Impressive Antrim crush Leitrim's League Final dreams

Leitrim’s dreams of Lidl LGFA Division 4 League glory and long awaited promotion were crushed ruthlessly and efficiently by an impressive Antrim who outclassed the Green & Gold in a sun blessed Parnell Park on Sunday afternoon.

Jonny Garrity’s side travelled to the famed Dublin venue with quiet confidence that they would end their sojourn in the League’s basement division but the Saffrons delivered a masterclass in patient play, remorseless pressure and mostly clinical finishing to claim the title and a place in Division 3 next year.

Leitrim never got going with the sort of fluency and rhythm that we expect as Antrim coped quite well with the threat posed by Michelle Guckian, Ailbhe Clancy and Leah Fox. Fox’s direct running caused Antrim a few problems but at times, Leitrim seemed caught between styles - the lung bursting runs of Elise Bruen and Laura O’Dowd that caused problems or launching long balls towards Guckian and Vivienne Egan.

Heartbreak for Leitrim as Antrim prove too strong in Lidl LGFA Division 4 Final - GALLERY

Bitter disappointment for Leitrim in the Lidl LGFA Division 4 Final in Parnell Park as Antrim stormed their way to a comprehensive 1-19 to 2-6 victory over the Green & Gold. Observer photographer Willie Donnellan was a busy man with his camera, see who you can spot cheering on Leitrim!

That’s where Antrim probably won the game - their deliberate and always in motion attack meant that they moved the Leitrim defence around and only hit long balls when they were sure their teammates were certain to win the ball, a contrast to Leitrim players having to fight tooth and nail to win possession.

As strange as it may seem to say this game turned on one incident given Antrim’s ten point winning margin, Leitrim did have one glorious chance to put the Ulster side under real pressure before halftime when one of Leah Fox’s lethal sidesteps landed her a penalty.

Had a yellow card followed for Antrim corner-back Niamh McIntosh, there could have been few complaints from the Saffrons but referee Justin Murphy from Cork exercised leniency, as he did throughout the game for both teams, leaving Fox with a spot kick that she drove wide.

A goal then would have been a huge let off for Leitrim who were definitely second fiddle in the first half and an enormous boost for the second half. As it was, it was Antrim who took complete control of the contest, doubling their halftime advantage to eight points midway through the second half.

A burst of 1-1 from Ailbhe Clancy briefly threatened a Leitrim revival but Antrim’s response was deadly as they outscored the Green & Gold seven points to one down the final stretch, demonstrating their superiority in no uncertain terms.

Leah Fox turns in disappointment as referee Justin Murphy signals a wide from her penalty kick Picture: Willie Donnellan

Leitrim got off to a bright start when Ailbhe Clancy fired over a free after Leah Fox was blocked off the ball after just a minute and after Orlaith Prenter dropped a shot into Michelle Monaghan’s arms, Vivienne Egan doubled the lead lead with a nice point from the corner.

Leitrim’s good start didn’t last long as the lead was wiped out in the space of a minute, first Lara Dahunsi finishing off a good move with an Antrim point before the Leitrim defence was drawn to Maria O’Neill who promptly got the ball to an unmarked Bronagh Devlin and she drove the ball to the Leitrim net.

A Prenter free followed on seven minutes but barely a minute later, the sides lever level once more. Laura O’Dowd’s surging run up the left wing ended with a crossfield pass to an unmarked Megan McGovern on the right wing. A quick handpass over the top found Michelle Guckian and the Leitrim captain made no mistake from close range.

Antrim were continuing to create chances however, spurning three opportunities before captain Cathy Carey took a short fifty and collected the return to score. Good work from Leah Fox opened the space for Michelle Guckian to score nicely on the turn after 16 minutes but then Antrim began to take control.

Bronagh Devlin finished off a good team move with a point before Orlaith Prenter made a superb catch from a long ball and produced the finish to match. The Antrim danger woman then scored a better effort after 23 minutes from the corner as Antrim now led by three.

