TG4 All-Ireland Junior Football
Final
Antrim 1-13
Carlow 2-9
At Croke Park

A frantic final five minutes and the perfect kick from Maria O’Neill as the hooter sounded in Croke Park, helped Antrim Ladies on their way to All-Ireland glory on Sunday afternoon.

The Moneyglass forward managed to step up to the plate in the dying minutes and strike three crucial points, including the final kick of the game to clinch victory over Carlow with 15 seconds remaining on the clock.

Antrim were under the cosh and had to endure a nervy ending in Croke Park.

But the opening minute saw Theresa Mellon manage to find the net after she intercepted a slack pass inside the Carlow box and slotted beyond Nicole Hanley.

The sides went tit-for-tat in the next ten minutes with Órlaith Prenter striking a brace of points, only for Cliodhna Ní Shé to equal her points tally.

Prenter continued to pile on the pressure for the Saffrons and they extended their lead to four points by the midway point of the half.

Scores from Áine Tubridy and Maria O’Neill maintained Antrim’s grip on proceedings ahead of the half-time whistle, although Carlow began to grow into the tie.

A treble of frees from Ní Shé, and Sara Doyle’s fantastic clipped effort saw the deficit sit at just two points in favour of Antrim by the half.

Ní Shé kicked a great opening score for the Leinster County, but a quick fire double from Prenter just after the restart allowed the Saffrons to maintain the momentum — and the lead.

When captain Bronagh Devlin fired over from the left hand side, the roars in the Saffron and White section rose mightily from the Hogan Stand.

Carlow hit back with scores from Aoibhín Webb and a great effort from Aibhe Kiernan, but the real danger came when Kiernan managed to find space and drill an effort into the top corner of the net for a lead for Carlow with eight minutes to go.

Prenter and O’Neill both hit back with ferocity for the Saffrons but the final moments became nervy when Megan Townsend struck a second Carlow goal.

After the late rally, the game seemed set for extra time.

However, Maria O’Neill had other ideas. Aine Devlin drilled a kick out and Tubridy fired the ball into path of O’Neill who, with just seconds left on the clock, put the ball into the catch net to make Antrim All-Ireland champions.

Antrim: A Devlin; E Kearns, M Blaney, M Mulholland; L Agnew, D Coleman, C McKenna; L Dahunsi, Á Tubridy (0-01); T Mellon (1-00), B Devlin (0-01), A Davidson; EL McAreavey, M O’Neill (0-04, 2f), O Prenter (0-06, 1f).

Subs: A Monaghan (0-01) for Davidson (38), H Donaghy for Tubridy (48), A Taggart for Dahunsi (56), C Taggart for Agnew (59).

Carlow: N Hanley; A Carroll, A Roche, S O’Neill; A Webb (0-01), N Forde, R Bermingham; R Bailey, C O’Neill; E Hayden, C Ní Shé (0-06, 5f), A Hanley; Bronagh Nolan, S Doyle (0-01), A Kiernan (1-01).

Subs: M Townsend (1-00) for Hayden (36), M Healy for C O’Neill (40), Béibhín Nolan for Bermingham (48-49), C O’Neill for Bronagh Nolan (53).

Referee: Conor McCarthy (Cork).