TG4 Ulster Junior Football Championship
Antrim 0-18-2-09 Fermanagh
By Kevin Herron from St Tiernach’s Park, Clones
Antrim ladies got the better of Fermanagh at the fourth time of asking after coming back from five-points behind at the break to defeat the Erne ladies 0-18-2-09 at Clones in this afternoons TG4 Ulster Junior final.
There was a sense of déjà vu early on as Eimear Smyth rifled home within the first quarter of a minute and the league champions hit their second through captain Joanne Donnan after Antrim had closed the deficit and at the break it was 2-06-0-07.
But Antrim battled back with Cathy Carey and Lara Dahunsi leading the way in attack and Niamh Enright levelling affairs with a quarter of the game remaining.
Mairead Cooper departed through injury at the end of the opening period but upon her reintroduction gave her side the lead for the first time and the Saffrons forged further ahead to finally get the better of Fermanagh after three previous failings this season.
Three weeks to the day of the sides last meeting at the Athletic Grounds; which Fermanagh comprehensively claimed 2-13-0-09 it was round four at the scene of the sides last final back in May.
Fermanagh clinched promotion to division three on that day thanks to an early goal from Eimear Smyth and the same script was in circulation as Fermanagh turned over the throw-ball and Smyth took up the reins, confidently burst forward and rifled past Anna McCann to make it 1-00-0-00 within fifteen seconds.
Cathy Carey pointed for Antrim in response but it was Fermanagh who were in the ascendancy early on as Molly McGloin, Smyth (free) and Noelle Connolly extended their sides lead to 1-03-0-01 after ten minutes of play.
Consecutive converted frees from Mairead Cooper and Cathy Carey reduced the deficit to a goal at the midway point in the half – but Smyth and Ernesiders captain Joanne Donnan responded with back to back points.
Antrim struck the woodwork twice the opening half – Mairead Cooper watched her high shot crash off the post and the St Pauls corner-forward saw her dipping shot scrambled to safety by Roisin Gleeson in the Fermanagh goal and agonisingly for the Saffrons Caitlin Taggart’s follow-up effort crashed off the crossbar.
Taggart would conjure up two magnificently angled points as Antrim closed the gap to two for the second time (1-05-0-06 ), though Joanne Donnan struck her second point of the afternoon and better was still to come for the Fermanagh skipper.
Eimear Smyth’s free dropped short into the hands of Anna McCann and under pressure from Doonan – McCann spilled the ball and the number ten scrambled the ball into the empty net to make it 2-06-0-06 with just two minutes until the break.
Cathy Carey responded with a converted free for Antrim before the break – but the Saffrons were dealt a blow as Mairead Cooper departed through injury through impaired vision before the break and her side trailed 2-06-0-07.
Fermanagh increased their lead upon the resumption through Danielle Maguire’s point – though it was to be her sides last score for ten minutes as Antrim set upon the comeback trail.
Cathy Carey scored her fourth point of the afternoon and first from play – the St Ergnat’s corner-forward then converted her fourth free of the afternoon and further scores from Lara Dahunsi and Orla Corr closed the gap to two-points with twenty minutes remaining (0-11-2-07).
Eimear Smyth converted her second free of the game – but Antrim continued to enjoy a period of dominance in attack.
Lara Dahunsi shot over her second point of the half, Emma Magee popped the ball off to Carey for her sixth score and the Saffrons deservedly restored parity through Niamh Enright on the 45-minute to make it 0-14-2-08.
A titanic final quarter of saw a cat and mouse game between the two foes – substitute Blaithin Bogue found space and gave her side the lead for the second time in the game.
But the determined Saffrons hit back through Lara Dahunsi’s third point of the afternoon – with a little help from the crossbar.
Fermanagh missed the chance to restore their lead through Eimear Smyth – the usually reliable full-forward got her angles wrong from a free.
Smyth had the chance to atone for her miss, but her shot dropped to Joanne Doonan at the back-post it looked as though Doonan was about to slot home her second of the game – however the experienced Emma Kelly had other ideas and scrambled the ball off the line.
Mairead Cooper declared herself fit to continue for a vital ten minute period and upon her return to proceedings the St Pauls forward conjured a vital score as her shot tailed to the right and over the bar to give the Saffrons a 0-16-2-09 lead.
Antrim manager Sean O’Kane called for composure and his side had the chance to double their lead through a free – Cathy Carey didn’t need a second invitation and struck her seventh point of the afternoon through the set-piece.
Game management was the name of the game and Antrim had the chance to put three between the sides with little under two minutes until the whistle. The ever reliable Carey converted her sixth free of game to make it 0-18-2-09.
Fermanagh pressed in desperation for a goal that would have taken the game to extra-time but the Saffrons determination kept the Ernesiders at bay and the final whistle brought scenes of joy as Antrim finally claimed a win over Fermanagh at the fourth time of asking to claim their first Ulster Junior title since 2016.
Saoirse Tennyson proudly accepted the trophy from Ulster LGFA president Eileen Jones and raised it aloft to rapturous applause from the Antrim support at St Tiernach’s Park.
The two sides will meet again for the fifth time in All-Ireland series later in July and it would take a brave person to bet against the familiar foes doing battle in GAA headquarters in September.
Antrim: A McCann, N Killen, M Hanna, O Corr (0-01), K Farren, A McFarland, S Tennyson, E Kelly, L Dahunsi (0-03), C Taggart (0-02), A Tubridy, S Haughey, M Cooper (0-02, 0-01f), N Enright (0-02), C Carey (0-08, 0-06f). Subs: E Magee for M Cooper (30 mins), M Cooper for C Taggart (50 mins).
Fermanagh: R Gleeson, A Maguire, E Murphy, M Flynn, M McGloin (0-01), C Murphy, S McQuaid, R O’Reilly, A Flanaghan, J Doonan (1-02), N Connolly (0-01), D Maguire (0-01), L Maguire, E Smyth (1-03, 0-02f), A O’Brien. Subs: D McManus for A O’Brien (30 mins), A McGovern for M Flynn (38 mins), B Bogue (0-01) for L Maguire (43 mins), A Woods for D Maguire (47 mins), S Courtney for N Connolly (58 mins).
Referee: Siobhan Coyle (Donegal).
Photos courtesy of Ulster Ladies Gaelic Football