WORDS CAN'T CAPTURE THE SHOCK

THE LAST POINT

Another foul on Leah Fox led to another Clancy free but Antrim restored their lead when Prenter pounced on a poor kickout to score. From that kickout, another turnover led to a point for the impressive Lara Dahunsi as the Saffrons now led by four points.

That lead should have been wiped out when Leah Fox broke through but was taken down by Niamh McIntosh as the Glencar Manorhamilton player tried to side-step the last player with the Antrim defender very lucky to avoid a yellow card.

Unfortunately, Fox drove her penalty low and wide of the left hand post with Ailbhe Clancy following up with a wide after an Elise Bruen interception, leaving the halftime score at 1-8 to 1-4 in favour of Antrim.

Leitrim hopes of a fightback seemed to wither on the vine in the third quarter as Antrim completely dominated and would have been out of sight but for a series of wides. Orla Prenter and Maria O’Neill both added points in the opening eight minutes of the second half but the Saffrons kicked three careless wides as well.

Carla Le Guen gathers the ball under pressure from Antrim's Lara Dahunsi Picture: Willie Donnellan

The Green & Gold were also missing chances with Leah Fox seeing a low shot held by the keeper while Michelle Guckian shot wide and the lead went out to eight points when two Leitrim players went up unopposed for a Leitrim kickout, lost the ball and Antrim surged forward with captain Carey firing over.

Prenter stretched the lead out eight points with Bronagh O’Rourke, Aoife Gilmartin and Siomha Quinn being brought on in an effort to kickstart a Leitrim fightback. It seemed to work as Quinn did incredibly well to hold onto a low Michelle Guckian free, held off two defenders to get the ball to Ailbhe Clancy who fired a rocket to the Antrim net.

That got the mainly Leitrim crowd going and two minutes later, Antrim’s eight point lead was cut in half when Clancy fired over a good point from play.

But that was as close as Leitrim would get as a clinical and well drilled Antrim outscored them seven points to one down the stretch to run out convincing winners. Prenter converted a free before Antrim turned over yet another kickout, working the ball to O’Neill for a point on 53 minutes.

O’Neill and Carey would both added points before Megan McGovern scored an injury time consolation point for Leitrim and there was no let-up from the Saffrons as they added three unanswered points before the end from Prenter, O’Neill and sub Laura Agnew that could have been a goal as she broke through later on.

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LEITRIM

Scorers: Ailbhe Clancy 1-3, 2f; Michelle Guckian 1-1; Megan McGovern & Vivienne Egan 0-1 each

Team: Michelle Monaghan, Rebecca Rooney, Jasmine Maye, Charlene Tyrell, Sarah Reynolds, Kasey Bruen, Carla Le Guen, Megan McGovern, Niamh Tighe, Laura O’Dowd, Leah Fox, Ailbhe Clancy, Vivienne Egan, Michelle Guckian, Elise Bruen. Subs: Bronagh O’Rourke for Egan (40); Aoife Gilmartin & Siomha Quinn for Tighe & Fox (43), Roisin McHugh for Clancy (56); Denise Stenson for K Bruen (58)

ANTRIM

Scorers: Orlaith Prenter 0-8, 2f; Maria O’Neill 0-4; Bronagh Devlin 1-1; Cathay Carey 0-3; Lara Duhunsi 0-2; Laura Agnew 0-1

Team: Anna McCann; Duana Coleman, Emma Ferran, Niamh McIntosh; Aislinn Keenan, Ciara Brown, Sarah O’Neill; Ana Mulholland, Áine Tubridy; Theresa Mellon, Cathy Carey, Lara Dahunsi; Bronagh Devlin; Orlaith Prenter; Maria O’Neill. Subs: Orla Corr & Grainne McLaughlin for Tubridy & Mellon (39), Laura Agnew for Devlin (47), Carla McKenna for S O’Neill (56)

Referee: Justin Murphy (Cork)