currentaccount.ie All-Ireland Club Ladies' JFC semi-final
Claremorris (Mayo) v Lavey (Derry)
(Sunday, Claremorris, 1.30pm)
LAVEY take the next step in their amazing journey as they enter the All-Ireland campaign with a trip to Mayo to face Claremorris tomorrow.
The Derry champions followed up last year’s junior county title with the intermediate crown this year but, unlike last season, they got to contest the Ulster championship at junior level. digging deep two weeks ago to overcome Donegal side Dungloe in the final,.
Team captain Caitriona Toner led by example with an all-important goal to get them back into the game and then kicked the winning point.
It has been a year on the road for Lavey with just their opening round game in the county competition on home turf.
Despite this being only their second year of fielding at adult level, this side has shown superb character throughout the provincial competition, none more so than last day out, when for long periods, they were on the back foot against Dungloe and had trailed by five points at one stage in the second half.
They will face a very youthful Claremorris side backboned by a number of county minors. They scored 28 goals in their county championship and a further six en route to provincial honors, though they did ride their luck a little with the Leitrim champions St Brigid’s missing a penalty in the decider.
Lavey have proven their quality and when it matters they have the players to stand up and be counted.
Sinead McGill made her first start of the championship the last day and turned in a player-of-the-match performance in midfield alongside Maria Rafferty.
Niamh McKenna between the posts made a superb save at the death and Anna Rafferty a point-saving block.
Up front, Carla Collins and Aoife Shaw will carry the scoring threat and they have the players to keep this remarkable story alive for another day.