Lidl National Ladies' Football League Division One: Armagh 4-7 Cork 2-16
ARMAGH just missed out on the last of the Division One semi-final places after a three-point loss to defending champions Cork in Abbotstown on Sunday.
The Ulster side trailed by 10 points with 13 minutes remaining, but a superb comeback, during which they hit 2-2, brought them right back into it to narrow the gap to two points. Had they been able to cut the gap further, or allow it to stay at two points, they would have snatched the last of the semi-final berths but a vital point from Cork substitute Eimear Scally put three between them and it is Kerry who took the last of the knock-out spots, thanks to a better score difference, setting up a semi-final meeting with table-toppers Mayo on Saturday.
If missing out on the semis by just a point was a big disappointment for the Orchard county what was an even bitter pill to swallow was the fact they had initially thought they had secured their place in the last four. The Ladies Association had confirmed the semi-final pairings as Dublin v Cork and Mayo v Armagh for this weekend, however, a couple of hours later they retracted that after re-reading their league rules and regulations to confirm that Kerry and not Armagh had taken fourth spot in the table.
In all, six teams - Cork, Dublin, Armagh, Kerry and Galway - finished joint second on 12 points behind leaders Mayo who went all seven games undefeated. Galway had already missed out on the semi-finals before this last refixed game as their scoring difference was the worst among them, however it was still all to play for between Armagh, Cork and Kerry. Cork needed to win to guarantee their semi-final spot, while Armagh would nose Kerry out should they not lose by any more than two points. Losing by three points enforced the rule that saw their scores against relegated Tyrone count which gave them a greater scoring difference.
Armagh found themselves on the back foot from the start when Ciara O’Sullivan netted from close range after just 30 seconds, pouncing on the rebound after Orlagh Farmer hit the crossbar. Cork added further points and led 1-4 to 0-0 after just six minutes.
Mackin got Armagh on the scoreboard from a free just after Annie Walsh had further extended Cork’s lead with their fifth point. A much-needed Caroline O’Hanlon goal for the Ulster side brought them right back into it at 1-5 to 1-1, however, Cork kept their side of the scoreboard ticking over with points as Armagh struggled to find the target.
It looked like it was not to be their afternoon when Mackin saw her penalty kick come off the post and go wide after Caroline O’Hanlon was fouled by goalkeeper Martina O’Brien. Briege Corkery punished that miss with a point that saw Cork lead by eight 1-9 to 1-1.
However, Mackin made amends with a point from a free followed by a goal that left O’Brien with no chance and reduced the gap back to four, 1-9 to 2-2 and with another point coming from her sister Blaithin before half-time, Armagh trailed 1-11 to 2-3.
O’Sullivan struck again for Cork’s second goal right after the resumption before she and Mackin exchanged points as the gap remained at eight points. A right-footed effort from Orla Finn gave Cork a nine-point lead, 2-14 to 2-5, and with 13 minutes remaining Annie Walsh put 10 points between them as Armagh looked increasingly like missing out that last four berth.
But then came the comeback. McCleary started it off with a superb point that was soon followed up with a goal from centre half-back Fionnuala McKenna and another Blaithin Mackin point, her second in the second-half. The game’s momentum had swung in Armagh’s favour as Cork’s lead was slashed to five points, 2-15 to 3-7.
That soon became two points as Aimee Mackin finished brilliantly to the back of the net and it was game on as Armagh’s semi-final hopes were revived. However, Scally’s point would end those hopes.
Lidl National Ladies' Football League Division Four semi-final: Antrim 2-11 Longford 0-13
TWO first-half goals from Meabh McCurdy proved crucial as Antrim booked their place in the Division Four final against Limerick in two weeks’ time.
It is a second final appearance for the Saffrons in three years, Roscommon denying them silverware and promotion in 2014. Seamus McKenna’s side had their noses in front at half-time, 2-2 to 0-7, and although Longford, who qualified for the semi-finals after finishing top of the table, edged two points in front early in the second half, it was five unanswered points between the 43rd and 54th minutes that sealed this impressive victory.
McCurdy struck for the game’s first goal in the fourth minute after Orla Noonan had put Longford in front with a point a minute earlier. Longford reduced the deficit to a point while Antrim had their goalkeeper to thank for maintaining their lead to deny Laura Burke a certain goal.
Eimear Gallagher extended Antrim’s lead to 1-1 to 0-3 before McCurdy found the back of the net for a second time at the end of the first quarter opening up a four-point advantage. Longford finished the half the stronger to reduce the Antrim deficit back to a single point to leave it all to play for in the second-half.
Longford began the second-half as they finished the first and moved into a two point lead 0-11 to 2-3, however, points from Gallagher and Mairead Cooper levelled matters. Then came those five unanswered points in an 11 minute spell, Clare Timoney and Gallagher with two apiece and Cooper with the other to open up a 2-10 to 0-11 lead and despite a couple of late Longford points, Antrim held firm to book their place in the final on April 30.
Limerick came through in the other semi-final with a 0-14 to 2-6 victory over Wicklow.
