Reigning Antrim champions, St. Ergnat’s Moneyglass produced a power packed performance to overcome the challenge of old adversaries, St. Paul’s and claim their fifth Antrim Senior title on the trot at Glenavy on Saturday.
Driven by Cathy Carey at mid-field, the county stalwart kicked six of her sides seven first half points to leave St. Ergnat’s 0-7 to 0-2 ahead at the break with their other first half point coming from Maire O’Neill.
Their opponents only first half scores came from Niamh Richie after 8 minutes and Emilie Rogers Duffy with 10 minutes gone but it was going to take a much improved second half effort from the former champions if they were going to get back into the game in the second half.
That comeback never looked like materialising as Moneyglass hit two quick points on the restart and when Bronagh Devlin got in for a goal in the 4th minute it looked as good as over.
Eimer Rocks and Niamh Richie did add to St. Paul’s opening half total with two more second half point but it was St. Ergnat’s who continued to dominate with Cathy Carey bring her total for the evening to 0-10 and Bronagh Devlin, Maire O’Neill, Rebecca Bradley and Jo Jo Darragh all contributing to the Moneyglass total.
St. Ergnat’s will now turn their attentions to another tilt at Ulster where they are likely to face much stiffer opposition but on this form they will feel that they can give it a real go.
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A slick moving Gort na Mona proved too good for St. Joseph’s Glenavy in a good game of open football in the LGFA Division 1 on Monday evening.
The early exchanges were fairly even with Dembele Mills and Niamh Enright for the Gorts and Anna Mulholland and Megan Hannan for Glenavy exchanging points but when Ciaran Maguire edged Gort na Mona ahead in the 13th minute they began to take control.
Dembele Mills and Ciara Maguire added points and when Alyssa Davidson and Bronagh Crossin added two quick fire goals in the 21st and 24th minutes the girls from the Mona bye-pass were in complete control.
Blaithin Nic Cathail followed with her first point of the contest before Ellen Morgan gave the Chapel Hill girls some of hope when she finished to the net in the 28th minute.
That hope was soon dashed as Dembele Mills replied with a goal at the other end and Alyssa Davidson added a point to leave Gort na Mona 3-7 to 1-2 ahead at the break and good value for their lead.
Ellen Morgan briefly reduced the gap with a point for St. Joseph’s on the restart but Blaithin NicCathail replied for Gort na Mona and Broghan Crossin added a good goal to move the Gorts 14 points ahead with only five minutes of the new half gone.
Kella McAllister replied for the Chapel Hill side with a point but Niamh Enright and Blaithin NicCathail responded with points for the visitors before Eva Ramsey got through for Gleavy’s second goal in the 18th minute.
It gave St. Joseph’s a boost going down the home straight and they actually outscored their opponent during the final quarter while never looking like getting back into contention.
Ana Mulholland 0-2, Megan Hannan, Carla Scannell and Keela McAllister added points for the girls in orange while Blithin NicCathail from 3 long range frees and Ciara Maguire saw Gort na Mona home comfortably.
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A fine display of finishing by St. James’ Nicole Jones led her side to a comprehensive victory over neighbours Glenavy in division 1 of the LGFA All County League at Chapel Hill on Monday night.
The Aldergrove mid-fielder would finish with 3-3 as their side proved too good for their neighbours and deadly rivals to claim the early season bragging rights.
The visitors opened at a fast pace and were 2-3 to 0-0 up after 7 minutes with their goals coming from Meabh Rooney and Nicole Jones and Rooney, Jones and Caitlin Taggart their point scorers.
Helen Morgan finally got the home side off the mark from a pointed free and Lydia Grant added another but it provided only temporary respite as Nicole Jones pointed at the other end before firing home her side’s third goal in the 12th minute.
Megan McGarry for Glenavy and Orla Rooney for the Crumlin side exchanged further points before St. Josephs sent over three on the bounce through Helen Morgan, Bronagh Forester and Keela McAlister as the home side came more into the game.
Aoife Taggart replied from distance with 20 minutes on the clock but Glenavy were starting to grow in confidence and Helen Morgan 0-2 and Megan Hanna fired over points that sandwiched a goal from Keela McAlister.
The final point of the half fell the way of Orla Rooney for St. James who led 3-7 to 1-9 at the break but at this stage it still looked anybody’s game.
HT 3-7 TO 1-9
Orla Mullin in the Glenavy goals pulled off a fine fingertip save to deny the visitors on the restart and when Helen Morgan pointed a free in the second minute, the Aldergrove lead had been reduced to three points.
It would be as close as the Chapel Hill girls got however as St. James came back with a vengeance with Caitlin Taggart 0-2 and Aoife Taggart pointing before Katie McArt got on the end of a well-constructed build up to fire home her side’s fourth goal.
That was in the 11th minute and a minute later Nicole Jones put the game well and truly out of reach with her third major of the evening.
Aoife Taggart would add a sixth goal for the visitors in injury time and in between the team in Red would add to their ever increasing points tally with Caitlin Taggart, Aoife Taggart, Nicole Jones and Orla Rooney all to the fore.
