Football

Steelstown hold their nerve to win Ulster intermediate after epic final battle with Glenavy

Steelstown celebrate their win over Glenavy
Steelstown celebrate their win over Glenavy
By Louise Gunn

Ulster Intermediate Club Championship Final

St Joseph’s Glenavy (Antrim) 2-11 Steelstown Brian Ogs (Derry) 2-12 (aet) 

STEELSTOWN Brian Ogs clinched the Ulster intermediate club title with an extra-time victory over Glenavy in an enthralling final in Carrickmore on Saturday. 

Orla McGeough kept her nerve to convert a 64th minute free to level the scores at 1-9 each and force extra-time after it looked like 15-year-old Aoibheann Monaghan had hit the winner for Glenavy just two minutes earlier.

The first period of extra-time proved the difference as the Derry champions scored 1-3 without reply, Dara McKeever with a crucial sixth minute goal to help her side to a 2-12 to 1-9 lead at the break. 

Glenavy, who were very impressive throughout, brought it back to four thanks to two Grainne McLaughlin points

She found the back of the net with the last kick of the game, firing home from a free kick on the 13-metre line to bring them to within one, but  the final whistle sounded soon after, much to Steelstown’s relief. 

It’s a second Ulster club title for the girls from Derry city, eight years after their junior triumph, and one they had to battle right to the end to claim.

They came in as favourites by way of a second final appearance in two years and boasting a hugely experienced squad, but they came within seconds of defeat.

Antrim champions Glenavy can hold their heads high but that will be of little consolation, knowing they could easily have been taking home the Ulster crown.

Midfielders, 15-year-old Anna Rice and 19-year-old Anna Mulholland, fellow teenager Monaghan and Grainne McLaughlin were outstanding for Glenavy.  

Steelstown raced into a three-point lead by the fifth minute but it would be 18 minutes before they would find the target again as Glenavy hit 1-3 without reply to lead by three after 21 minutes, a well-taken Grainne McLaughlin goal in the 12th minute, latching on to an overhead hand pass and striking low past Molly McBride immediately put them back on level terms.  

McGeough converted a 23rd minute free to end Steelstown’s barren spell, but at the other end, McLaughlin pointed after working a short 45.

Another free McGeough on the stroke of half-time left just two between them at the break, 1-4 to 0-5. 

The second half was absorbing. McLaughlin, who finished with a personal tally of 1-7, extended Glenavy’s lead to three but a long direct ball in from Katy Holly got in behind the solid Glenavy full-back line and with goalkeeper Orlagh Mullin rushing out to meet it, Aoife Collins got her hand to it and McGeough followed in to fire it to the net and level the game 1-5 each in the 35th minute.  

The sides traded points before Steelstown saw a glorious goal chance go a-begging, the ball held up in the mud around the goalmouth.

They did take the lead in the 49th minute for the first time since the opening minutes through another McGeough free but Glenavy full forward Ellen Morgan levelled in the 55th minute and McLaughlin edged them in front once more with three minutes remaining. McGeough equalised once more a minute into injury time.

Monaghan was a real thorn in the Steelstown defence all afternoon and looked to have won it for Glenavy when she put them into the lead but there was still time for Steelstown and that McGeough equaliser to send it to extra-time.

Glenavy O Mullin; McStravick (capt), M Bradley, A McCambridge; C Scannell, B Forester, N O’Neill; A Mulholland (0-1), A Rice; A Monaghan (0-1), G McLaughlin (2-7, 1-6 frees), M McGarry; C McGarry, E Morgan (0-2), O McLeod 

Subs L Curran for McLeod (55) 

Steelstown M McBride; O McGough, A McGough (capt), N Friel; M Devine, K Canavan, K Holly; E O’Doherty (0-1), N Gilmore; E Doherty, O McGeough (1-7, 0-6 frees), C McGurk; D McKeever (1-1), A Collins (0-1), C O’Kane 

Subs L McGonigle (0-2) for O’Doherty (40), T Burns for Friel (44), E Connolly for Gilmore (57) 

Referee: S Coyle (Donegal)