Antrim Ladies Gaelic Football – Senior final
St Paul’s 3.12 v Moneyglass 2.05
Naomh Pol Ladies are in Seventh heaven after claiming their seventh consecutive Antrim senior title, adding to the junior title picked up the day before. The eagerly anticipated Senior final between Antrim’s top two teams lived up to all expectations in terms of a fast paced thriller.
Naomh Pol were first to strike with Lara Dahunsi winning possession from the throw-in and taking the ball at the Moneyglass defence but missed an opportunity to punch the ball over the bar to register her teams opening score. St Paul’s didn’t have to wait long though as Kirsty McGuinness delivered directly into the hands of full forward Fionnghuala Rocks who beat net minder Anna McCann to give St Pauls a major start. Moneyglass responded but under serious pressure from St Paul’s defence as they attacked. A free was awarded and pointed by Cathy Carey on the fourth minute, but a minute later at the opposite end the experienced Mairead Cooper also registered a free for St Paul’s. For the next 20 minutes St Paul’s dominated the game with impressive free flowing pacey support play to extend their lead 2.07 v 0.02 at 28minutes of play. Scores from Niamh Enright, McGuinness, Rocks, Saoirse Tennyson and the younger of the McGuinness sisters Caitlin all adding to St Paul’s growing tally. An unexpected slip up on the kick out from St Paul’s keeper Lauren Gray saw her kick out won by Megan McGlinchey who found Moneyglass’ main scorer Carey who netted on the blow of half time to cut the gap back to nine points. St Paul’s 2.08 v Moneyglass 1.02.
St Paul’s started the second half as they did the first with Dahunsi going on the attack, this time registering a point. The next five minutes saw some great attack and defensive play from both sides however on the 35th minute a Moneyglass player saw yellow and a 10 minute sin bin for a slide tackle on Kirsty McGuinness. Further scores from Cooper and Kirsty McGuinness continued to extend the Belfast sides lead but in the 44th minute referee Fionnuala Murphy awarded Moneyglass a penalty which Aimee McAtamney fired home to raise the south west Antrim’s side’s spirits. However Dahunsi and Cooper came back with points in the 47th and 57th minutes to all but cancel out that goal and all but seal the win. Moneyglass battled away bravely and a further three points from Aimee McAtamney closed the gap, but by this stage the destiny of the cup had long been decided.
With another excellent win under their belts St Pauls now go forward to the Ulster Club Championship where they face the might challenge of former All Ireland Champions Donaghmoyne in the Ulster Club QF next Sunday.
St Paul’s celebrate their win over Moneyglass in Sunday’s final at Musgrave Park. Pic by Bert Trowlen
ST PAUL’S
Lauren Grey, Saoirse Tennyson, Emma Kelly, Ciara Brown, Mairead Cooper, Nicole Kelly, Caoimhe Stewart, Caoimhe McNeice, Aine Turbidy, Stacey McCann, Lara Dahunsi, Lucy Wallace, Niamh Enright, Fionnghuala Rocks, Caitlin McGuinness
MONEYGLASS
Anna McCann, Christine Webb, Niamh McIntosh, Geraldine Campbell, Rebecca Bradley, Brigid Scullion, Emma McAreavey, Martine McCann, Aine Scullin, Danielle Duffin, Cathay Carey, Danielle Connolly, megan mcglinchey, Aimee McAtamney, Eleanor Mallon.
Referee – Fionnuala Murphy
Pics by Bert Trowlen