WS Dennison Antrim LGFA Intermediate Football Championship
Round 2, 10/09/2023
St James’ Aldergrove 2-4 Gort na Móna 1-8
Report and pics by Ciarán Ó Brolcháin
Gort na Móna edged past St James’ Aldergrove by a single point at Crumlin to register their first win in the intermediate championship after a fierce contest.
The visitors got off to a stronger start and Duailtín Nic Cathail registered the first score within a minute of the throw-in, followed soon by her sister Bláithín kicking a point of her own.
Ciara Maguire added two more points to the Gorts’ tally and it was 15 minutes before Aldergrove got onto the scoreboard with a goal from Aoife Taggart to leave the smallest margin between the teams.
Aoife soon added another two points to her tally but scores from Niamh Enright and Ciara Maguire kept the Gorts’ noses in front before a 25th minute goal from Mia Dembele Mills left a gap of five points at the break.
HT St James’ Aldergrove 1-2 Gort na Móna 1-7
The match grew in intensity in the second half; it was a battle for every ball and each team’s defenders did sterling work to keep their opponents at bay.
It was 10 minutes into the half before Caitlin Taggart scored for the home side, and a few minutes later her sister Aoife converted a free kick to leave three between the teams.
These were the only scores until stoppage time when Aoife Taggart found the back of the net again for Aldergrove to level the game in the closing minutes.
Gort na Móna fought on to the death however and a late point from Ciara Maguire was enough to see the west Belfast side travel home with the points.
The result means that both sides still have everything to play for in the final round robin games of the championship next Sunday as St James’ host neighbours Glenavy and Gort na Móna host St Gall’s.
Aldergrove: 1 Anna McBride, 2 Brónach Mallon, 3 Anna Crossan, 4 Grace O’Neill, 5 Rebecca Marquess, 6 Áine Kelly, 7 Meabh Rooney, 8 Katie Rose Bell, 9 Caoimhe Bell, 10 Caitlin Taggart, 11 Nicole Jones, 12 Bronagh McGuinness, 13 Paula Masterson, 14 Aoife Taggart, 15 Paula Masterson
Gort na Móna: 1 Holly McGahey, 2 Broghan Crossin, 3 Eimear Enright, 4 Katie Irvine, Seána Bradley, 6 Carla Scannell, 7 Gabrielle Monaghan, 8 Casey Meighan, 9 Caitlin Fryers, 10 Duailtín Nic Cathail, 11 Niamh Enright, 12 Bláithín Nic Cathail, 13 Aoibhín Enright, 14 Mia Dembele Mills, 15 Ciara Maguire
Referee: Ray Mathews
