Louth defeat Antrim to claim Wee County’s record fourth junior title

All-Ireland women’s junior football final: Louth 0-13 Antrim 1-8

Kate Flood kicked four points at Croke Park as Louth held off a stubborn challenge from Antrim to claim a record fourth All-Ireland junior football championship title.

It was the Ulster side who initially hit the ground running, with captain Bronagh Devlin superbly drilling a third-minute penalty into the roof of the Louth net after Theresa Mellon was adjudged to have been fouled inside the square off a Maria O’Neill free that dropped short.

Mellon followed up with a fine point for the Saffrons and even though Louth, who lost to Fermanagh in last year’s junior decider, eventually opened their account through Aoife Russell, Omolara Dahunsi reinforced Antrim’s early authority by splitting the posts at the opposite end.

Dahunsi also found the range in response to back-to-back points from Russell and Ceire Nolan, but during the temporary absence of Bronagh Devlin for a yellow card offence, the Wee County cut their deficit to the bare minimum with impressive contributions from Flood and Shannen McLaughlin.

Inside Gaelic Games: The weekly GAA newsletter from The Irish Times

Dublin manager Paul Casey: ‘I think everybody played close to their best. To do it on this day of all days is very, very satisfying’

Dublin blow Meath away in All-Ireland women’s SFC final – As it happened

Dublin turn up the heat on Meath and emerge as deserving champions

Bronagh Devlin celebrates scoring a goal for Antrim from a penalty. Photograph: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

Although Antrim sharpshooter O’Neill was on target not long after Devlin’s return, unanswered points by captain Áine Breen and the ever-dependable Flood ensured Louth brought a 0-8 to 1-4 cushion into the interval.

Antrim were still very much in the reckoning, however, and were back on level terms with a second point from O’Neill three minutes into the second period, but Eimear Byrne was on hand to restore Louth’s slender lead on 38 minutes.

An outstanding score from the increasingly-influential Flood left Louth two points to the good moving into the final-quarter and they were a step closer to another junior crown when Breen and substitute Mia Duffy added points.

Lucy White subsequently increased Louth’s cushion and even though a late surge from Antrim produced three points on the bounce from Ana Mulholland, Mellon and O’Neill’s goal-bound effort that was deflected over the bar, the Wee County ultimately prevailed.

LOUTH: R Lambe Fagan; R Beirth, E Hand, E Murray; H Lambe Sally, S McLaughlin (0-1), L Byrne; A Breen (capt, 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 mins), L Collins for Russell (56), G McCrave for Lambe Sally, Z Sweeney for White (both 59).

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 (0-3, 1f), Aoife Kelly; B Devlin (capt, 1-0 pen), O Dahunsi (0-2), L Agnew.

Subs: A Turley for Tubridy, A Monaghan for Kelly (both 39 mins), B Nic Cathail for Agnew (47), N Jones for B Devlin, Aine Kelly for McKenna (both 56).

Referee: K Corcoran (Mayo).