TG4 All-Ireland Ladies JFC semi-finals: Antrim 3-18 Carlow 0-13; Fermanagh 7-9 Limerick 3-12
Maria O’Neill found the net twice as last year’s beaten finalists Antrim defeated Carlow in Dunleer to reach the TG4 All-Ireland Junior Championship Final.
Early goals in both halves from Áine Tubridy and O’Neill were the difference in a repeat of last year’s tie at the same stage of the competition, also at this same venue.
Orlaith Prenter’s vision helped her give the assist to midfielder Tubridy, who was charging through the centre of Carlow’s defence. The pass was inch-perfect, so exact that Tubridy had the easy task of not breaking stride and flicking the ball past the helpless Nicole Hanley in the Barrowsiders goal.
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That happened in the opening seconds and the game then hinged on that early goal. Antrim took advantage of a shell-shocked Carlow by tagging on three quick-fire points from Prenter, Bronagh Devlin and Caitlin Taggart.
Carlow’s sole focus then was to chase down that tally throughout the rest of the game. Inspired by Niamh Murphy’s block, Sinead Hayden went down the other end and opened the Leinster side’s account.
The goal separated the sides on three occasions in the first half with Ed Byrne’s outfit cutting the gap through the impressive Sara Doyle.
Antrim with the lead, were in control and played to their strengths with some direct football that stretched an already chasing Carlow side. Antrim tended to kick the ball more than their opponents and it showed in Grainne McLaughlin’s wonderful two points.
Nicole Hanley pulled off two point-blank saves and Doyle frees were enough to keep Carlow in the contest, but Antrim finished the half strong again. Prenter and O’Neill pointed to make 1-10 to 0-8 at the interval
Lara Dahunsi was her dominant self in midfield for the Ulster outfit and she clipped over the opening point of the second half, Doyle continued to keep the scoreboard ticking for Carlow but O’Neill’s goal in the next attack would all but seal the win.
Carlow could not sustain enough pressure while Antrim continued to pick them off the points thanks to McLaughlin’s free-taking prowess.
O’Neill’s second goal would eventually end it and, with a final on their horizon, Antrim’s bench was emptied and competition for places rose with Theresa Mellon and Michelle Magee finding the range in the finish.
The Saffrons will take on Fermanagh in the decider as Eimear Smyth hit 3-7 in their semi-final victory over Limerick in Kiltoom.
The 2020 TG4 Player of the Year was joined by Bláithín Bogue, Laura Grew (two) and Cliodhna McElroy as the Ernesiders overturned an early six-point deficit to finally book a ticket to Croke Park, after missing their chance two years ago.
Limerick made a strong start with four scores inside as many minutes. Mairead Kavanagh and Caitriona Davis pointed before the former finished off a rebound after Amy Ryan hit the post. Cathy Mee then made it 1-3 to 0-0.
Sarah Britton got Fermanagh off the mark on six minutes before Mee responded. Three minutes later, Smyth opened her account before a free left it 1-4 to 0-3.
Iris Kennelly converted for Limerick on 13 minutes but they wouldn’t score again for a quarter of an hour. Bláithín Bogue finished to the net for Fermanagh following good work from Britton and Cliodhna McElroy.
Smyth added two more points and Grew got Fermanagh’s second goal on 25 minutes. Limerick had been denied by the crossbar and a Roisin Gleeson sae from Lauren Ryan. The pressure was telling at the other end as Bogue won a penalty and Smyth made no mistake, for a 3-5 to 1-5 lead.
The Shannonsiders needed a response and captain Roisin Ambrose ran right through the centre before offloading to Kenneally who got Limerick’s second goal. Mee’s free reduced arrears but Smyth in response left it 3-6 to 2-6 to Fermanagh at half-time.
Davis and Kennelly brought Limerick back to within one after the restart but they lost Leah Coughlan to a yellow card. Fermanagh were getting chances but hit five wides and it took McElroy on 43 minutes to get their next score with their fourth goal.
Smyth got her second goal 60 seconds later before two more Smyth scores made it 5-8 to 2-8. Limerick didn’t relent and struck 1-2 unanswered through Katie Heelan and 1-1 for Kavanagh to bring them back to within four but Grew’s second goal settled it for the Ulster finalists.
O’Brien made it 6-9 to 3-10 before Limerick replied through Mee and Kennelly. Smyth completed her hat-trick in injury time to send Fermanagh to Croke Park as the Munster outfit will rue hitting the woodwork four times.
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