St. Gall’s had no answer to an excellent Mullahoran from Cavan in this LGFA Ulster quarter-final at Hannastown on Sunday with the Cavan champions at a different level to their Antrim counterparts.
Led by the superb Aisling Sheridan, Mullahoran made the running right from the start and had this one put to bed by the halfway stage where they led 5-6 to 0-3.
Their opening goal came from a somewhat soft penalty after 7 minutes with Sheridan despatching it to the net with Kate Smith adding a second at the end of the opening quarter to move the visitors 2-5 to 0-1 ahead.
The St. Gall’s point came from an Alexandra Burns free in the 13th minute and Burns accuracy from the placed ball was one of the highlights of her side’s performance as they were soon forced again onto the back foot.
Mullahoran’s Aisling Sheridan who scored 2-8 in her sides victory over St. Gall’s at Hannastown on Sunday
It was another Sheridan this time, Geraldine who came forward to register Mullahoran’s third goal at the end of a superb move in the 19th minute and there was a bit of dispute about goal number 4 with the referee deciding it had crossed the line in a goalmouth scramble despite protests from the St. Gall’s girls.
There was no such doubt about the visitors 5th as the superb Aisling Sheridan completing her hat-trick on 30 minutes to move her side 5-6 to 0-3 ahead with all three first half points coming from Alexandra Burns frees.
To their credit St. Gall’s tightened up in defence in the second half but continued to find it difficult to penetrate a strong Mullahoran defence in which Geraldine Sheridan was outstanding.
The visitors still managed to add 1-4 into the Hannastown breeze with Aisling Sheridan hitting 0-3 to bring her total for the evening to 2-8 with their goal coming from Kate Smith in the 18th minute and substitute Etain Higgins concluding the scoring.
Nicole McKeown, St. Gall’s wins possession
A tough lesson for the Antrim champions who battled gamely against the odds but on the day they faced a side who were at a different level and would not have been out of place playing in the senior championship.
It’s been a great year for the Milltown girls and with plenty of youth in their side they will take the lessons from this defeat and move on to better things in the season ahead.
A strong second half performance from St. Gall’s with the elements in their favour saw them turn around a half time deficit to beat St. John’s comfortably in the end in this Intermediate Championship final at windy Glenavy on Saturday.
St. John’s more than held their own during an evenly balanced opening half but received a bad blow when Maebh Laverty had to leave the field following what looked a serious injury.
Play was held up for six minutes due to Laverty’s in jury with Orla Corr kicking the final point of the half to give the Whiterock girls a narrow 0-4 to 0-3 half time lead.
It was a different story after the break and with the elements now in their favour it was the Milltown Row side who took control with goals from Alexandra Burns in the 9th minute and another from Erin Stewart in injury time securing them a comfortable victory.
It was Hannah McGirr who gave St. Gall’s the lead with a point in the 2nd minute with Luisna Adams squaring maters with a similar score with five minutes gone.
Nicole Killen and Alexandra Burns moved St. Gall’s two in front by the 9th minute but Anna Adams replied from a free and Olivia Todd squared matters for the second time as she sent over in the 22nd minute.
St. John’s Meabh laverty is helped from the field following injury in the IFC Final against St. Gall’s
The last piece of action following a lengthy stoppage for Maebh Laverty’s injury saw Orla Corr on target for the Johnnies as they headed to the Glenavy dressing rooms carrying a slender one point lead.
St. Gall’s, aided by the elements made a bright start to the second half with an equalising point from Alexandra Burns and when the same player fired to the St. John’s net in the 9th minute they were in control.
Further points from Erin Stewart and Hannah McGirr moved St. Gall’s five in front as St. John’s found scores hard to come by against the wind but Luisna Adams finally got the off the mark with a point in the 15th minute.
They would add only one further score with Anna Adams replying to good Hannah McGirr point from play and Erin Stewart wrapped it up with a goal and a point for the Milltown side, her goal arriving deep in added time.
A good game of football with both sides playing their part but in the end St. Gall’s were comfortable winners.
A word of praise for the host club Glenavy who had their ground in excellent condition and ensured everything ran like clockwork and we at the Saffron Gael wish Maebh Laverty of St. John’s a speedy recovery following what looked a serious injury.
A late rally from visitors Louth turned this division 3 league opener at Davitt Park on its head on Sunday as the visitors came from four in arrears to win by four against a new look Antrim side.
The Saffrons appeared to be heading for victory when they held what looked like a healthy lead going into the final quarter and with a gale at their backs, but a Kate Flood inspired visitors hit 1-2 going down the home straight to break Antrim’s resistance.
Emma Kelly’s side went into this game with a much changed side as more than a dozen of last year’s side have stepped away from the panel but for long periods in the game the new-look Saffrons more than held their own.
