Monaghan forwards Niamh Kindlon and Catriona McConnell combined to dump Ulster rivals Tyrone out of the TG4 All-Ireland Ladies senior football championship this afternoon.

The dangerous forwards scored ten points between them to send Monaghan through to the last eight of the All-Ireland series.

But John Morrison’s charges, beaten All-Ireland finalists last year under previous boss Gregory McGonigle, must improve significantly for the business end of the season.

This was a stuttering performance from Monaghan, who lost their Ulster crown against surprise packets Armagh last month.

At Glennon Brothers Pearse Park in Longford, Monaghan were ten points up, 1-12 to 0-5, early in the second half but Tyrone got back to within three points by full-time.

Monaghan allowed Tyrone to claim three second half goals – and the Red Hands were denied another when captain Gemma Begley saw her penalty well saved by Linda Martin.

Begley would later convert a second penalty, with that goal sandwiched between majors scored by Niamh O’Neill and Tori McLaughlin.

O’Neill found the net with a speculative long-range free while McLaughlin palmed home her goal at the death.

Monaghan did just about enough to get over the line but impressive goalkeeper Martin also did well to divert Aisling O’Kane’s second half strike over the crossbar, at a time when a Tyrone goal may have given them real hope of a comeback.

In truth, Monaghan never looked like losing this game but Morrison will be unhappy with the sloppy nature of their performance.

The Farney girls still managed to establish a 0-10 to 0-4 lead by half-time, and McConnell had the best goal chance of the first half when she saw a sixth minute effort well saved by Tyrone netminder Shannon Lynch.

Kindlon, a survivor from Monaghan’s last All-Ireland senior success in 1997, was in excellent form in that first half from frees and placed balls.

And Tyrone were left to rue Begley’s penalty miss after half-time, when a goal would have cut the deficit back to just three points.

Instead, Monaghan found the Tyrone net with their next attack, as substitute Muireann Atkinson toe-poked a loose ball home from close range to punish defensive indecision.

Meanwhile, the draw for the TG4 All-Ireland ladies SFC quarter-finals has been confirmed.

Kerry have been pitted with Leinster champions Dublin, Mayo will lock horns with All-Ireland holders Cork, Monaghan are paired with Connacht champions Galway and Laois will take on Armagh.

Scorers for Monaghan: N Kindlon (2f) & C McConnell (1f), 0-5 each, M Atkinson 1-0, E McCarron & G McNally 0-2 each, C Courtney & T Scott 0-1 each.

Scorers for Tyrone: G Begley 1-2 (1-0 pen, 0-1f), T McLaughlin & N O’Neill 1-0 each, C Donnelly 0-2, E Hegarty, A O’Kane & L Conwell 0-1 each.

MONAGHAN: L Martin; J Geoghegan, Y Connell, E O’Rourke; A McAnespie, S Courtney, G McNally; A Finnegan, N Fahey; C McAnespie, E McCarron, C Courtney; T Scott, C McConnell, N Kindlon.

Subs: G McNally for A McAnespie (15), M Atkinson for C McAnespie (h.t.).

TYRONE: S Lynch; K Quinn, L McGillion, C Dooher; T McLaughlin, N Woods, A McShane; N O’Neill, G Rafferty; E Hegarty, G Begley, C Donnelly; A O’Kane, L Conwell, C McCrossan.

Subs: C Hunter for Dooher (15), D McCallan for McCrossan (41), E Teague for Conwell (41).

Referee: Y Duffy (Cavan).

***

Laois 3-10 Cavan 0-10

By Cóilín Duffy at St Peregrines GAA Club, Dublin

Martina Dunne scored four important points from play, as Laois got their campaign on track, with a nine-point victory over Cavan in the TG4 Ladies Senior Football Championship Round 2 qualifier this afternoon.

Reigning All-Ireland Intermediate Champions Cavan handed the O'Moore's a tough game in the opening half, but once Laura Marie Maher claimed Laois's third goal in the 34th minute, it provided the platform for victory.

A brace of first quarter goals laid an early foundation for Laois, with Martha Kirwan and Meaghan Dunne on target in the fifth and 16th minutes respectively, but Cavan never gave up.

Finian Farrelly and Gerry Sheridan's charges cut the gap to two points by injury-time, withthree unanswered points, with Geraldine Sheridan, Claragh O'Reilly and Ciara Farrell on target between the 22nd and 31st minute.

However, Meaghan Dunne brought her tally to 1-2 by the break, with the final score of the half, following a well-worked move in front of the Cavan goalmouth.

Laois led by 2-3 to 0-6 at the interval, and kicked on in the second half with Cavan rueing six wides by the full-time whistle.

Cavan introduced Aishling Sheridan in placed of Beth Farrelly Magee at half-time, and they began the second half in determined mood, with Farrell firing her third point.

But Laois hit their third goal, after a powerful shot from Anne Marie Maher in the 35th minute, and never looked back.

O'Reilly and team captain Roisin O'Keefe endeavoured to keep Cavan in touch, but with Martina Dunne claiming some outstanding points from play, and Tracey Lawlor and Eimear McWey on target, Laois held out for victory.

The O'Moore's had defender Grainne Dunne sin-binned in the closing eight minutes, but stood firm, with substitute Anna Moore claiming their final score late on to insure a nine-point win.

Scorers for Laois: Meaghan Dunne 1-2; Martina Dunne 0-4; M Kirwan, LM Maher 1-0 each; R Williams, E McWey, T Lawlor (1f), A Moore 0-1 each.

Scorers for Cavan: C O'Reilly (4f) 0-4; C Farrell 0-3; G Sheridan 0-2; R O'Keefe 0-1.

LAOIS: C Dollard; C Dunne, G Dunne, M Nerney; M Murphy, F Dooley, M Kirwan; J Dunne, T Lawlor; A Kehoe, Martina Dunne, E McWey; R Williams, LM Maher, Meaghan Dunne. Subs: A Moore for Kehoe (15); L Nerney for J Dunne (56).

CAVAN: C Fay; E McDermott, G McGlade, J Moore; S Reilly, A Cornyn, L Fitzpatrick; R Crowe, M Sheridan; C O'Reilly, R O'Keeffe, S King; B Farrelly-Magee, G Sheridan, C Farrell. Subs: E Walsh for Fay (25); A Sheridan for Farrelly-Magee (HT); E Mulligan for King (57).

REFEREE: M Doherty (Wexford)