Keela Taggart replied with a point and Glenavy’s best player, Helen Morgan converted a late penalty award but by that time the points had been secured by a slick moving St. James.
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Clann Eireann withstood a late sustained comeback from Antrim champions, Moneyglass to advance to the final of the AIB Ulster club final where they will meet Cavan champions Lurgan later this month.
A year ago St. Ergnat’s travelled to the same venue where they suffered a heavy defeat to today’s opponents and they were determined to put that defeat behind them.
Things certainly didn’t go to plan during the opening half when the Lurgan side raced into a 1-5 to 0-2 half time lead and were well in control with Cassie Henderson with an 18th minute goal, the replacement forward also grabbing a point, while full-forward duo Niamh Murray and Eimear McConaghy each hit two points.
Emma Louise McArevey finally got the Antrim champions off the mark with a point in 23rd minute and Orlaith Prenter adding their second in first half injury time but at this stage it looked a long way back for the Marian Hill side.
It got worse for St. Ergnat’s on the restart as Aoibhinn Donohue extended the Clan Eireann lead when she found the back of the net two minutes in to move her side nine points clear.
Niamh Henderson extended that lead to 10 and that remained the gap after Maria O’Neill, Cathy Carey and Bronagh Devlin pointed for the visitors and Henderson and Cassie Henderson replied for the reigning champions.
Orla Prenter, who had been well contained up to this point, hit two more for the Moneyglass side and Niamh Henderson and Eimear McConaghy responded for the Lurgan side with what prove to be their final score with 13 minutes remaining.
It looked over, even at this early juncture but St. Ergnat’s came roaring back as Orla Prenter hit three in-a-row to reduce the gap to seven points with five minutes remaining.
Cathy Carey put the cat amongst the pigeons when she fired to the Clann Eireann net in the 62nd minute and Prenter followed with another point to leave just a goal separating the sides with Meabh McCambridge claiming a late delivery from Bronagh Devlin as the visitors pushed for an equaliser.
A brave performance from the Antrim champions after a bad start and on reflection they will probably look at that start as their downfall but they certainly restored pride in the jersey and no doubt, will be back in search of a first Ulster next season.
Moneyglass advanced to the semi-final of the Ulster LGFA Senior Football championship with a comprehensive win over Down champions, Bredagh as storm Ashley made conditions difficult at their new Loughbeg Road ground on Sunday evening.
A goal from Orlaith Prenter in the 11th minute saw St. Ergnat’s take brief respite from the elements as they headed to the dressing rooms leading 1-6 to 0-4 at the break but at this stage it was still very much in the balance.
After the break the Marian Hill side pushed on to add three further majors through Aoife Leahy, Cliona Griffin and Orlath Prenter to run out convincing winners in the end and set up a semi-final meeting with Ulster champions, Clann Eireann.
It was St. Ergnat’s who opened strongly at Loughbeg Road as Orlaith Prenter pointed them ahead from a free in the 3d minute but the visitors were then handed the opportunity to take the lead but Maebh Kelly had her penalty saved by Aine Devlin in the St. Ergnat’s goals.
Leah Stewart added a point for the home side and this was immediately followed by Orlaith Prenter’s opening goal in the 11th minute to move the home side five in front.
Bredagh had been under the cosh but Laoise Duffy opened their account with a point in the 15th minute with Prenter replying at the other end before Maire O’Neill and Eva Hicks for the visitors exchanged further points.
Hicks added her second of the evening to close the gap to four before Prenter from her second free of the afternoon and Eilish Ward exchanged further points to leave it 1-5 to 0-4 in favour of the home side at the break.
The Antrim champions put the game to bed in the third quarter as Aoife Leahy fired home their second goal in the 4th minute and points from Orlaith Prenter (f) and Maire O’Neill moved them nine ahead before Cliona Griffin hammered home her side’s third major of the game in the 10th minute.
The Down champions rang the changes but it would be 18 minutes before Claire Timmony opened their second half account from a free and Aislinn Keenan followed with another from play.
The home side were still very much in control as Laura McCann got her name on the score card with a good point but Bredagh were still fighting hard and were rewarded for their efforts when Eilish Ward finally breeched the home defence to find the net.
It would prove to be too little-too late as Orlaith Prenter responded with her second goal of the evening for St. Ergnat’s, deep into injury time and substitute Bronagh Devlin wrapped matters up with a point in the 35th minute.
The Moneyglass girls will not have long to celebrate and they face a much stiffer test when they travel to Lurgan in the semi-final to take on reigning Ulster champions, Clann Eireann in two weeks-time but in this form they will fancy their chances of causing an upset.
Moneyglass: 1 Aine Devlin, 2 Danielle Duffin, 3 Niamh McIntosh, 4 Niamh Neeson, 5 Aoife Leahy, 6 Sarah O’Neill, 7 Rebecca Bradley, 8 Aoife Kelly, 9 Laura McCann, 10 Annie Griffin, 11 Cathy Carey, 12 Cliona Griffin, 13 Maire O’Neill, 14 Orlaith Prenter, 15 Jo Jo Darragh,
Subs: 20 Leah Stewart, 19 Emma Louise McAreavey, 17 Bronagh Devlin
