Ulster championship with new affiliations Tyrone and Armagh and Donegal. Monaghan took on Armagh at Castleblayney and lifted the first official title winning by 3-13 to 2-7 in a closer final than the score line suggests. In the All-Ireland semi-final Monaghan made the long journey to Kiltormer in Galway to take on the home county in the All-Ireland semi-final winning by 2-7 to 0-1.
London were their opponents in the final and the exiles were fast becoming bridesmaids having lost two previous finals, and were hot favourites to see Monaghan challenge, however the Farney ladies had other ideas and after a great final at Croke Park before a tremendous support from home Monaghan did the county proud and emulated their men who won the junior title in 1956 when they defeated London by 208 to 2-6. What an occasion for captain Margaret Kierans the President Peter Rice handed her the Timmins cup, amidst a sea of blue and white and delirious supporters.
In the league Monaghan had a tremendous run of victories with huge victories over Meath by 9-14 to 0-1, Leitrim by 2-13 to 1-2, Roscommon by 2-8 to 1-6 Tyrone by 7-16 to 0-2, Armagh 4-12 to 2-3, Offaly by 7-12 to 1-1. In the league semi-final Dublin gave Monaghan a great game with Monaghan winning by a brace of goals at Rockcorry by 2-16 to 4-4.
In the final at Portlaoise, Cork and Monaghan played a thrilling draw Monaghan scoring 2-10 to 3-7 and few miles nearer home for Monaghan at Mountmeelic Cork shattered Monaghan's dream of a double winning by 1-7 to 0-8, in the replay with a lesson not to take titles for granted until the cup is on the mantelpiece.
Ladies Gaelic Football was developing fast in the county but the amazing strides forward made by this relatively new sporting activity, are unequalled in any other county in the country. In 1993, there were no less than one hundred club games played in the county, there were overeight hundred players registered last year. Phenomenal is about the only word that could describe such an amazing growth. Great credit is surely due to the organisers, and to what surely must be one of the most progressive CountyBoards in the entire county.
And it all stemmed from a little school team up in Aghabog and a great enthusiast named Oliver Gavan from that club.
During 1993 Monaghan competed in Senior, Minor, Under 16 and Under 14 levels in the Ulster 14 levels in the Ulster and All-Ireland series, and all four teams gave tremendously good accounts of themselves. The premier team was graded Senior because they won the All-Ireland Junior Championship in 1992 when they defeated London in CrokePark. They also moved up from Division 3 in 1992 to division 2 in 1993 where they ended up in second position. Taking the Championship first, however, they had a clear run through Ulster as the other four counties were in a different category, so they met Kerry in the All-Ireland Senior semi-final at AustinStackPark in Tralee, but were well beaten. This was no disgrace, however, as Kerry had previously been dethroned the previous All-Ireland final. That puts Monaghan's performance into perspective.
In the league, Monaghan’s opening game was against Dublin but defeat was their lot. Despite that reverse, they scored a marvellous win over Galway in the next game, which also marked the official opening of the new pitch at Tyholland. This was followed by another tremendous win over Clare and the Monaghan girls were really beginning to attract the notice of the media. In all, six games were played with Monaghan finishing in second place with nine points from the six games played. This put them into the semi-finals of the League in which they were pitted against Laois and what a marathon that turned out to be. The first game ended all square and the sides were still on level terms after extra time. The second game also ended all square and again it went to extra tine, but this time the Laois ladies eventually came out on top.
These Monaghan displays should also be put in proper perspective as Laois had reached the final of the All-Ireland Championship when they lost out to Kerry, but then they took the league title. In other words, their toughest opponents in the entire campaign was Monaghan.
This was a top class Monaghan team with Ann Gavan of Aghabog in goals, a girl who also won a place on the All-Stars selection. Mary B Hamill of Aughnamullen was a sound fullback, with Catherine Finnegan of Magheracloone in one corner and Monaghan Harps player Jennifer Treanor in the other.
In front of them were exceptional half-backs in Mairead Kelly of Aghabog, Seanine McConnell of Monaghan Harps and Aisling Swift of Aghabog, a trio that was seldom beaten. Midfield was staunchly held by Jennifer Greenan of Aghabog and Linda Farrelly of Carrickmacross, who captained the side and was also elected ‘Player of the Year’ for the previous year.
In attack, Monaghan had some really outstanding forwards with Brenda Macklin of Monaghan Harps, her club mate Eileen McElvaney, and Orla Gartlan from Carrickmacross forming the three quarters line.
In front of them were chief score-getters Voreen Quigley from Inniskeen, Angela Larkin from Corduff and Margaret Kierans from Aghabog. Always waiting on the bench and ready, if called upon, were Yvonne Quigley, Mary O’Callaghan and Pauline Woods (Inniskeen), Audrey O’Reilly (Monaghan Harps), Anita Finnegan and Mary Connolly (Aughnamullen), and Caroline Tierney and Lorraine Connolly (Kilmore/Drumsnatt).
