LGFA All-Ireland Minor B semi-final
Antrim 1-16-5-06 Roscommon
By Kevin Herron from Monahan Harps
A late injury-time goal from substitute Michaela McHugh saw Roscommon break Saffron hearts and earn Roscommon a place in the All-Ireland Minor B final at Antrim’s expense after a 1-16-5-06 victory at Monaghan on Saturday afternoon.
The Connaught side looked to be merely strolling to the decider and were comfortably 0-01-4-02 in front with the midway point in the first-half approaching – however a goal from Orlaith Prenter gave Antrim a lifeline and the gap was narrowed to seven at the break.
Momentum was with Antrim and ten minutes into the second-half the sides were tied at 4-03-1-12, the lead changed hands on a regular basis until injury-time when points from Aoife Taggart and Orlaith Prenter had Antrim ahead and dreaming of the final – until McHugh let fly with a rocket of a strike which squeezed inside the near post and broke the hearts of the brave girls in the Saffron and White.
Roscommon entered the semi-final as favourites in the eyes of many having ran last year’s All-Ireland U-16 and Minor champions Galway close in the Connaught A decider.
They lived up to their billing as points from Aimee O’Connor and Sinead Glennon were quickly followed up by quick fire double goals from O’Connor and Aoife Gavin as Roscommon led 0-00-2-02 after eight minutes.
Antrim were shell-shocked and a converted Caitlin Taggart got her side off the mark – but further misery was to follow for the Saffrons.
Despite the best efforts of Antrim goalkeeper Ciara Larkin who made a super save to deny Sinead Glennon – Aimee O’Connor followed up and blasted to the net.
Glennon didn’t have long to wait before she hit the net – claiming a kick-out and bursting towards goal before firing low into the corner of the net to give Roscommon a 0-01-4-02 lead after just 13 minutes.
Things were looking very precarious for Antrim – but Aoife Taggart shot high over the bar for her sides second point of the afternoon and just before the midway point Orla Corr won the break and Antrim moved the ball forward at pace into the path of Orlaith Prenter whose low shot deceived Sasha Lavin and ended up in the corner of the net to make it 1-02-4-02.
After a short water break Lara Dahunsi almost grabbed her side’s second goal of the game but for the crossbar – nonetheless the shot cannoned over the bar and at least narrowed the deficit by a further point.
Emma Louise McAreavey’s tenacity resulted in a further point from Prenter and Antrim were beginning to grab a foothold in the game.
Lara Dahunsi was denied by Lavin who touched her shot onto the woodwork though after a patient build-up Orla Corr shot over the bar to make it 1-05-4-02.
Ciara Larkin made a terrific block with her foot to deny Aimee O’Connor her third of the afternoon but before the break substitute Kara Earle added a further point to edge Roscommon seven ahead at the interval.
Antrim made a bright start to the second period as Orlaith Prenter converted an early free – better could and perhaps should have followed as Nicole Jones turned over the resulting kick out and Prenter was slipped through but the underside of the crossbar denied the St Ergnat’s corner-forward.
Lara Dahunsi saw her shot scrambled behind for 45’ and Aoife Taggart fired over the bar after the resulting kick dropped short – momentum was firmly with Antrim and three points on the spin saw the deficit cut to just two.
Orlaith Prenter popped over her third point of the afternoon and Eimear Matthews bravely charged down a shot in Antrim’s defensive third the Saffrons went on the offensive and Prenter converted a free.
From the resulting kick-out, referee Kieran McKeever had adjudged that Sasha Lavin’s kick out to Kelley Colgan was too short and Prenter fired over her third successive point to make it 1-10-4-03.
Roscommon missed the chance to edge three ahead as Aimee O’Connor missed a free and it was an opportunity they would rue – Orlaith Prenter saw her goal bound effort parried and Orla Corr shot over the bar from the follow-up, Lara Dahunsi claimed the resulting kick-out and the ball made its way to Aoife Taggart who conjured up the levelling score as seven points on the spin made it 1-12-4-03 ten minutes into the second-half.
Antrim missed three opportunities to hit the front through Prenter and a fabulous goal opportunity from Orla Corr whistled inches wide of the post and minutes after a second-half water break Roscommon regained the lead through a converted Aimee O’Connor free.
Prenter immediately levelled and in doing so brought her afternoon tally to 1-06 – Roscommon goalkeeper Sasha Lavin then denied Prenter and Antrim for a third time but the ball fell to Lara Dahunsi who shot Antrim ahead for the first time with a point to make it 1-14-4-04.
The dual between the respective number 13s continued as Aimee O’Connor levelled matters for a third time – and Roscommon should have added a second goal with seven minutes remaining though Aoife Gavin saw her low shot turned behind at full-stretch by an inspired Ciara Larkin.
Aoife Taggart edged Antrim in front on the stroke of full-time and they doubled their lead through Orlaith Prenter’s seventh point of the afternoon.
These scores arrived after Antrim were dealt a blow an inspirational wing-half back Emma-Louise McAreavey was shown a yellow card and subsequently sin binned by referee McKeever.
Antrim looked as though they would hold-on for victory after a brave fight back but devastation bestowed the Saffrons as Aimee O’Connor’s quick free released substitute Michaela McHugh whose thumping strike squeezed past a helpless Larkin at the near post to give Roscommon a 1-16-5-05 lead.
Aoife Gavin then followed up with an insurance point and despite losing captain Shauna Fleming to a booking Roscommon survived an Antrim onslaught in the closing stages to run out 1-16-5-06 winners and book their place in the All-Ireland Minor B final and leave the brave Saffron girls crestfallen at the full-time whistle.
Antrim: C Larkin, N Webb, C Madden, E Matthews, EL McAreavey, M Blaney, G Shannon, C Brown, L Dahunsi (0-02), C Taggart (0-01f), N Jones, O Corr (0-02), O Prenter (0-07, 0-03f), A Taggart (0-04), C Kane. Subs: B Laverty for C Madden (54 mins), E Ferran for G Shannon (54 mins).
Roscommon: S Lavin, A McLaughlin, K Colgan, A Mullins, M Kelly, S Fleming, J Brennan, S McVeigh, S Scally, K Nolan, L Brady, E Irwin, A O’Connor (2-03, 0-01f), S Glennon (1-01), A Gavin (1-01). Subs: M McHugh (1-00), K Earle (0-01).
Referee: Kieran McKeever (Armagh)