WS DENNISON ANTRIM LGFA INTERMEDIATE CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL

ST GALLS 1-6 CON MAGEES GLENRAVEL 2-9

Erins Own Cargin hosted an eagerly anticipated Antrim LGFA Intermediate final on Sunday afternoon in Toome. The Con Magees girls, last year’s beaten finalists, had been unbeaten in 2022 championship series up to the final and had impressed with away wins at both Gort na Mona and Glenavy as well as a first victory against St Galls at home. The Milltown Row girls grabbed victory from the jaws of defeat against Glenavy on the opening day and although were beaten in Glenravel, they impressed in their final section game scoring 5-15 away to Gort na Mona.

And so the scene was set. The pitch was in perfect condition with a strong cross field wind gave a slight advantage to the team defending the town goal. Glenravel won the toss and took that advantage but it was St Gall who struck first, straight from the throw in through Cuisle Wilson who split the posts from out on the right wing after being played into space by Joint Captain Stephanie Cochrane. Dual County Minor Sarah Fyfe was getting on a lot of early ball for the Con Magees and was rewarded with a well taken point in the 5^th minute after a strong run through the heart of the St Galls defence by Clare Emerson. Both Sarah and Glenravels other wing forward, Kirsty Laverty were effective in disrupting Eimear Magorrian’s kickout and Kirsty was rewarded when she slotted over from 21 m out. The Glenravel team were camped in the St Galls half but a tigerish St Galls defence could not be easily breached.  The strong running Niamh Bellow lifted the siege and it was now time for the Glens girls to defend and they were as adept as the city girls were in that art. A fine individual Mairiosa McGuinness point in the 9^th minute brought parity. Straight from the kickout an excellent team score was claimed by Glenravel with no fewer than 9 players involved. Bronagh Laverty secured possession from Caitlin McKeown’s kickout who passed to Ellen Hynds on her own 45, Ellen to Kirsty who with a strong cross field pass found Sarah Fyfe. With possession back to Kirsty another long ball forward was won by Molly Woulahan, who found Maeve Mulholland running off her shoulder. Maeve passed the ball into Laoise McKenna who set up Ellen Hynds, now up at the 13m line, but the route to goal was closed. Ellen found Aimee Traynor who pointed from close range despite the close attention of 4 St Galls defenders.

Another Sarh Fyfe interception set up Molly Woulahan who rounded 3 defenders to raise her first white flag of the day. Within a minute Molly doubled her tally when she was on the end of a Sarah Fyfe free and coolly pointed using the outside of her right boot. Glenravel continued to dominate possession but the St Galls defence put in good strong tackling and blocking as typified by Fiona Johnston. Johnston overturned another Glenravel attack, on to Bellew and then to full forward Meabh McCurdy who pick up the ball on the 45 and jinked her way forward to score a fine individual point to leave 2 between the teams. As defences dominated it resulted in some high pressure shots from both sets of forwards but the score board remained unaffected. Kirsty Laverty again overturned a wayward pass to set up Molly Woulahan, who pointed under pressure. Clare Emerson pointed from a 30m free with 3 minutes to go until half time and in the following minute Kirsty Laverty pointed after she again overturned possession, which saw Glenravel open up a 5 point lead, which was no more than their played deserved at that stage. Eimear Magorrian came of her line to intercept a long searching ball from Emerson destined for Traynor and placed Bellew who counter attacked at pace and as McGuiness sucked in 2 defenders, for once Meabh McCurdy got free and headed for goal. An excellent save by Caitlin McKeown was followed up in similar style by Maria McKenna only for McCurdy to blast to the top corner of the net from close range. McGuinness pointed in the next passage of play and with in the next minute another excellent McGuinness point was registered. In the blink of an eye the teams were back level again as referee Gerard Dougan called for half time with the score St Galls 1-5 Con Magees Glenravel 0-8

