Antrim LGFA U16C Final

St. Brigid’s Cloughmills 4-6 Naomh Eanna 3-7

Erins Own Cargin was the setting for the Antrim LGFA U16 C championship between Naomh Éanna and Naomh Bríd Cloughmills on Thursday night. The teams had previously met in the league in July with Cloughmills the victors by the slimmest of margins.

It was a sign of the seasons as the floodlights were turned on for the 6.30pm throw-in, with Richard Leahy the man in the middle. Cloughmills started straight out of the gate with a series of pressing attacks, notching up an early few points. Naomh Éanna settled into their game and turned over a number of balls to test the Biddies’ defence.

With Captain Caela Casey dropping deep from midfield in a sweeping role, it proved difficult for the Enda’s to get the ball in to their forwards. Cloughmills were 2-02 to the good before Naomh Éanna got their half of the scoreboard started and they very nearly closed the gap within a few minutes with full forward Meabh McMenamin rattling the crossbar and Muireann McCloy dragging a shot just wide before Meabh McMenamin made certain with a major.

The sides went in at half time with a gap of 5 separating them and the mizzle descended on the Toome venue.

The second half was all to play for and the two sets of travelling supporters were treated to some sensational end to end football, trading scores, turnovers and near misses. A second and third goal from Naomh Éanna’s Aoife Quinn and Méabh McMenamin were met with 2 of equal quality by Cloughmills forwards. The Hightown ladies closed the gap to 2 with some fine attacking football, but the ribbons on the trophy were to be orange and black as Cloughmills dug deep to see themselves over the line with the same 2 to spare at the long whistle.