Con Magees Glenravel celebrate after winning the Kennedy Centre Antrim Ladies Junior ‘A’ Championship with a win over Gort na Móna at Cliftonville
Gort Na Mona 3-07-3-11 Con Magee’s Glenravel
By Kevin Herron
Con Magee’s Glenravel turned in a superb second-half showing as they clinched the Kennedy Centre Antrim Ladies Junior ‘A’ Championship with a 3-11-3-07 win over Gort Na Mona in Monday evenings final, under lights at Cliftonville. After falling six points behind early in the game the Glenravel girls had a mountain to climb but they battled back to gain parity by half time. They had to withstand a barrage from Gort na Móna early in the second half when they fell two points behind, but their swift combination play up front eventually paid off and the fought back with two brilliant goals to clinch their first title since 1996.
Anna McCann gave Gort Na Mona the lead within two minutes, conjuring up a superb point off the left foot, though Caoimhe McAleenan responded at the other end to level for Con Magee’s with five minutes on the clock.
The young Gort’s played some fantastic football in the opening stages and with six minutes on the clock they found the opening goal of the final, Aoibhin Enright was left with too much time and space and the Gort Na Mona midfielder blasted high into the net past Joey O’Hagan to make it 1-01-0-01.
Five minutes later the Turf Lodge ladies doubled their lead, Aisling Stone was on hand to scramble the ball past O’Hagan and give her side a 2-01-0-01 lead. A further point followed courtesy of Jordan McCullough before Con Magee’s launched into action as Laoise McKenna split the posts for her side’s first score in almost fifteen minutes. Kirsten Edgar converted a free shortly afterwards and was followed by a Dervla Donaghy point as Con Magee’s were establishing a firm foothold in the game.
With five minutes of the half remaining Con Magee’s were gifted a massive opportunity as referee Mark McDonald spotted in infringement in the small square and signalled for a penalty. Laoise McKenna took responsibility and drove her effort hard and low past Ciara Thompson to put just the minimum between the sides, 2-02-1-04. Aoibhin Enright ended Con Magee’s purple patch of 1-03 without reply with a magnificent point, however Caoimhe McAleenan replied at the other end. Gort Na Mona looked to be heading in at the interval with a two-point advantage after Anna McCann converted a free two minutes into injury-time, but Kirsty Laverty and Laoise McKenna dug deep to hit vital points which ensured that Con Magee’s were back on terms at the break, 2-04-1-07.
Both sides were guilty of lacking composure in front of goal in the first ten minutes of the second-half as scores were at a premium.
Anna McCann; who opened the scoring in the first-half would repeat her feat and open the second-half scoring with a confident shot that sailed over the bar to restore her sides lead.
Kirsty Laverty tied the game up for Con Magee’s after Gort Na Mona were caught napping from a quickly taken Laoise McKenna free, but McCann conjured up her fourth score of the evening and third from play to make it 2-06-1-08.
Gort Na Mona looked to be back in the ascendancy as Aoibhin Enirght landed her third point of the evening to double her side’s advantage; however that was to be her sides last score for almost twenty minutes as Con Magee’s took control of the final.
Kirsten Edgar turned the ball over the bar to put the minimum between the side’s midway through the half and within a minute Con Magee’s hit the front for the time in the contest.
Laoise McKenna turned over Ciara Thompson’s kick-out and the Glenravel girls moved in on the Gort Na Mona goal, the ball was worked into a dangerous position and Victoria Edgar made no mistake as she drilled the ball high into the roof of the net, giving Thompson no chance to make it 2-09-2-07.
Gort Na Mona missed the chance to cut the deficit as Anna McCann’s rushed free veered to the left and wide and with ten minutes remaining the Turf Lodge side fell further behind.
Con Magee’s broke at pace and worked a goal chance, Ellen Hynds watched on in agony as Ciara Thompson parried her shot and Kirstin Edgar appeared to bundle the loose ball home with the aid of the post to put five between the sides, 3-09-2-07.
Gort Na Mona needed inspiration but Con Magee’s experience was beginning to tell, Victoria Edgar added a point to her earlier goal and Ellen Hynds landed a further point within thirty seconds to move the Glenravel ladies seven-points ahead.
The Gort’s would suffer a further blow as the clock ticked towards sixty minutes as Anna McCann was forced off with cramp, McCann’s side tried desperately to find a way back into the game but they were off target on three occasions, the closest through Molly White’s low drive.
Six-minutes into added time Gort Na Mona found their third goal of the game to set up a grandstand finish as Molly White got her angles right and drilled the ball high into the corner of the net past Joey O’Hagan to put four-points between the teams (3-11-3-07) but it was too late to effect the outcome as Glenravel bridged a 21 year gap.
Gort Na Mona: C Thompson, M Donnelly, N Brown, C Kennan, C Scannell, C Fryes, F McCotter, A McCann (0-04,0-01f), A Enright (1-02), J McCullough (0-01), M White (1-00), C Mulvenna, C Fox, A Stone (1-00).
Con Magee’s: J O’Hagan, C McAuley, E Dillon, C McKeown, E McAleenan, C McNeill, B McKay, E Higgins, L McKenna (1-02, 1-00f), D Donaghy (0-01), K Edgar (1-02,0-01f), C McAleenan (0-02), E Hynds (0-01), V Edgar (1-01), K Laverty (0-02).
Referee: Mark McDonald (St Galls)
Pics by Dylan McIlwaine