All-Ireland Junior Final
Antrim 1-8 Louth 0-13
Croke Park
ANTRIM suffered a devastating two-point defeat at the hands of Louth at Croke Park on Sunday afternoon.
The Saffrons had their unbeaten run ended after they fell at the final hurdle with Louth proved too strong for the Ulster champions.
It was the Saffrons who started and ended the game better after starting the final in style after captain Bronagh Devlin dispatched a penalty in the first minute of the game after Theresa Mellon was fouled in the box.
'This has been a positive season for us...''
'We'll be back!'
A disappointed @AntrimLGFA boss Chris Scullion after his side suffered a narrow defeat in the All-Ireland Junior Ladies Football Final... | 🏐#LGFA pic.twitter.com/Q9BTONsBcH— Off The Ball (@offtheball) August 3, 2025
Mellon then added a score of her own when she clipped a point from close range before Lara Dahunsi extended Antrim's early lead to four as the Croke Park scoreline read 1-2 to 0-1 in favour of the Saffrons.
Antrim seemed to struggle with the occasion after frantic attacking play lacked composure when it came to carving out genuine chances and opting for snatched efforts.
Defender Carla McKenna looked to have the best chance since the opening minute but she was caught in two minds as her effort flashed off the post.
SPOT-KICK: Captain Bronagh Devlin dispatched a penalty early on for Antrim
Dahunsi added to her personal tally and her side's on the 11th minute but after that Louth took control of proceedings.
Antrim skipper Bronagh Devlin was sin-binned mid-way through the half, and the lack of leadership on the field proved the difference as Louth's forwards began to put their mark on the game.
HERO TO ZERO: Devlin's sin-bin proved pivotal in the game
Kate Flood struck three points in the remainder of the half, with a brace just as the hooter was sounded, which sent Louth into the break leading for the first time in the game.
Maria O'Neill did level for Antrim straight after the restart but that was the last we'd see of the attacking play until the closing stages.
Aine Devlin kept her goal-line clear when she made the save from Louth's star Flood as she tipped her effort beyond the post keeping the scores close.
A late flurry from the Saffrons gave hope of an unlikely comeback after Mulholland and O'Neill saw their efforts float between the uprights and reduce the score to three points.
Antrim centre half-forward O’Neill was hauled down by Louth skipper Aine Breen in the final moments.
COMEBACK: Louth licked their wounds in last seasons final to win this year's All-Ireland
O'Neill had a chance to force a replay and attempted to do so when she almost lobbed the Louth keeper from the free that followed.
The Louth net minder did just enough to punch her effort over for just the single point, crushing the spirit of Antrim and clinching the All-Ireland Junior title for the Leinster county.
Antrim boss Chris Scullion felt mistakes cost his side and it just was not Antrim's day.
“It just didn’t fall our way today, it just seemed to be mistake after mistake sometimes and we were constantly trying to regroup the girls to go again, go again."
"It maybe took a toll on them. But, here, I’m not taking anything away from Louth. Louth were brilliant today.”
WE'LL BE BACK: Antrim Boss Chris Scullion is confident his side can go one further next season
The Antrim boss remains optimistic that they can go one step further in 2026, after an overall great season for the Ulster county.
“Credit to our girls, they want to learn off every mistake. That was our first defeat this year. We said from the very beginning this was a two-year plan for us.
“We maybe over-extended ourselves a wee bit this year. We got to the final."
“There’s nothing changed for us, we’re still in that two-year phase. Hopefully next year we can maybe build it again and be back.” said Scullion.
ANTRIM: A Devlin; N McIntosh, M Blaney, M Mulholland; S O’Neill, C Brown, C McKenna; A Mulholland 0-1, A Tubridy; T Mellon 0-2, M O’Neill 0-2 (0-1f), Aoife Kelly; B Devlin 1-0(penalty), O Dahunsi 0-2, L Agnew.
SUBS: A Turley for Tubridy (39); A Monaghan for Aoife Kelly (39); B Nic Cathaill for Agnew (46); Aine Kelly for McKenna (56); N Jones for B Devlin (56).
LOUTH: R Lambe Fagan; R Beirth, E Hand, E Murray; H Lambe Sally, S McLaughlin 0-1, L Byrne; A Breen 0-2, A Halligan; L White 0-1, E Byrne 0-1, S Matthews; A Russell 0-2, K Flood 0-4, C Nolan 0-1.
SUBS: M Duffy 0-1 for Matthews (42); L Collins for Nolan (56); Z Sweeney for White (59); G McCrave for Lambe Sally (59).
Referee: Kevin Corcoran (Mayo).
