Doherty Woodshavings Antrim Intermediate semi-final
Brídíní Óga Glenravel 1-9 Cushendall II 2-4
Brídíní Óga Glenravel really got out of jail in this keenly-contested Doherty Woodshavings Antrim Intermediate semi-final in Ballycastle on Saturday afternoon.
With the game slipping into added time, they trailed by 0-8 to 2-4 and looked on the way out of the competition.
Then Molly Woulahan was fouled 25 metres out and free-taker Torie Edgar drove her shot off a defender’s stick into the roof of the net. A minute later the same combination created a second free that the Glenravel captain pointed. There wasn’t time for Cushendall to get a goal.
While both defences were in control, the failure of Brídíní Óga initially to deliver scores at regular intervals and then Cushendall’s failure to add more than two points during the second half, kept a scrappy encounter in the boiling pot right until the very end.
Brídíní Óga started well enough and went 0-5 to 0-1 ahead after 11 minutes, the opening two points from Orlaith Gould and Shauna McDonnell and followed by three frees from Edgar.
Orlaith McCurry had opened Cushendall’s account and added a second point in the 12th minute.
However from then until the finish, the Dall defence was superb, well-organised with McCurry and the midfielders filtering back to assist. Torie Edgar point from play after 25 minutes was the only score for the eventual winners until she pointed a free in the 40th minute.
By then Cushendall were in the lead and looking comfortable despite the Glenravel team having the balance of the play.
Clíodhna Thompson goaled in the 24th minute and Niamh McNeill added a second three-pointer after good work from Orlaith McCurry to take a 2-2 to 0-6 lead at the break.
Kirsty Laverty’s long-range shot on the re-start went all the way to Cushendall net, but was ruled out for a player in the goal area obstructing Louise Mulholland. That let-off lifted the Cushendall team and Clíodhna Thompson made the gap three with a point from a free.
There were just two more scores over the next 20 minutes, both Edgar frees, until Thompson picked up the sliotar breaking from a long free from Ellen Leech and made it a two point game with two minutes plus added time left.
The Glenravel girls pulled a shot or two wide of the target but a great run out of defence by Erin Coulter started the move which led to the Molly Woulahan free which saw Edgar fire through a packed goalmouth to save the day and put them through to a first final at this level since they beat Portglenone in 2022.
Portglenone bowed out of this season’s competition in the other semi-final. They were beaten by Loughgiel IIs by 1-21 to 0-6.
Loughgiel therefore face Brídíní Óga Glenravel in the final on October 11th.
Brídíní Óga: Orla Donnelly, Maeve Mulholland, Jaime Woulahan, Danielle Scally, Emer McCann, Brónagh Laverty, Erin Coulter, Leona Gillan, Orlaith Gould 0-1, Eimhear McAleenan, Kirsty Laverty, Shauna McDonnell 0-1, Aimee Traynor, Torie Edgar 1-7, 1-6 frees, Molly Woulahan.
Subs: Sarah Fyfe for A Traynor (HT), Sorcha Carey for E McAleenan (54).
Ruairí Óg: Louise Mulholland, Laoise McCollam, Amy McDonnell, Vatherine O’Boyle, Ellen Leech, Maeve McAllister, Erinmae Mitchel, Rhianna Black, Lára Haughey, Caoimhe O’Hara, Orlatih McCurry 0-2, Síne Woodhouse, Aoife Delargy, Niamh McNeill 1-0, Clíodhna Thompson 1-2, 0-1 free.
Referee: Anthony McAuley (Ballycastle)
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