Brídíní Óga book their place in the Ulster final

Armagh City Hotel Ulster Junior semi-finals: Saturday 25^th October at 1pm

Brídíní Óga (Antrim) 1-19 Ballyholland (Down) 1-5

Brídíní Óga opened this Armagh City Hotel Ulster Junior semi-final in Glenravel against Ballyholland with points each from Kirsty Laverty, Sarah Fyfe and Torie Edgar inside four minutes and it was clear even at this early stage that the Down champions would struggle to stay in touch with the home side.

A point from Niamh Burns however seemed to slow them up and it was a further ten minutes before Molly Woulahan eventually found the net after Torie Edgar’s effort came off the post and Aimee Traynor’s follow up went across the goals.

Although Sarah Fyfe’s second score of the afternoon opened a gap of six points, the Newry side hit the next three points, two for Emma McIvor-Murtagh and one from veteran Karen Maginn.

However the winners then stepped up a gear with five of the next six points to leave it 1-9 to 0-5 at the short whistle. Edgar started the run and Sarah Fyfe and Kirsty Laverty added a point each with two Edgar frees finishing the first half scoring.

As in the first half, Brídíní Óga were quick out of the blocks with three points inside three minutes, one from each of the three full-forwards. Then there was a break before Shauna McDonnell fired over when a goal was a possibility.

When Edgar landed a 45 midway through the half, Glenravel led by 1-14 to 0-5. Karen Maginn then turned and fired low to the net, but it proved to be her side’s only score of the final 30 minutes.

The home team hit five points over the final 12 minutes, three of them from Edgar frees and one each from Erin Coulter and Kirsty Laverty while Danielle McCourt pulled off a couple of excellent stops from Edgar and substitute Niamh McKay.

In the other semi-final Cavan champions Lacken stifled favourites Dungiven to take the game to extra time, but, as they had done a week earlier in the Derry final, Dungiven hit the net to pull away and win comfortably with 12 points to spare.

The final will be in a fortnight at a neutral venue

Brídíní Óga: Orla Donnelly, Maeve Mulholland, Jaime Woulahan, Danielle Scally, Emer McCann, Brónagh Laverty, Erin Coulter 0-1, Leona Gillan, Orlaith Gould, Sarah Fyfe 0-3, Kirsty Laverty 0-3, Shauna McDonnell 0-1, Aimee Traynor 0-1, Torie Edgar 0-9, 6 frees, Molly Woulahan 1-1.

Subs: Eimhear McAleenan for S Fyfe (36), Niamh McKay for M Woulahan (44), Emily Sharpe for E McCann (49), Úna McAleenan for M Mulholland (53), Caoimhe Duffin for A Traynor (56).

Ballyholland: Ballyholland: Danielle McCourt, Brenna McAloon, Aimee O’Hanlon, Áine McParlan, Eve Mullen, Sarah Gorman, Sinéad Quinn, Méabh O’Hare, Aoibheann Quinn, Aoife Murtagh, Katie O’Brien, Niamh Burns 0-1, Darcy Rushe, Karen Maginn 1-2, 0-2 frees, Emma McIvor-Murtagh 0-2.

Subs: E Casey for McIvor-Murtagh (39), S Murphy-Rea for A Quinn (45)

Referee: Chris Hickson (Ballinascreen)