TG4 All Ireland Junior semi-final
Antrim 3-14 | Sligo 2-13
The Saffrons are heading back to the All-Ireland Junior Championship final! Banishing the heartbreak of last year’s decider, a resilient and ruthless Antrim side booked their ticket to the final after an enthralling victory over Sligo at St. Tiernach’s Park in Clones.
The star of the show was undoubtedly Moneyglass maestro Maria O’Neill. Putting on an absolute masterclass in the forward line, the lethal attacker racked up an incredible 3-5 to constantly keep Sligo at bay whenever they threatened to spoil the Saffron party.
Antrim stamped their authority on the game almost immediately. After Alyssa Davidson and Sligo’s Anna McDaniel traded early points, the Saffrons clicked into top gear. Just seven minutes in, a beautifully worked ball from Bronagh Devlin was expertly flicked into the back of the net by O’Neill for her first goal of the afternoon.
With Antrim’s attack purring, they quickly built a commanding seven-point advantage before Sligo could even manage their second score. O’Neill continued to torment the Yeats County defense, showcasing her sublime skill with a spectacular two-point free in the 16th minute. Just two minutes later, she ruthlessly struck for her second goal, giving Antrim a massive 10-point lead. At that stage, the Saffrons looked absolutely untouchable.
To their credit, Sligo refused to roll over and mounted a spirited fightback to cut the deficit to four. However, Antrim’s composure shone through. O’Neill halted Sligo’s momentum with a crucial point, and Theresa Mellon fired over a stylish score right before the whistle to send the Saffrons into the break with a well-deserved 2-9 to 0-9 lead.
A Test of Saffron Resilience
The second half tested Antrim’s championship credentials. Sligo came out of the dressing room swinging, and after an early point, Denise McGrath managed to breach Áine Devlin’s goal to slash the Saffron lead to just two points.
Showing the mettle of true finalists, Antrim didn’t panic. They immediately hit back with three consecutive, hard-earned points. Even when Sligo’s McGrath scrambled a second goal in the 48th minute to reduce the gap to a nerve-wracking single point, Antrim’s response was that of champions.
Cometh the hour, cometh the woman. Just one minute later, the clinical O’Neill struck again, burying her third goal of the game to complete a phenomenal hat-trick and restore Antrim’s breathing room. Orlaith Prenter—who was excellent throughout—and O’Neill quickly followed up with vital points to keep the scoreboard ticking.
Knowing Sligo desperately needed a third goal to salvage their championship, the Saffron defence pulled down the shutters. The Antrim backline was immense in the closing stages, holding firm under immense pressure. Sligo managed a couple of late consolation points, but the day belonged to Antrim.
The Saffrons have shown they have the firepower, the resilience, and the sheer willpower to go all the way this year. Next stop: the All-Ireland decider!
Scorers for Antrim: M O’Neill 3-5 (2f, 1tpf), O Prenter 0-4 (1f), T Mellon 0-2, L Dahunsi, Á Tubridy, A Davidson 0-1 each.
Scorers for Sligo: D McGrath 2-0, A McDaniel 0-4, L Duffy 0-3, S Regan 0-2, R McGoldrick, B Lavin, A Haran, L Normanly (f) 0-1 each.
ANTRIM: Á Devlin; E Kearns, M Blaney, M Mulholland; L Agnew, D Coleman, C McKenna; L Dahunsi, Á Tubridy; T Mellon, B Devlin, A Davidson; E Louise McAreavey, M O’Neill, O Prenter.
Subs: A Monaghan for Davidson (36), C Maguire for Prenter (55).
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