Losing team captain Ciara Brown to the sin bin late on didn’t help, but despite this the home side continued to engineer scoring opportunities but tired legs and that little bit of inexperience seemed to creep into their play as they were turned over on a number of occasions.
Antrim were first to threaten but a promising attack came to nothing and it was Louth’s Niam Rice who gave the Wee County the lead when she pointed in the 6th minute and Kate Flood doubled the visitors advantage with ten minutes gone.
Antrim created a number of early opportunities but the swirling wind made scoring difficult while at the other end the Antrim defence was playing out of its skin with Sarsfield’s pair Duana Coleman and Carla McKenna making a number of excellent tackles and turn overs.
Emma McFerran was another who came well to the fore in a resolute Antrim defence while her St. Brigid’s colleague, Hannah Donaghy impressed, despite still being a minor.
Ana Mulholland and Lara Dahunsi were more than holding their own at mid-field but it would be 23 minutes before Antrim would open their account when Caitlin Taggart converted a free and the same player tied the contest from another in their next attack.
Things got even better for Emma Kelly’s charges as half time approached as Duane Coleman launched an attack from deep in her own half and a smart build up saw Blaithín Ní Cathail finish superbly to the Louth net.
Kate Flood replied with a late point for Louth but it was looking good for the home side as the half time whistle sounded as they led by two with the elements in their favour for the second half.
With the wind now at their backs Antrim began the second half in impressive fashion as Lara Dahunsi split the posts in the opening minute but at the other end it took and interception from Duane Coleman to prevent Niamh Rice from finding the Antrim net.
It seemed to be going Antrim’s way when Aoife Taggart pointed another free to extend their advantage but Rice replied immediately for the visitors but Theresa Mellon kicked an excellent point and then Dahunsi cancelled out a Flood reply.
It was looking good at this stage for Antrim but Louth slowly began to gain the upper hand as they drove forward and drew a hat-trick of frees which Flood greatly excepted to close the gap to the minimum.
The Antrim problems were compounded when Ciara Brown saw yellow with four minutes remaining but they continued to battle but were unable to turn promising attacks into scores.
It was visitors Louth who would take advantage and substitute Mischa Rooney cut in from the right and pointed before Rice kicked her third point of the evening before Ciara Woods got the final touch to a speculative delivery to finish to the Antrim net.
Wood’s goal put a rather flattering gloss on the final score and it was rough justice on an Antrim side who had performed well throughout the contest.
The performance augers well for an Antrim side who were forced to make wholesale changes from last year’s lineout and hopefully they can gain a win sooner rather than later as they fight to maintain their division 3 status and build for the future.
“The wind was difficult for both teams, but it was just silly mistakes that cost us,” said Antrim manager, Emma Kelly.
“We can look at the positives where we are up in Division Three and didn’t look out of place, but it is very disappointing as we could and should have won it.
“Some of our kicking (in the second half) was carrying long or skidding away. We just have to learn from it and go again.” She concluded.
Antrim: S Murphy; D Coleman, E Ferran, C McKenna; G Shannon, C Brown, H Donaghy; A Mulholland, L Dahunsi (0-2); T Mellon (0-1), C Taggart (0-1f), A Sheehan; B Ní Cathail (1-0), A Taggart (0-2f), C Logan.
Subs: N McArdle for G Shannon (27), C Maguire for B Ní Cathail (39), C Finucane for A SHeehan (47), E Rodgers-Duffy for C Taggart (58)
Louth: R Lambe; K Mathews, A White, C O’Reilly; H Lambe, A Breen, S Mathews; E Byrne, A Halligan; M Duffy, R O’Connor, L Byrne; N Rice (0-3), K Flood (0-6, 5f), A Russell.
Subs: L White for A Russell (17), C Keenan for R O’Connor (39), C Woods (1-0) for M Duffy (45), M Rooney (0-1) for E Byrne, K Murphy for H Lambe (60+3)
There was bitter disappointment for St. Joseph’s Glenavy in Carrickmore on Saturday but when that disappointment abates the Chapel Hill girls can hold their heads high and look back on what has been a magnificent season.
Two years ago it was Steelstown who were feeling the same disappointment as they lost by the narrowest of margins to Kinawley in the Ulster decider and on Saturday it was Glenavy who felt the same emotions but what an effort they put in.
Caoimhe O’Kane set up Dara McKeever who got Steelstown off the mark with a point in the opening minute and O’Kane would go on to have a major impact on the final outcome.
Emma Doherty followed with a second and Aoife Collins moved the Derry champions three ahead as Glenavy took time to settle and the Chapel Hill side were in need of a score to settle early nerves.
