Ulster Intermerdiate Club Final

Steelstown 2-12

St Joseph’s Glenavy 2-11

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 10^th 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.

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

Ulster Intermediate LGFA Club Final

Glenavy (Antrim) v Steelstown (Derry)

Carrickmore 2-00pm Saturday

St. Joseph’s Glenavy travel to Carrickmore on Saturday where they take on Steelstown of Derry in the LGFA Ulster Intermediate final and they will have to be at their best for the full 60 plus minutes if they are to overcome the challenge of a strong Steelstown side.

The Derry champions have been knocking on the door of Ulster championship success for the last few years but to date the door has remained shut.

Its two years since Steelstown Ladies stood on a sodden Augher pitch watching Kinawley be crowned 2021 Ulster Intermediate champions. Brian Ogs’ hearts had been broken by an injury time Roisin O’Reilly point after a game they should have won.

A year later the Derry champions were expelled from the competition at the final stage in the most bizarre of circumstances when a late change of venue meant moving to a 3G surface. The city girls were already en route to the final without the necessary footwear and the surface switch meant they were unable to fulfil the fixture.

Steelstown have returned even stronger this year and their win over Glen Maghera in the Derry final where they ran out 2-11 to 0-3 winners to collect their fourth Derry title in a row shows they are in fine form.

They were sensational as they underlined, once again, their Oak Leaf dominance with a fourth straight Derry senior title; a fifth in seven years in what was their fifth successive senior county final.

Wins over a youthful Omagh St. Enda’s in the Ulster quarter-final and a resounding victory over Castleblaney in the semi-final where they ran out 3-13 to 1-9 winners will see them go into Saturdays final in Carrickmore as firm favourites.

St. Joseph’s Glenavy defeated neighbours, St. James Aldergrove in the Antrim final after losing to the same opposition in the group stages of the championship.

They really came to life in the knockout stages as they recorded a 4-12 to 1-5 win over the Crumlin girls in the final to send them through to the Ulster’s where they received a tricky away draw to Donegal champions, Naomh Muire.

The long trip to Donegal proved a successful one in the end for St. Joseph’s Glenavy but there were forced to endure a few anxious moments in the end as Naomh Muire hit 2-1 in the closing minutes to threaten the Glenavy party.

The Chapel Hill side held on for the win however to set them up for a quarter-final meeting with Down champions, Rostrevor where they received a home draw.

A late Ellen Morgan piece of magic swung this Ulster LGFA IFC clash the way of St Joseph’s Glenavy when they overcame the considerable challenge of a Niamh Rice inspired Rostrevor in the Ulster Intermediate Football Championship quarter final in wet conditions at Chapel Hill

The home side looked to be heading for a comfortable victory when they led by 2-3 to 0-1 after 19 minutes, their goals coming from Aoibheann Monaghan and Grainne McLaughlin but it was visitors Rostrevor who finished the half strongly.

Niamh Rice led the way for the Down champions and she would add 1-3 to Aislinn McGeough’s early point to close the gap to a goal by half time, the Glenavy cause not helped by a yellow card decision late in the half

Rostrevor started the second half as they had finished the first with Colleen Crios and Aoife Murphy pointing to close the gap to one after six minutes before Ellen Morgan edged the home side two in front with a point in the 11^th minute, their first score in over 20 minutes.

It seemed in vain as the Down girls came roaring back and when the impressive Niamh Rice rattled the Glenavy net in the 16^th minute, Rostrevor were ahead for the first time and looking the likelier winners.

Clara Mulvenna followed with a point to put the Down champions two ahead in the 18^th minute but it would be their final score of the game as Glenavy picked themselves of the canvas to finish strongly and earn a place in the semi-final.

Glenavy 4-12 Ballyhaise (Cavan) 3-9 semi-final

Injury time goals from corner forward Aoibheann Monaghan and full forward Ellen Morgan added a gloss to Glenavy’s victory over Ballyhaise of Cavan in the Ulster LGFA Intermediate semi-final at Chapel Hill, in a thrilling game of football. After leading by five points at half time (1-8 to 1-3) Glenavy saw their lead cut back to two early in the second half. They responded well and boosted by a Graine McLaughlin goal they pulled clear again. However the Ballyhaise girls fought their way back again and came within three as the game went into injury time.

There were still a few anxious moments for the home fans, but those worries were short lived as Monaghan and Morgan struck with two great goals in injury time to seal a place in the final against Derry champions Steelstown on Saturday.

Glenavy have been excellent this season but must eradicate their habit of switching off in games where they appeared to be in complete control as happened in all three of the Ulster championship games this year and they will need to keep their foot on the pedal against a very experienced Steelstown if they are to overcome the Derry champions

Steelstown’s bid for glory will once again be backboned by the likes of Aoife McGough, Ciara McGurk and 2017 All Ireland Junior Players’ Player of the Year, Emma Doherty, who led the Brian Ogs to Ulster Junior glory in 2015. That was a first provincial title for the city.

St. Joseph’s have their own star performers in county player, Grainne McLaughlin, Meabh Bradley, Mary McStravick, Bronagh Forester, Ana Mulholland, Aoibhean Monaghan and Ellen Morgan but are a well-balanced team unit.

The Antrim champions will go into Saturday’s final as outsiders but if they can produce their best for the full game and remain focused throughout then they can make it another bad day for Steelstown in Ulster deciders.