Junior Championship
Three goals helped Eire Og see off St Paul’s in Sunday’s first Junior Championship semi-final. Part of a double header in Wolfe Tones.
The Craigavon ladies were the better team throughout the sixty minutes of action and led through the entire game.
Eire Og edged a low-scoring opening period, 0-5 to 0-1 at the break. Two goals after the turnaround put them up 2-7 to 0-2 and the result was beyond doubt.
They added a third three-pointer in the final quarter to secure a 17-point win, 3-11 to 0-3 in the end.
They will face St Peter’s in the decider, who were much the superior side in their last four clash with Pearse Og.
Five first half goals placed the Lurgan side firmly in the drivers seat as they lead 5-11 to 0-2 at the short whistle.
The Ogs found the net themselves after the turnaround, but the gap was too big to reduce by that stage.
Chloe Magill and Emer McCormick were on fire for St Peter’s, hitting 2-3 and 2-4 respectively. The final scoreline read St Peter’s 7-18 Pearse Og 1-4.
Intermediate Championship
Killeavy 5-19 Mullaghbawn 3-5
Killeavy added another prize to their trophy cabinet on Saturday, doubling up on their Division Two league success a few weeks ago.
The South Armagh ladies capped off a perfect year, going through the whole season unbeaten.
They produced some stunning moments of football in their one-sided dismissal of Mullaghbawn in the Championship final.
Grainne Boylan was the main difference. The corner forward excited the crowd each time she gained possession, driving towards goal at every opportunity.
The net had already rippled four times before the half time whistle. The Player of the Match raising all of their first half green flags.
Eimear O’Brien added to the victors goal tally five minutes into the second half when the result was beyond doubt.
Mullaghbawn fought bravely until the end, with Niamh Murphy, Lisa McCann and Caroline O’Hare never giving up.
Siobhan McKinley and O’Hare added goals during a Mullaghbawn purple patch early in the third quarter.
O’Hare sent through McKinley for a three-pointer before slotting home one herself from the penalty spot.
Mullaghbawn’s midfield maestro Niamh Murphy fired home a rebounded effort, leaving the score 4-9 to 1-3 at the interval.
The margin was much too big for Mullaghbawn to salvage something and Killeavy finished impressively, hitting the final seven points of the game.
Frances Quinn gave a heroic display at wing half forward. Although wearing the number 12, Quinn covered every blade of grass.
Captain Shauna Bennett lifted the trophy, last won by Killeavy in 2012, when County Chairwoman Sinead Reel was the skipper.
Grainne Boylan fittingly picked up the Player of the Match award and Killeavy will look forward to stepping up a grade next season!
Senior Championship
Carrickcruppen 2-19 Shane O’Neill’s 3-12
Carrickcruppen made it through the Camlough derby to book their spot in next weekend’s Senior Championship Final.
An Aimee Mackin inspired Shane O’Neill’s fought hard to the end, but Carrickcruppen just had enough to get over the line.
Mackin’s 12th minute goal got the Shane’s back into the game after their opponents had made the brighter start.
The Shane’s star matched a brace from the opposition, before Cruppen went two up thanks to Megan Cinnamond.
Caroline O’Hanlon widened the margin with her sides first goal, while another Mackin score made four the difference at the break. 1-9 to 1-5.
Aimee Mackin trades shots with Ciara Garvey and Cinnamond before Catriona O’Hagan put Cruppen five up.
The girls in green got right back into the game and this time it was Blaithin Mackin who netted, following great work from Orlaith McArdle.
Cruppen responded in the best possible way with a Sarah McCausland goal. The margin stretched to seven by the second water break, with a Ciara Garvey score.
It was end to end with Aimee Mackin matching four Carrickcruppen scores before rattling home her second goal.
The three-pointer wasn’t enough to get back on level terms and Cruppen edged through by four points.
Armagh Harps 3-8 Clann Eireann 0-15
The Harps continue their title defence and will look to secure the double next weekend after seeing off Clann Eireann.
The Lurgan ladies made the brighter start, leading, with a Tiarna Grimes double putting them 8-4 ahead just before the break.
Siobhan Feeney rattled the net with the last bit of action of the half, reducing the deficit, 0-9 to 1-4.
Clann Eireann kept their noses in front until the 26th minute, when Harps full forward Kelly Mallon netted to level the game.
Grimes swung over another effort to nudge Clann Eireann ahead, but another Harps green flag put them back in front.
It was Aoife Lennon who claimed the final goal of the game and that vital score secured the win for Joe Feeney’s side.
Harps will take on Carrickcruppen in the final for the second year running and another cracker is expected.