It arrived when Grainne McLaughlin collected a long delivery and the Antrim county player left several defenders in her wake before powering through for the game’s opening goal and levelling the contest in the 10th minute.
This score brought Glenavy and McLaughlin to life and the excellent centre half forward added two quick points to move her side two ahead, much to the approval of the large Orange clad support who had made the journey to Carrickmore
Steelstown were struggling to deal with the pace of the Glenavy attack as Ellen Morgan finished off another clinical move, before a free from McGeough put a halt on the St Josepeh’s onslaught.
Steelstown regrouped and began to take possession on a difficult surface but they were having serious problems containing a lively Glenavy attack as Grainne McLaughlin fired over to restore the Antrim girls three point lead.
It was underdogs Glenavy who were now calling the tune and defying the odds as they continued to edge the exchanges but a late point from McGeough lifted the Steelstown mood as they headed to the dressing room at the end of a half where they were very much second best.
The feel good factor for the Antrim champions continued on the restart as McLaughlin pointed a free to restore St. Joseph’s three point advantage but they were hit with a cruel blow soon after as Caoimhe O’Kane got on the end of a speculative delivery from Kathy Holly to finish to the net from close range and the Derry champions were back on level terms.
It was end to end stuff at this stage of the contest as Grainne McLaughlin and Orla McGeough exchanged further points but Glenavy were relieved when Aoife Collins looked in for a goal but fluffed her lines and Ciara McGurk fired wide from the follow up with the goal at her mercy.
With just over ten minutes remaining, McGeough pointed to give Steelstown the lead for the first time since early in the game but Glenavy had the scent of victory in their nostrils and Ellen Morgan split the posts at the other end to tie the contest once more.
McLaughlin then pointed the girls in Orange ahead from a free from a difficult angle and the stage was set for a barn storming finish as McGeough responded with a Steelestown point to level matters once more at 1-8 apiece.
The Glenavy support were in fine voice as Aoibheann Monaghan moved the Antrim champions ahead again with a point in injury time and the Steelstown dream looked to have been shattered once more.
The Cup looked to be heading to Chapel Hill but there would be one last twist in this enthralling contest and Steelstown worked the ball forward into the danger area and were awarded a free that McGeough calmly fired over to send the game to extra time.
Bitter disappointment for St. Joseph’s and it looked like the momentum had swung in favour of Steelstown as they started overtime on the front foot as substitute, Leah McGonagle gave them an early lead and when Dara McKeever got in behind the Glenavy defence to fire to the net it looked over.
McGeough and McGonagle extend the Steelstown lead to six and only the most optimistic would have given the Antrim champions a chance but Glenavy quite simply would not throw in the towel.
They replied with a couple of points and Ellen Morgan gave them a glimmer of hope when she fired past Molly McBride in the Steelstown goals to close the gap to one with virtually the last kick of the game but time was not on their side and it was the girls from Derry City who put two years of disappointment behind them as they celebrated at the final whistle.
In the build up to Saturday’s LGFA Ulster Intermediate football final between St. Joseph’s Glenavy and Brian Og, Steelstown in Carrickmore the Saffron Gael speaks to Glenavy captain, Mary McStravick.
McStravick has had an excellent season in the Glenavy defence where she has been an ever present and has led by example and she was excited when we spoke to her in the build up to the club’s biggest game in their history.
“I have played for Glenavy Senior ladies for over 10 years and this has been without a doubt our best season yet! There is no better feeling that getting to an Ulster Final with your club. This is the first time in the history of Glenavy Ladies that we have made it to an Ulster Final and there is an unbelievable buzz around the club.
Mary McStravick who will captain Glenavy in their Ulster Championship final against Steelstown in Carrickmore
We had a difficult start to our Ulster campaign with a three hour bus trip to Donegal to face Naomh Muire. The travel was worth it and we came away with our first win of the competition. As you can imagine the bus home was not a bother to us and it felt like minutes before we were back in Glenavy.
We were very lucky to get two home draws then against Rostrevor and Ballyhaise in the both the quarter-final and semi-final. Through both games we battled hard and came away with two wins finding ourselves in the Ulster Final.
These two weeks have been very exciting leading up to the final. We really have the full support of the club behind us. We had a coffee morning on Sunday and it was great to see so many people from the club coming in to visit along with so many underage players! We are all really looking forward to the final on Saturday against Steelstown. We know we will have a lot of support from the club following us down to the game to encourage us from the sidelines” she concluded.
The Saffron Gael wishes Mary and Glenavy all the best against Steelstown in Carrickmore on Saturday and of course, our own Bert Trowlen will be there to capture the action and we will bring you a report on the game at the weekend.
Glenavy fans looking forward to Saturday’s final in Carrickmore