Glenravel started the 2^nd half in a similar attacking style as to how much of the 1^st half had been. A 35m free from Clare Emerson rattled the cross bar and a minute later Traynor again poached in for another point. Niamh Bellew was still to the fore in the St Galls defence and with a long kick played in Cuisle Wilson who’s shot came off the post. For the next 12 minutes both defences were on top form as no matter what each forward line tried, their endeavour was snuffed out their opponents rear-guard. A Mairiosa McGuinness free came back off the post and Stephanie Cochrane was the quickest to react and with the white flag raised the teams were all square again as we moved into the last quarter. With scores at a premium, momentum in the final quarter was going to be massive. A probing pass from Kirsty Laverty was picked up by Molly Woulahan and though faced with a wall of Cosgrove, Bradley and McKeown, cut through the middle and lifted the net with a well struck goal to put 3 points between the teams with 13 minutes to go. As space opened up in the St Galls defence, Glenravel were now more direct with 2 shots from distance from substitute Torie Edgar narrowly pulled wide of the post by the crossfield wind. St Galls pressed forward but the defensive Glenravel unit all worked hard to shut down any options that appeared. Laoise McKena began to have a huge influence in around the mid field section. A long freekick from Maria McKenna from the halfway line found Molly Woulahan out on the right wing on the 21. McKenna’s pass had got over St Galls defensive wall and although Woulahan had a lot of work to do, she again went direct and scored her 2^nd goal of the day with 3 minutes of normal time remaining.  St Galls needed to get scores quickly but again the defensive unit of Coulter, McKenna, Mulholland sisters, Laverty, McAleenan & McNeill were solid. In fact Magorrian in the St Galls goal twice was at hand to deny Laoise McKenna’s goal bound shots in the 5 ½  minutes of injury time. As Gerard Dougan blew the final whistle the Glenravel girls claimed the win on a score of St Galls 1-6 Con Magees Glenravel 2-9.

An intriguing game which although both teams did not set up defensively saw each defensive unit have a massive influence in the game. Glenravel created the more openings going forward but for all the play the Con Magees had, by half time St Galls were very much in the game. The work rate from both teams was very impressive especially with the Glenravel team, despite having 21 of their football squad involved in the previous day’s Intermediate Camogie Championship Semi Final victory, having that bit more energy in the tank, be more ruthless and in the end and finish the game strongly. Sundays victory now means that the Glenravel girls can erase the painful memory of last season’s loss at the same stage. Sometimes you got to lose a final to learn how to win a final and no doubt a talented St Galls squad with such big playing numbers and strong underage teams coming through, will regroup and aim to go one better in 2023. Meanwhile Glenravel now carry the Antrim torch into the Ulster series where they will meet the Derry senior champions,  Steelstown in 3 weeks’ time in Derry. Although the Derry champions, with home advantage, will be firm favourites, based on recent form the Glenravel girls will be no walkover.

CONN MAG AOIDH – Caitlin McKeown Aisling Mulholland Maria McKenna Eimhear McAleenan Bronagh Laverty Colleen McNeill Erin Coulter Clare Emerson Ellen Hynds Kirsty Laverty Maeve Mulholland Sarah Fyfe Aimee Traynor Laoise McKenna Molly Woulahan Orla Donnelly Torie Edgar Bronagh McKay Niamh McKay Chloe McAuley Clodagh McCann Jaime Woulahan Emily Sharpe Ellie Jo Butler Eimear Butler Caitlin Law Megan Law Caoimhe Higgins Suzannah Browne Anita McKeown Meabh Fyfe Aisling Kerr Niamh O’Donnell Chantelle McLarnon Clodagh McPeake Aisling Donnelly Aoibhin McKenna

NAOMH GALL – Eimear Magorrian Fiona Johnston Megan McGlinchey Nicole McKeown, Niamh Bellew, Bethy Cosgrove, Eimear Bradley, Aveen Maginn Aoife Turley Cuisle Wilson Aine Sheehan Stephanie Cochrane Jenny Browning Meabh McCurdy Mairiosa McGuinness Erin McCarren Alex Burns Claire Cosgrove Hannah Cosgrove Fionnuala Haughey Cora Bellew Chloe McDonald Hannah Loughran Niamh O’Neill Erinn Tieger Brid Turley Ella Wilson Kerrie O’Hara Helen Ward Lisa Wilson