Lidl National Football League Division Four final

Antrim 2-7 Fermanagh 0-11

ANTRIM secured the Division Four League title as a late goal from Aoibhinn Monaghan helped them get over the line against Fermanagh at Clones on Sunday.

The Saffrons went into this game off the back of eight wins including a semi-final victory over Leitrim which sealed promotion, but there was a trophy to win and Antrim again found a way.

These sides have met regularly over the years with little between them including earlier in the campaign when Antrimcame away from Tempo with a one-point win and again, they managed to get over the line to complete a perfect league campaign which will give them momentum heading into the Ulster and All-Ireland championship campaigns.

"We took it one game at a time and the results kept coming," said joint boss Chris Scullion. 

"We were happy with how things progressed in the league and we put ourselves in the position to get into a semi-final and take it from there if we won it. Today was no different.

"We knew how Fermanagh were going to set up as it would be no different to the first game against them down there.

"It was a game of two halves. The last day, we were dominant in the first half and they came back, but today it was the reverse of that.

"We've built momentum from game to game and will take that into Ulster as well. At the start of the year, we said this wasn't about one or two players to lead the team, but we wanted leaders to stand up and that's been right through the squad.

"The girls deserve this to go through the league nine unbeaten. They've put in a big effort so this is just reward."

Antrim were really made to work for their victory as Fermanagh opened with intent as Joanne Doonan landed a score in their opening attack.

Lara Dahunsi equalised and Bronagh Devlin then edged the Saffrons ahead from a free before Maria O'Neill cracked home a ninth-minute goal to put them into a strong position.

However, Fermanagh began to take control with Eimear Smyth in fine form from placed balls to level before the Erne ace and Devlin traded further frees.

But momentum was with Fermanagh and another two from Smyth with Doonan landing her second put the Ernesiders into a 0-9 to 1-3 lead at the interval.

Lisa Maguire extended the gap shortly after the break and they could have put the game to bed nine minutes into the second period, but Antrim goalkeeper Aine Devlin made an excellent double save to keep her team in it.

Gradually, the Saffrons began to turn the tide and a Devlin free got them back to within a goal and that was the gap when Fermanagh full-back Ciara Clarke was sin-binned in the 52nd minute, a big moment as just one minute later, Monaghan got through for a goal which was the game breaker. 

There were more yellow cards to come with Antrim's Aine Tubridy and Fermanagh's Joanne Doonan sent to the bin late on as Maria O'Neill kicked over a late point which sealed the win and title for Antrim.

"They set up really well and we struggled to break them down but won the second half by five points," added Micky Devlin, the other half of the management team.

"We gave too many scores away from frees, but we got over the line and that's the main thing. 

"We have won three or four different ways this year. We've won with flair and with grit, but today we won when the chips were down.

"Aoibhinn is only 17 but got one chance and scored the goal. Aine Devlin's save at the other end was the turning point to keep us in the game."

ANTRIM: A Devlin; N McIntosh, M Blaney, M Mulholland; S O’Neill, C Brown, D Coleman; A Mulholland, Á Tubridy; T Mellon, L Dahunsi (0-1), A Kelly; B Devlin (0-4f), N Jones, M O’Neill (1-1).  

Subs: L Agnew (0-1) for Jones (35), A Monaghan (1-0) 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 (0-2); J Doonan (0-2), E Smyth (0-7, 4f, 1x45), 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).