Limerick Ladies footballers storm into All-Ireland junior final

“SEMI-FINALS are there to be won. You don't ever care how you go about it,” was how Limerick ladies football manager Graham Shine summed up his side's thrilling 0-10 to 1-6 victory over Fermanagh in their TG4 All-Ireland Ladies Junior football semi-final at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park in Longford on Saturday afternoon.

The victory saw Limerick end a run of four semi-final defeats to qualify for the showpiece decider by gaining revenge over their conquerors of last year Fermanagh.

Although just a single point separated the sides at the final whistle, the result was never in doubt once supersub Caoimhe McGrath's six points powered her side into a winning advantage after her second half introduction to convert control of the play into scores on the board.

However, it was a different story entirely before the break as it took 26 minutes to generate the game's first score.
The winners looked to have shot themselves in the foot in the monsoon conditions by converting just one of their 11 scoring opportunities during that half while Fermanagh raised three flags out of four chances, grabbing the game's only goal for a decisive half-time lead, 1-2 to 0-1.

Limerick suffered an unfortunate injury to star forward Iris Kennelly at the start of the second half, but responded impressively to that setback.

Two quick frees finally got Limerick moving. The Shannonsiders were able to use their upper hand in midfield and their patience at the back to launch a series of attacks on the break that ripped open the opposing defence.

Even when Fermanagh threw the kitchen sink at them in injury time, they never looked in any serious danger of being caught.

Limerick needed a quick start to the second half after trailing by four points at half-time. Caoimhe McGrath was only the fields a matter of seconds as a blood sub for Kennelly when she pointed a free in the 32nd minute and followed that up one minute later with another one to cut the deficit further.

Soon after Fermanagh’s Sarah McCarville was sin binned in the 37th minute for a foul on Deborah Murphy and Limerick made their numerical advantage pay with McGrath kicking over two more frees and substitute Andrea O’Sullivan drawing them level in the 46th minute. 

Two points from Mee edged the Shannonsiders in front by two in the 49th minute, while Fermanagh replied with a pointed Bogue free. 

Fermanagh got a much needed point two minutes later from McCarville. However, Limerick held on to secure their final place.

Limerick will now face the winners of Sunday's semi-final featuring Down and Carlow in the All-Ireland final.

SCORERS: LIMERICK: Caoimhe McGrath 0-6 (5 frees), Cathy Mee 0-2, Iris Kennelly, Andrea O'Sullivan 0-1 each; FERMANAGH: Danielle Maguire 1-1 (0-1 free), Bláithín Bogue 0-3 (3 frees), Sarah Britton, Sarah McCarville 0-1 each.

LIMERICK: Carol Bateman; Maedhbh McNamara, Yvonne Lee, Alva Quaid; Grace Lee, Laura Walshe, Lauren Ryan; Róisín Ambrose, Karen Ó 'Leary; Deborah Murphy, Cathy Mee, Iris Kennelly; Leah Coughlan. Amy Ryan, Maeve McNamara. SUBS: Caoimhe McGrath for Iris Kennelly (injured, 32 minutes), Andrea O'Sullivan for Amy Ryan (42 minutes), Katie Heelan for Lauren Ryan (56 minutes).

FERMANAGH: Róisín Gleeson; Eimear Keenan, Molly McGloin, Ciara Clarke; Niamh McManus, Courteney Murphy, Sarah McCarville; Brenda Bannon, Aisling O'Brien; Sarah Britton, Danielle Maguire, Lisa Maguire; Aisling Maguire, Bláithín Bogue, Laura Grew. SUBS: Shannon McQuiad for Niamh McManus (55 minutes), Róisín O'Reilly for Danielle Maguire (58 minutes).

REFEREE: Ciarán Groome (Offaly).