Kerry have lost the TG4 Ladies All-Ireland Senior football Championship final.
The final saw the Kingdom fall to Galway at Croke Park; Galway 2-7 Kerry 0-12.
Antrim 1-13 Carlow 2-9
By Daire Walsh
Maria O’Neill was the match-winner at Croke Park as her last-gasp point earned Antrim a record-equalling fourth TG4 All-Ireland junior football championship title at the end of a dramatic battle with Carlow.
Returning to GAA HQ after losing out to Louth in last year’s junior final, Antrim enjoyed a dream start when wing-forward Theresa Mellon intercepted a hand pass from Carlow netminder Nicole Hanley with just over a minute gone and proceeded to hammer the ball home for a breakthrough goal.
The Ulster side increased their advantage when Orlaith Prenter kicked a fine point from play, but Carlow finally got up and running when the ever-reliable Clíodhna Ní Shé struck over a brace of scores.
Antrim were proving to be extremely efficient in attack, however, and pulled six points clear after a 0-2 salvo courtesy of the impressive Prenter was supplemented by single efforts from O’Neill (who led the way in the race for the ZuCar Golden Boot award heading into this fixture) and Áine Tubridy.
Yet Carlow were determined to leave a mark on their first-ever appearance on the All-Ireland finals day and, following three successful frees by Ní Shé, Sara Doyle also kicked an excellent point on the run to leave the Barrowsiders just two adrift at 1-5 to 0-6 at the interval.
Ní Shé’s sixth of the day reduced the gap to the bare minimum after the restart, before Antrim finally brought a barren scoring spell to an end when Prenter split the posts on the turn in the 37th minute. The excellent inside forward and team captain Bronagh Devlin went on contribute further points for the Saffrons, but after Aoibhín Webb and Aibha Kiernan had kept Carlow in touch, the latter rifled the ball to the net on 48 minutes to give the Barrowsiders the lead for the very first time.
Despite this set-back, Antrim turned things around and were on course to prevail when Prenter, O’Neill (two) and Aoibheann Monaghan all found the range during a strong scoring blitz.
The prospect of a replay loomed large when a 59th minute goal by substitute Megan Townsend sensationally got Carlow back on level terms, but there was enough time remaining for Antrim to forge a breakaway attack and O’Neill was in the right place to knock over a decisive score with just 15 seconds left on the clock.
Scorers – Antrim: O Prenter 0-6 (1f), M O’Neill 0-4 (2f), T Mellon 1-0, A Tubridy, B Devlin, A Monaghan 0-1 each.
Carlow: C Ní Shé 0-6 (5f), A Kiernan 1-1, M Townsend 1-0, A Webb, S Doyle 0-1 each.
ANTRIM: A Devlin; E Kearns, M Blaney, M Mulholland; L Agnew, D Coleman, C McKenna; L Dahunsi, Á Tubridy; T Mellon, B Devlin, A Davidson; EL McAreavey, M O’Neill, O Prenter. Subs: A Monaghan for Davidson (38), H Donaghy for Tubridy (48), A Taggart for Dahunsi (56), C Taggart for Agnew (59).
CARLOW: N Hanley; A Carroll, A Roche, S O’Neill; A Webb, N Forde, R Bermingham; R Bailey, C O’Neill; E Hayden, C Ní Shé, A Hanley; Bronagh Nolan, S Doyle, A Kiernan.
Subs: M Townsend for Hayden (36), M Healy for C O’Neill (40), Béibhín Nolan for Bermingham (48-49), C O’Neill for Bronagh Nolan (53).
Referee: Conor McCarthy (Cork).
Roscommon 2-12 Fermanagh 0-6
By Ivan Smyth
Roscommon were crowned TG4 All-Ireland intermediate champions for the first time since 2005 as Aisling Feely’s two opening half goals set the winners on their way.
Roscommon laid the foundations in the opening half as they powered 2-7 to 0-2 ahead at half-time following a first-half display filled with sharp movement up front, control of both sets of kickouts and a tigerish defensive display with sweeper Saoirse Wynne in particular impressing.
Unsurprisingly the early stages of this contest were nervy as Feely got Roscommon off the mark with a classy right footed effort. But, Fermanagh managed to respond through a converted free from sharpshooter Eimear Smyth. From there Roscommon made their move as 2-4 without reply allowed Finbar Egan’s charges take firm control of the contest.
A Caoimhe Lennon effort, after excellent work by Laura Mannion, proved the spark that ignited the Roscommon flame as they excelled in every sector of the field. A further Caoimhe Lennon effort pushed Roscommon 0-3 to 0-1 and when Feely turned over Áine Haren’s resulting kickout and finished to the net, Roscommon were purring.
That goal kickstarted a run of 2-1 in six minutes for Feely as she latched on to Abby Curran’s through ball before her long range effort found the roof of the net. A Smyth free ended Roscommon’s scoring barrage but Niamh Feeney and Curran efforts pushed them 11 points clear at half time.
Roscommon produced a deft second half display as they controlled possession yet always carried a strong threat in attack. Sub Lauren Shanagher impressed upon her introduction as she twice went close to netting while fellow replacement Ria Lennon executed an excellent turnover that allowed Caoimhe Lennon to open the second half scoring.
Ella Thompson bagged a score her all-action performance merited while Laura Mannion arrowed over a free to push Roscommon 2-10 to 0-2 in front. To their credit Fermanagh continued to battle as Smyth bagged three late scores (two frees) while Cliodhna Martin also slotted over.
But there was no doubting Roscommon’s superiority as they ensured their first Croke Park appearance in 25 years ended with them lifting the Mary Quinn Memorial Cup.
Scorers – Roscommon: A Feely 2-2, C Lennon 0-3, E Thompson 0-2, N Feeney, A Curran, K Nolan, L Mannion (1f), L Shanagher 0-1 each.
Fermanagh: E Smyth 0-5 (4f), C Martin 0-1.
ROSCOMMON: H Cummins; M McKeon, A Connaughton, Á McGrath; N Feeney, S Wynne, E Thompson; R Cox, A Curran; K Nolan, E Irwin, L Mannion; Róise Lennon, A Feely, C Lennon. Subs: L Shanagher for Róise Lennon (36), Ria Lennon for K Nolan (41), R Fitzmaurice for L Mannion (47), N Watson for N Feeney (54), R Brady for A Connaughton (57).
FERMANAGH: Á Haren; S McQuade, C Breen, A O’Brien; CC Bogue, S McCarville, B Bannon; A McCarney, J Doonan; S Britton, N McManus, S Barrett; B Smyth, E Smyth, C McGarrigle. Subs: C Gallagher for C McGarrigle (33), C Breen for B Smyth (43), E Carrigan for B Bannon (47), C Martin for A McCarney (47), M Mulligan for N McManus (56)
Referee: Kevin Phelan (Laois).
