All Saints Ballymena 3-18 Tír na nÓg Randalstown 1-8
Antrim LGFA Junior Football Championship at Slemish Park
All Saints produced a powerful second-half performance to pull clear of Tír na nÓg and record a convincing16-point victory in the Antrim LGFA Junior Football Championship at Slemish Park.
The opening half was much more closely contested, with the Ballymena side holding a narrow 1-6 to 1-4 advantage at the interval.
All Saints opened the scoring through Keely O’Mullan, who collected a pass from Helena O’Dornan before sending over a fine left-footed effort from an awkward angle. Cliodhna Metrustry then chose to take her point when a goal appeared possible, putting the home side two ahead.
Tír na nÓg responded immediately. Eimhear McCloskey drove through the All Saints defence and fired into the net to give the visitors a 1-1 to 0-2 lead after five minutes.
O’Mullan replied with another point for Ballymena before a goal attempt from Méabh O’Kane was well saved by the Randalstown goalkeeper. McCloskey added a point at the other end, while Anna O’Kane converted a free to keep All Saints in touch.
Shauna Robinson then found the target for Tír na nÓg, but O’Kane’s second point, following a clever exchange with O’Mullan, reduced the gap to one.
Randalstown restored their two-point advantage when McCloskey’s effort was touched over by the All Saints goalkeeper, but another O’Kane free brought Ballymena back within striking distance.
The home side finished the half strongly and struck for a vital goal after 26 minutes to move 1-6 to 1-4 ahead. Tír na nÓg might have reduced the deficit before the break, but their goalkeeper produced an excellent save at the other end after a flowing All Saints move involving Emma Laverty, Marnie Kelly and Mollie O’Brien.
All Saints took control immediately after the restart. Marnie Kelly’s close-range effort was saved, but Aine Kearney reacted quickest to the rebound and fired the loose ball into the net.
Kelly followed with a point before Méabh O’Kane landed another excellent score to stretch the Ballymena lead to 2-9 to 1-4 after six minutes.
When thirst gets the better of you and you spot your friends on the sideline with a tin of coke
The hosts continued to dominate possession. Helena O’Dornan won a Tír na nÓg kick-out and helped create another point for Kelly, while Kearney also split the posts following good work by O’Dornan and Kelly.
Tír na nÓg continued to battle, with Niamh McKinley producing the score of the game when she landed a superb point from around the edge of the D. However, All Saints were now firmly in control.
Anna O’Kane added further points from play and frees, with Mollie O’Brien and O’Mullan also getting on the scoresheet. The Tír na nÓg goalkeeper made a number of fine saves, denying both Kearney and substitute Kalie Crutchley, but Crutchley recovered from her opportunity to blast the ball over the bar.
All Saints added a third goal and further points during the closing stages to complete an impressive second-half display and secure a deserved 3-18 to 1-8 victory.
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