Rejuvenated Termon set eyes on Ulster final

By Niall McCoy

A REJUVENATED Geraldine McLaughlin and a rejuvenated Termon – the Donegal side are really looking like a serious outfit again as they prepare to travel to Cavan for their Ulster semi-final clash with Lurgan on Sunday.

Last year they were well beaten by Errigal Ciaran in the quarter-final and the season before Lurgan came to the Burn Road and turned them over.

But they seem to have something different about them this season, as Tyrone champions St Macartan’s found out to their cost in Sunday’s rearranged fixture.

Storm Ashley had postponed the original fixture but it was Storm Geraldine that blew hard as the hosts won the game in the first half, leading 1-8 to 0-1 at the break.

The second-half showing wasn’t just as sharp but they were easy winners, 1-11 to 0-5, with Evelyn McGinley grabbing a goal after great link-up play involving McLauglin and Roisin Friel.

The sight of the Lurgan jersey should provide inspiration for Kevin McGettigan and Adrian McGettigan’s side too. They looked in control of that match two years ago, but the concession of a goal early in the second half rocked them and they got pipped in the end.

It’s Lurgan who have home advantage this time around and will consider themselves a stronger proposition this time around having won an Ulster Minor title in 2022. A number of those players now fully integrated into the senior team with the likes of Ciara Brady, Niamh Tolan and Cora McDonnell amongst their key players.

After a hard-fought county final win over Crosserlough, they had it all too easy in their Ulster opener against a Ballymaguigan side that lost a Derry Intermediate final but won the Oakleaf Senior title a few weeks later when a fixture issue arose, so maybe it was no surprise they were out of their depth.

Catherine Dolan (2), Aoife Brady, Emma Tolan, Ciara Tolan and Katie Fitzsimons all raised green flags in a 19-point victory – so Termon will get nothing easy here.

Champions Clann Éireann will also have home advantage as Antrim’s Moneyglass visit.

The holders will be hoping to add to a brilliant spell for the club as their senior men won the Armagh title last weekend.

They have looked very comfortable in their own skin since landing that first title under Greg McGonigle and they will be expected to win here too.

The St Ergnat’s side will be led by the superb Orlaith Prenter though and they really impressed in the quarter-final against an experienced Bredagh outfit.

Prenter found the net twice while Aoife Leahy and Cliona Griffin also goaled, so the champions will need to be careful.