Anna Finnegan whose late goal hepled steer Antrim to victory.
Lidl National Football League, Division Four
Fermanagh 2-09-3-10 Antrim
By Kevin Herron from Bawnacre Centre, Irvinestown
Antrim senior ladies began their Lidl National League division four campaign with a hard fought and terrific 3-10-2-09 win over All-Ireland junior champions Fermanagh in Bawnacre Centre, Irvinestown on Sunday afternoon.
The Saffrons were in the ascendancy for the majority of a tightly contested encounter with the erne ladies and eventually pulled clear in the final ten minutes – thanks to a goal from substitute Anna Finnegan and point from Orlaith Prenter and Eimear Gallagher.
Antrim travelled to Irvinestown with harrowing memories of their last visit to the county in August when Fermanagh ran out 8-25-0-05 winners en route to All-Ireland glory, but with a raft of changes in personal Seamus McKenna’s side travelled with a degree of confidence they could address their demons.
Indeed it was McKenna’s side who made the brighter start and with little over sixty seconds elapsed they got their just rewards, a through ball cut the Fermanagh defence open and Aldergrove youngster Caitlin Taggart fired past Anna Boyle in the Fermanagh goals.
Antrim’s joy was short-lived however and within a minute it was all square in Irvinestown as Roisin Reilly seized on some generous marking in the Antrim backline and fired past Anna McCann to level the game at 1-00-1-00.
The first point of the game arrived through Antrim’s other Taggart – Aoife and an excellent Orlaith Prenter point had the Saffrons ahead 1-02-1-00 with seven minutes on the clock.
Eimear Gallagher missed the chance to extend Antrim’s lead through a free which was screwed wide, but the St Gall’s corner-forward showed excellent powers of recovery to claim the resulting kick out from Boyle and fire the ball over the Fermanagh keeper to make it 2-02-1-00 after ten minutes.
Antrim extended their lead to six on two occasions through lively full-forward Orlaith Prenter who struck either side of a converted Eimear Smyth free, Caitlin Taggart then added to her early goal with an 18th minute point which had her side 2-05-1-01 ahead after eighteen minutes.
In the aftermath of Taggart’s point the Saffrons were forced onto the back foot and Taggart’s score would be the last of the half as the All-Ireland junior champions fought back into contention.
Quick fire points from Blaithin Bouge and Joanne Doonan started the erne sides’ revival and on 22 minutes a short shot was recycled across the face of the Antrim goal where Eimear Smyth arrived to fire past McCann and make it 2-05-2-03.
Smyth converted a free in response to put the minimum between the sides and on the stroke of half-time, team-mate Doonan levelled the game at 2-05 apiece from the same scenario as Fermanagh trudged over to their half-time team talk with the momentum.
Caitlin Taggart (left) and Eimhear Gallagher whose goals helped Antrim to victory.
Fermanagh almost led for the first-time a minute after the restart, but Blaithin Bouge was off target after an onslaught in the Antrim penalty area.
Antrim boss Seamus McKenna called for his side to increase the work rate and he got his wish as Maorisa McGourty capped her return to county set-up with a point and Caitlin Taggart extended her tally for the afternoon to 1-02 with a super score shortly after to edge the Saffrons 2-07-2-05 ahead.
Fermanagh refused to throw-in the towel however and scores from Shauna Hamilton and Bouge levelled the contest on 43 minutes before Roisin Reilly split the posts with a 48th minute effort to give the All-Ireland champions the lead for the first time in the game.
Antrim had the chance to regain the lead almost immediately as a well worked passing move made its way to substitute Anna Kearney, though Kearney dwelt in possession and was blown for over carrying as she contemplated pulling the trigger.
With ten minutes remaining Orlaith Prenter levelled the game for the fourth time with an excellent curling score, but credit must also go to young roaming wing-back Caoimhe Stewart who showed incredible determination and stamina to break forward and lay the ball off for Prenter.
Antrim were looking the more dangerous late on and with little over five minutes remaining edged 2-09-2-08 ahead through a converted Eimear Gallagher free.
Fermanagh were committing players forward in search of an equaliser but left themselves short and a foul inside the forty-five gave Prenter the chance to double Antrim’s lead, which the full-forward obliged in taking.
Two-minutes into added time Antrim sealed victory when substitute Anna Finnegan found herself in possession midway inside the Fermanagh half, the St Brigids forward let fly with a pointed effort which dropped over Anna Boyle and into the net to put her side 3-10-2-08 ahead.
Fermanagh could only muster a point from Eimear Smyth in reply as Antrim held-on to register an opening day league victory in Irvinestown ahead of a daunting trip to Limerick next Saturday afternoon.
Fermanagh: A Boyle, A Maguire, C Murphy, N McManus, D McManus, D Maguire, C McElroy, S Hamilton (0-01), A McGovern, S Britton, J Doonan (0-02,0-01f), B Bouge (0-02), E Smyth (1-03, 0-02f), R Reilly (1-01), O Leonard.
Antrim: A McCann, C Stewart, E Kelly, S Haughey, O McCrory, S Cochrane, J McCavana, A McFarland, N Enright, C Taggart (1-02), M McGourty (0-01), A Devlin, E Gallagher (1-01), O Prenter (0-05,0-01f), A Taggart (0-01). Subs: N McKeown for S Haughey (23 mins), E Falloon for N Enright (37 mins), A Kearney for A Devlin (42 mins), L McKenna for O McCrory (50 mins), A Finnegan (1-00) for A Taggart (53 mins), N Enright for A Kearney (59 mins).