Termon undone by Cavan champions Lurgan in Ulster LGFA SFC quarter-final

Termon’s excursion in the Ulster LGFA Senior Championship ended at the first hurdle when they lost out to Cavan champions Lurgan in the quarter-final at the Burn Road.

Termon 1-11
Lurgan 3-6

In a game of two halves with a breeze, although not one of the stiffest, it was Andy Connors’ home team who looked in control at 0-6 to 0-1 in front at half-time, only for a goal by Eimear Corcoran 20 seconds into the second period to swing the balance towards the Virginia-based team.

And although Geraldine McLaughlin scored 1-9, with the goal on 55 minutes looking like it might secure a home win, it was Lurgan who came out on top by the minimum courtesy of Clara Lynch’s second goal, courtesy of a rebounded penalty after Orla Corry had saved the spot kick.

Although Termon had a five-point lead by the interval, with Geraldine McLaughlin scoring five first half points and Shannon McLaughlin one, they weren’t as convincing as the scoreline suggested. Corry in goal had made two brave saves. Firstly she stood tall to deny Laura Keogan and then did the same to thwart Catherine Dolan.

At the same time, Termon had goal chances too, with Geraldine McLaughlin’s shot following a one-two with Ciara McGarvey stopped by Evelyn Baugh in the Lugan goal. The Termon sharpshooter also rounded Baugh but the shot, on the run, went just over the crossbar.

With Aoife Brady’s free their only score in the opening half, right from the start of part two, there was more impetus from Lurgan and only 20 seconds had been played when Corcoran shot past Corry to bring her team back to 0-6 to 1-1 down.

By the 39th minute, frees from Lynch and Brady meant the deficit for Lurgan was just a point, 0-8 to 1-4, although full-forward Keogan was sin-binned following a challenge on Nicole McLaughlin.

However, the scores were soon levelled with Emma Toland pointing, when there was a chance of a goal. Termon were reduced to 14 themselves with Aibhe McDaid was binned for 10 minutes and on 49 minutes, a free from 50 metres by Lynch caught Corry out for a Lurgan goal and made for a 2-6 to 0-9 lead for the visitors.

If there had been red flags for Termon, now the alarm bells were blaring out and Ciara McGarvey’s point pulled one back. On 55 minutes, Roisin McCafferty’s ball found substitute Roisin Friel, who waited her moment before freeing McLaughlin to sidestep Baugh and grab a vital goal to edge Termon in front, 1-10 to 2-6.

But the peculiarity of the murky afternoon - where the teams had changed in portacabins with the clubhouse at Termon gone with renovation work - continued and with two minutes to go, Corry was penalised for a foul on Keogan.

From the penalty by Lynch, Corry did well to save, although was out of luck as the rebound fell back to the taker who planted the ball into the net at the second attempt. And although Geraldine McLaughlin popped over a late free to cut Lurgan’s lead back to one, they held onto possession well in the dying embers to post a notable win, much to the delight of their travelling support.

Termon scorers: Geraldine McLaughlin 1-9, 6f; Shannon McLaughlin and Ciara McGarvey 0-1 each.
Lurgan scorers: Clara Lynch 2-3, 1-3f; Eimear Corcoran 1-0; Aoife Brady 0-2, 2f; Emma Toland 0-1.

Termon: Orla Corry; Maria Carr, Emer Gallagher, Niamh Friel; Niamh Boner, Evelyn McGinley, Aibhe McDaid; Nicole McLaughlin, Jill McGettigan; Shannon McLaughlin, Roisin McCafferty, Lauren Gallagher; Ciara McGarvey, Geraldine McLaughlin, Jodie McFadden. Sub: Roisin Friel for Gallagher (37).
Lurgan: Evelyn Baugh; Kristina Gregienko, Cora McDonnell, Sinead Kelly; Roisin Dolan, Ciara Brady, Eimear Corcoran; Niamh Tolan, Caoimhe Halpin; Eabha Hayes, Clara Lynch, Catherine Dolan; Aoife Brady, Laura Keogan, Emma Toland.