LGFA Division 4 League semi-final at Kinscourt, Cavan
Antrim 5-08 Leitrim 3-10
Antrim secured promotion to Division 3 of the LGFA League on Sunday with a 4 point victory over reigning all Ireland Intermediate champions Leitrim in Kingscourt
This was an absolutely absorbing game of football with both teams giving everything, and while the Saffron were not at their best at times they worked their socks off from start to finish and were worthy winners in the end.
Antrim flew into a seven point lead in the first 4 minutes with Lara Dahunsi scoring a point and Ana Mulholland and captain Bronagh Devlin both raising a green flag, but back came Leitrim and with 14 minutes gone they had gone into a two point lead.
The intensity in the game at this stage was unreal and back came the Saffrons with points from Maria O Neill and two pointed frees from Bronagh Devlin to put Antrim back in front.
The game was end to end and Leitrim hit a score of their own before Teresa Mellon and Duane Coleman raised white flags to send the Antrim girls in at the interval with a 4 point lead.
The second half certainly didn’t disappoint the large crowd either as both sides went all out in an effort to claim victory.
Leitrim opened the half with two points but after a great move involving Aoife Kelly and Maria O Neill full forward Nicole Jones finished to the Leitrim net, but 60 seconds later Leitrim hit back with a goal of their own to bring themselves back into the game…
Aine Lynch then sent the ball over the Leitrim bar and Bronagh Devlin put two over one from frees to ease the pressure, but Leitrim then brought it back to a two point game but again this never say die Antrim team produced a brilliant goal.
Theresa Mellon got the ball deep in her own half and went on an amazing run up the pitch which left 4 Leitrim players trailing in her wake. She then put Maria O Neill through on goal and O’Neill duly obliged by hammering the ball to the Leitrim net to seal promotion for the Saffrons and send them into the national league final in two weeks’ time against reigning all Ireland junior champions Fermanagh…
The Antrim senior ladies management team of Micky Devlin and Chris Scullion spoke after the game …
“This is a tremendous achievement for this group of players.
Every player has played their part in taking us up to division 3…
These girls just love playing for their county and pulling on the saffron jersey.
Enjoyment and togetherness are so evident within this panel, we’ve gained promotion after just 4 months with these girls which is a credit to each and every one of them as they work so hard and push each other to the limit at training..
Our backroom team has also played a major part in getting us to the next level and we now look forward to the national league final in two weeks’ time.”
