Antrim claim Division 4 title with stunning comeback

Antrim lifted the Lidl National Football League Division 4 title, for the second time, with a narrow two-point win over Ulster rivals Fermanagh, thanks in no small part to a brilliant late goal from substitute Aoibheann Monaghan.

Fermanagh had been two points up in the 52nd minute when Monaghan struck, finishing superbly to turn the game in Antrim’s favour. The match finished with Antrim down to 14 players and Fermanagh ending with just 13 on the pitch.

Fermanagh made the brighter start, with Joanne Doonan opening the scoring straight from the throw-in. Antrim responded through Lara Dahunsi, and a Bronagh Devlin free edged them ahead before Maria O’Neill hit the net in the ninth minute to stretch their lead to four.

Fermanagh’s Eimear Smyth, in sharp form throughout, helped claw her side back into it, and by the 17th minute the scores were level again. Devlin nudged Antrim ahead once more, only for Smyth to equalise from a free.

In the closing stages of the first half, Smyth added two more points and Doonan chipped in with her second, giving Fermanagh a 0-9 to 1-3 lead at the break.

Lisa Maguire added to that early in the second half, and with Antrim struggling to register scores, it looked like the game was slipping away from them. Aine Devlin’s double save in the 39th minute kept their hopes alive, and it wasn’t until the 43rd minute that they got their first point of the half—Devlin again, this time from a free.

Fermanagh continued to press and forced a series of frees, with Smyth converting. Her seventh point of the match came in the 49th minute, pushing the gap to three.

The turning point came in the 52nd minute when Fermanagh full-back Ciara Clarke was sin-binned. A minute later, Monaghan struck—her goal giving Antrim the lead for the first time since the early stages.

There was no shortage of drama in the final minutes. Antrim’s Aine Tubridy was sin-binned in the 56th minute, but Fermanagh’s hopes of a late response were dealt a blow when Doonan was shown a yellow card with two minutes to go, reducing them to 13 players.

A final point for Maria O'Neill sealed the win for the Saffron girls.

Scorers – Antrim: M O’Neill 1-1, B Devlin 0-4 (4f), A Monaghan 1-0, L Dahunsi, L Agnew 0-1 each.

Fermanagh: E Smyth 0-7 (1’45, 4f), L Maguire, J Doonan 0-2 each.

ANTRIM: A Devlin; N McIntosh, M Blaney, M Mulholland; S O’Neill, C Brown, D Coleman; A Mulholland, Á Tubridy; T Mellon, L Dahunsi, A Kelly; B Devlin, N Jones, M O’Neill. Subs: L Agnew for Jones (35), A Monaghan for Kelly (36), C McKenna for Coleman (47).

FERMANAGH: A Haren; S McQuaide, C Clarke, E Keenan; A O’Brien, C Murphy, C Bogue; N McManus, M McGloin; S Barrett , C Martin, L Maguire; J Doonan, E Smyth, A McCabe. Subs: S McCarville for O’Brien (47), E Murphy for Keenan (54), S Barrett for Boyle (55), B Smyth for McCabe (57).

Referee: Eoghan O’Neill (Kildare).