The Co Board had the option of fielding a junior team also, but they wisely felt that this would be stretching their resources too much. At minor level (Under 18), the county selection also did us proud by defeating Tyrone in the Ulster semi-final. In the All-Ireland semi-final Monaghan lost to visiting Waterford at Rockcorry. Outstanding on the Minor squad were Ann Gavan in goals, Catherine Finnegan, Angela Larkin, Siobhan Smith, Teresa Geoghegan, Anita O’Reilly, Jennifer Greenan, Yvonne Quigley, Caroline Tierney and others, in one of the largest panels any Ulster county could possibly boast. Winning the Ulster Minor Championship at the first year of trying was a tremendous achievement.
At under 16 level Monaghan overcame Tyrone but then lost to Donegal in the Ulster Final, while at Under 14 level Monaghan also represented Ulster but lost to Kerry in the All-Ireland series. Despite defeat, this was great experience for these youngsters and these are the girls who will be carrying Monaghan hopes at adult level in the years ahead. They have come through a baptism of fire, but the experience gained by them should stand them in good stead in future competitions.
On the domestic scene, for the first time, there were two divisions splitting seniors and Juniors, with all seventeen teams taking part in a knockout county championship. Inniskeen and Monaghan Harps won their first respective ways to the county final and finished all square in their first meeting, but in the replay, Inniskeen came out on top. The Leagues also proved a huge success with Donaghmoyne, Monaghan Harps, Aghabog and Inniskeen reaching the semi-finals of Division One and Rockcorry, Kilmore/Drumsnatt, Corduff and Clones qualifying for the semi-final stages of Division Two. Because there were so many games these later stages were only reached at the end of the season.
The minor competition also had a successful run, with Donaghmoyne, Kilmore/Drumsnatt, Aughnamullen and Magheracloone reaching the semi-final knockout stages. At Under 16 there was also a very successful campaign with Donaghmoyne overcoming Kilmore/Drumsnatt in the first of the semi-finals and Magheracloone defeating Tyholland by 2-6 to 2-0 in the second semi. Its interesting to note the four teams that played in those two semi-finals will form the nucleus of next years county minor side:
Kilmore/Drumsnatt: Faye Murphy, Jacinta Keenan, Michelle Rattigan, Siobhan Sheridan, Emma Brady, Claire McCullagh, Concepta McCabe, Louise McMahon, Lorraine Connolly, Ann Marie McCaul, Olivia Connolly, Michelle McElvaney, Danielle Mallen, Aisling Larkin and Christina Reilly.
Donaghmoyne: Carmel McEneaney, Cathy Hall, Lisa Finnegan, Zita McBride, Joanne Martin, A. McEneaney, D. Kelly, Geraldine Coleman, Noeleen Kelly, A. Gilsenan, E. Murtagh, S. Burns, S. Farrell, L Ruddy and S Burns.
Magheracloone: Catriona Babington, Joanne Cunningham, Joanne Hanratty, Lorraine Babington, Sharon Doogan, Sandra Carroll, Paula Martin, Marie Clarke, Tracey Murray, Michelle Reilly, Eugenia McCabe, Niamh Kindlon, Orla McMahon, Claire Doogan and Edel Byrne.
Tyholland: Fiona Hamill, Lorraine Hughes, Josephine Treanor, Elizabeth Kavanagh, Geraldine Kelly, Valerie Kavanagh, Aisling McKenna, Grainne Ronaghan, Pauline Kelly, Sabrina Duffy, Natasha McCarthy, Denise Connolly, Shirley McCabe, Carol Hughes, Lorraine Rice, Carmel Treanor, Nuala Treanor, Aoife McKenna, Jennifer McCarthy and Rynagh McNally, Magheracloone then beat Donaghmoyne in the final.
Along with up and coming young players from the longer established clubs like Aghabog, Monaghan Harps and Aughnamullen, there should be quite an array of talent available for the underage competitions in 1994.
National Junior League
Away Monaghan 9 - 14, Meath 0 - 1.
Home Monaghan 2 - 13, Leitrim 1- 2.
AwayMonaghan 2 - 8, Roscommon 1- 6.
HomeMonaghan 7 - 16, Tyrone 0 - 2.
AwayMonaghan 4 - 12, Armagh 2 - 3.
HomeMonaghan 7 - 12, Offaly 1 - 1.
National Junior League Semi Final: Rockcorry, Monaghan 2 - 16 Dublin 4 - 4.
National Junior League Final: Portlaoise Monaghan 2 - 10, Cork 3 - 7.
National Junior League Final Replay: Mountmellick, Cork 1 - 7, Monaghan 0 - 8.
HISTORY OF MONAGHAN 1991 – 2004
The Monaghan Co. Board was the first County in Ulster since 1984 to take part in official competition at Club/County/and National levels and went on to become the most successful county in the providence.