AIB Ulster Junior A club final: Brídíní Óga Glenravel (Antrim) 1-13 Granemore (Armagh) 0-9
LUCY Doyle opened the scoring in this AIB Ulster Junior final in Derrytresk and Rachael Merry slotted over a free just after Aimee Traynor had levelled for Brídíní Óga a few minutes later.
However those few minutes were the only time Armagh champions Granemore were ahead of the Glenravel girls who pushed on to their first title after Molly Woulahan buried the only goal of the game after eight minutes.
The Antrim champions dominated the middle third of the pitch with the half-backs settling well after those early Granemore scores. Laoise McKenna and Kirsty Laverty took control of midfield and the power of Sarah Fyfe, Torie Edgar and Woulahan cause problems for the Armagh side who simply couldn’t get enough ball into the obvious threat posed by Rachael Merry who took seven points, including four from frees.
“You walk into Dunsilly a couple of hours before training and the place is bouncing with music - it’s a really good place to be for players who want to be the best that they can be” Antrim’s Paddy Burke
Offaly hurling legend Johnny Pilkington talks facing Antrim, the Faithful future and what Davy Fitzgerald brings to the Saffrons
Eimhear McAleenan, with the first of her nine points, drew Glenravel level. Then came Woulahan’s goal after good work out the field by McAleenan and Erin Coulter.
There was a couple of other goal chances for Woulahan through the first half and one was initially awarded just two minutes before the break. However it was then over-ruled by an umpire and the Antrim side led by 1-6 to 0-4 at half time.
Laoise McKenna and McAleenan from a free stretched the gap to seven points on the re-start and that remained the gap throughout the second half with the free-taking of Merry and McAleenan cancelling each other out.
Even when Merry pointed from play to close the gap to six in the 58th minute, Glenravel were always in control. Torie Edgar notched a late point and the Antrim side marched through to an All-Ireland semi-final meeting with Limerick and Munster champions Adare in Edenderry on Sunday next.
Brídíní Óga Glenravel: O Donnelly; A Mulholland, M McKenna, J Woulahan; E Coulter, M Mulholland, B Laverty; L McKenna, K Laverty; E McAleenan (0-9, 0-8 frees), S Fyfe (0-1), V Edgar (0-1); A Traynor (0-1), M Woulahan (1-0), A Millar.
Subs: N McKay for A Millar (52), C Duffin for E McAleenan (58), S McDonnell for S Fyfe (62)
Granemore: C Devlin; Á Keenan, C O’Hare, C McClelland; A McVeigh, A Doyle, E Heagney; M Haughey, C Doyle (0-1); L Carr, E Lavery, K Smyth; L Doyle (0-1), G McWilliams, R Merry (0-7, 0-4 frees).
Subs: A McClelland for A McVeigh (36), C Carr for L Carr (44)
Referee: M McGann (Monaghan)