Match Report LGFA NFL D4A R3

LGFA NFL D4A R3

Leitrim 2 – 12

Antrim 3 – 9

Leitrim, who maintained their undefeated league run, managed to secure a late draw against Antrim with a Sarah Reynold's point near the death in today's exciting Division 4A clash at a sunny Sean Ó'Heslin Park Ballinamore.

The home side got off to the better start and got the scoreboard ticking with points apiece by Roisin Fowely and Shaylyn Ward in the opening six minutes. In response Antrim took the lead for the first time in the game when Granine McLaughlin banged home a seventh minute goal.

The Saffrons stretched their advantage after Orlaith Prenter fired over two minutes later. Leitrim regrouped to get on level terms during the next four minutes when Michelle Guckian pointed a free and Roisin Fowley split the Antrim with a well taken effort.

The home side regained the lead when Fowley fired home a fourteenth minute goal. During this spell Leitrim also failed to convert two clear cut goal chances, one of which was a Michelle Guckian pile driver that hit the Antrim upright while the home side's other net bound effort was denied by an excellent goal line piece of defence by the Saffron's Maeve Mulholland.

Meanwhile Antrim recovered their composure before the first water break when Orlaith Prenter fired over to reduce the deficit with Leitrim to 0 – 2. After the post water break action resumed, Prenter cut the gap with Leitrim to the minimum when she again shot over their crossbar.

However Leitrim surged again to go 0 – 3 ahead by the twenty-sixth minute after Ailish Cornyn and Michelle Guckian whipped over a point each. But a Caitlin McTaggart Antrim goal in the space of another minute made it even Stephen in the exchanges for a second time in the half.

After this Antrim powered ahead following the conversion of a twenty-seventh minute free, which was slotted over by Cathy Carey. The Saffrons also held Leitrim scoreless during this period which brought the game to the halfway mark.

Cathy Carey (free) and Grainne McLaughlin fired over Antrim points to increase the visitors' advantage. A well executed solo-run by Maria O'Neill near the short whistle, enabled her to drive through the Leitrim rearguard to fire home an unstoppable shot, which put the visitors comfortably ahead by 3 – 6 to 1 – 6, and also put Leitrim on the back foot, at the interval.

Immediately after the restart Antrim increased their advantage to 0 – 7 when Orlaith Prenter shot over. Leitrim responded in a determined fashion over the next nineteen minutes when they held Antrim scoreless and hit 1 – 2 without reply, when closing the gap to 0 – 2 with the Saffrons.

In this spell, substitute Leah Fox fired home a Leitrim goal while another sub, Carla La Guen chipped in with a point, as did Michelle Guckian. Just prior to the game's second water break, Leitrim goalkeeper Niamh Ryan was sin-binned after a foul on Antrim's Cathy Carey just outside the 13-metre line.

Carey punished this foul when she tapped over the resultant free to put Antrim ahead by 3 – 8 to 2 – 8 just prior to the final quarter's action. When the final quarter's exchanges resumed Leitrim surged and got on level terms by the fifty-seventh minute thanks to Michelle Guckian who hit over two frees and sub Laura O'Dowd who added a point from play.

Meanwhile a terrific reflex save during this period by Antrim goalkeeper, Anna McCann denied a goal bound Laura O'Dowd Leitrim effort. As the game went into added time Antrim won a 25-metre free well on the right wing, which Cathy Carey cooly slotted over from an acute angle to put the visitors into the lead.

About three minutes later at the other end Leitrim sub Sarah Reynolds replied soccer style with a point, which just crept over the Antrim crossbar, to put the game into deadlock for a fourth and final time. Leitrim had a chance to sneak a victory near the death and some six minutes into added time when a Michelle Guckian 20-metre free hit the Antrim upright close to the final whistle.

Leitrim

Scorers: Roisin Fowley 1 – 2; Michelle Guckian 0 – 5 3f; L. Fox 1 – 0; Ailish Cornyn, Shaylyn Ward, Carla La Guen, Laura O'Dowd & Sarah Reynolds 0 – 1 each.

Team: Niamh Ryan, Rebecca Rooney, Sinead Tighe, Mary Alice Maguire; Ailish Cornyn, Clare Owens, Charlene Tyrrell; Aisling Quinn, Megan McGovern; Eilise Bruen, Michelle Guckian, Shaylyn Ward; Emma McGovern, Carmel McGovern, Roisin Fowley.

Subs: Leah Fox for C. McGovern (24); Laura O'Dowd for Ward, Sarah Reynolds for E. McGovern,Sioamha Quinn for Fowley, Carla La Guen for Tyrrell (all HT); Caroline Guckian for Bruen (39); Niamh Ryan for C. Guckian (62).

Antrim

Scorers: Orlaith Prenter 1 – 4; Grainne McLaughlin 1 – 1; Cathy Carey, 0 – 4 4f; Maria O' Neill & Caitlin Taggart 1 – 0.

Team: Anna McCann Emma Louise McAreavey, Aislinn McFarland, Maeve Mulholland; Duana Coleman, Niamh McIntosh, Sarah O' Neill, Grainne McLaughlin, Maria O'Neill; Aine Devlin, Cathy Carey, Caitlin Taggart; Bronagh Devlin, Orlaith Prenter,Clare Emerson.

Subs: Grace Shannon for A. Devlin (44); Ella Morgan for B. Devlin (55).

Referee: Ciaran Groome (Offaly).

Match Report: - P J Leddy