Lidl National Football League Division Four final
Antrim 1-10-2-08 Fermanagh
By Kevin Herron at Clones
Antrim ladies suffered a cruel defeat to Fermanagh in Saturday’s National League Division Four decider at Clones. When the sides met in the opening game of the league at the Dub in February the Erne girls snatched victory with the last kick of the game and the Saffron girls suffered a similar fate this time around to be cruelly denied at the end.
Tipped to be a close encounter only a point separated the sides at the final whistle as Eimear Smyth’s 57th minute converted free sealed promotion for the Erne county.
It was perhaps fitting that Smyth had finished the scoring – considering the 18-year old had opened the scoring-rifling to the net within the first fifteen seconds at Clones.
But not for the first time, throughout the league campaign; Antrim battled back and led at the interval – 1-06-1-05 thanks to a goal from captain Saoirse Tennyson.
A Roisin O’Reilly goal restored the Erne sides lead, but points from Mairead Cooper and Mairiosa McGourty levelled matters before Smyth’s decisive score that sealed promotion and left the brave Saffron ladies dejected at the final whistle.
Fermanagh were the bookies pre-match favourites, only just though and within fifteen seconds of throw-in they justified their favourites tag.
Aoife Flanagan won the break ball and picked out Lisa Maguire whose popped pass released Eimear Smyth and Smyth shot low into the bottom right hand corner to give her side a dream start.
Antrim responded however as Taggart sisters Caitlin and Aoife split the posts in response. Fermanagh landed their first point of the afternoon on the fifth minute through Blaithin Bouge and the sides then exchanged converted frees through Cathy Carey and Smyth.
The same two players traded further points from play; Antrim then made in-roads and levelled with Mairead Cooper hitting an excellent score and Caitlin Taggart converting a free to make it 1-03-0-06 at the midway point in the opening half.
Eimear Smyth restored her sides lead but Antrim edged ahead on the 18th minute as captain Saoirse Tennyson drove forward and her shot sailed over helpless Roisin Gleason in the Fermanagh goal to give the Saffrons a 1-06-1-04 advantage.
At the other end Anna McCann was forced to deny Aisling O’Brien at full stretch – five minutes before the interval Smyth conjured up her fourth point of the half, it was to be the halfs final score as Antrim held a slender 1-06-1-05 led at the midway point in the final.
Fermanagh came out with the bit between their teeth after the break – but took seven minutes before they got back on terms through a converted Smyth free.
Antrim restored their lead from the same scenario through a Mairead Cooper free and a second converted free from Cathy Carey gave their side a 1-08-1-06 lead.
Fermanagh captain Joanne Donnan replied and midway through the second-half midfielder Roisin O’Reilly found space and shot into the top corner of the net to give Fermanagh the lead for the third time in the game (2-07-1-08).
Eimear Smyth had the chance to kill the game off in the aftermath – but Anna McCann made an outstanding save to keep her side in contention.
Antrim showed their resolve once more though and hit back through Mairead Cooper before Mairiosa McGourty successfully nailed a pressure kick to restore parity for the third time at 1-10-2-07.
Antrim were dealt a blow late-on losing influential midfielder Lara Dahunsi to a harsh looking yellow-card.
The decisive moment in the game arrived three minutes from time when referee Shane Curley awarded Fermanagh a free around twenty yards from goal and Eimear Smyth converted to make it 2-08-1-10.
In urgent need of a response the Saffrons went all out for an equaliser – Mairead Cooper watched on in frustration as her free from 40-yards from goal sailed into the hands of Roisin Gleeson.
There was still time for an equaliser in the final sixty seconds – however Fermanagh shut down all possible routes to goal and saw the game out to secure promotion and leave the Saffrons ladies dejected at the final whistle.
Both sides will do battle for a third time next month in the Ulster Junior Championship semi-final on June 9th with the possibility of a fourth meeting should the losers recover to beat Derry and all before the All-Ireland stage that both sides will have sights on.
Antrim: A McCann, N Killen, M Hanna, O Corr, K Farren, C Brown, S Tennyson (1-00), A McFarland, L Dahunsi, C Taggart (0-02, 0-01f), C Carey (0-03, 0-02f), S.L McLaughlin, M Cooper (0-03, 0-01), M McCurdy, A Taggart (0-01). Subs: M McGourty (0-01) for C Taggart (31 mins), M Magee for S. L McLaughlin (31 mins), N Enright for K Farren (42 mins).
Fermanagh: R Gleeson, M Maguire, E Murphy, M Flynn, M McGloin, C Murphy, S McQuaid, R O’Reilly (1-00), A Flanagan, J Donnan (0-01), L Maguire, D Maguire, A O’Brien, E Smyth (1-06, 0-03f), B Bouge (0-01). Subs: A Maguire for S McQuaid (39 mins), A Woods for M McGloin (43 mins), S Britton for A O’Brien (46 mins), D McManus for L Maguire (48 mins), A McGovern for C Murphy (58 mins).
Referee: Shane Curley (Galway)
