Lidl LGFA National Football League

London 1-7 Antrim 9-19

Pics by Lucia Butler

Antrim LGFA scored a runaway win over London at McGovern Park on Sunday to make it two wins out of two in the LIDL National Football League. Football has suffered badly in Britain since lockdown with many of the exiles returning home during very uncertain times, but they are battling on bravely against the odds. Sunday was not a day they will want to dwell on as Antrim dominated from start to finish, and with Orlaith Prenter and Grainne McLaughlin running riot up front they home side simply had no answer.

Prenter was to the fore in the opening burst which saw the Saffrons move 0-5 to 0-0 clear in the early stages. It was seventeen minutes before the Exiles got their first score through corner forward Niamh O’Brien but Antrim hit back immediately as McLaughlin had the ball in the back of the London net in a scoring burst that saw points from Prenter (2), Dahunsi, McLaughlin, plus a goal from Prenter, and by half time they were 2-10 to the good.

London had a good spell of play at the start of the second half but they were out of luck when twice in succession they saw goal-bound shots come back of the woodwork. They did manage points through Lorraine Lamh and Ellen O’Brien but were then hit by a barrage of 3-4 from Antrim, two of the goals coming from Prenter and the other from McLaughlin. By this stage the destiny of the league points had long been decided and Antrim manager Emma Kelly began to ring the changes, Prenter being one of the players called ashore.

McLaughlin grabbed another goal on 16 minutes but London to their credit London kept battling and were rewards by a goal from O’Brien.

However Antrim were not finished yet and further goals from Aine Devlin and Player of the Match McLaughlin had them 30 points ahead at the end as they secure a place in the league semi-final, regardless of how their last game again Carlow goes next time out.