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An excellent team performance powered Armagh to victory over Longford in the ZuCar All-Ireland U-18 C championship final at St Tiernach's Park, Clones.
Armagh started the game brightly, with Lily McBennett splitting the posts from a free. Minutes later, that was followed up by the score of the day when Caoimhe Gollogly pointed a free from what would be two-point territory at senior level, but just a white flag was raised on this occasion.
At the other end, Longford got up and running after a well-worked move was pointed by captain Zara Drake, and although Armagh forwards McBennett and Alanna O'Neill split their side's next four points evenly, Longford remained within touching distance with scores from Mia Kiernan and Shauna Madden.
Tiernan of Longford during the LGFA ZuCar All-Ireland U18C Championship final
match between Armagh and Longford at St Tiernach’s Park in Clones, Monaghan.
Photograph: Ben McShane/Sportsfile
Indeed, David Tiernan's team had a chance to go level when Kiernan shot for goal, but her effort was blocked by Orchard full back Mia O'Hara. Instead, Armagh pushed six clear with scores from Gollogly, O'Neill and McBennett.
The Leinster girls pulled the gap back to four with Drake and Orla McGann on target, but on the brink of half-time, Armagh landed a crucial score when Nicole O'Reilly superbly finished into the bottom corner of the net, to put her side 1-9 to 0-5 ahead at the break.
Longford's Madden opened the second half's scoring, but a burst of 2-1 for Armagh in a matter of minutes virtually put the game beyond doubt. First, Jessica McCreesh finished into the far corner of the net, then McBennett added another point before Moya McGrane raised her side's third green flag of the day from close range.
McBennett and Drake then traded scores, before Cassie Henderson – who had a hand in so many of the Armagh scores throughout the day – got her just rewards with a point of her own.
The next four points were split evenly with McBennett and Gollogly finding the target for Armagh, whilst Madden and Lauren Maguire doing likewise at the other end.
With time ticking away, McBennett capped a superb display with three further points, whilst Gollogy knocked over another free. Gollogly then put the icing on the cake with the game's final action, firing home Armagh's fourth goal of the day.
Final score: Armagh 4-18 Longford 0-9
Scorers – Armagh: L McBennett 0-10 (4f), C Gollogly 1-4 (3f), A O'Neill 0-3 (1f), N O'Reilly, J McCreesh, M McGrane 1-0 each, C Henderson 0-1.
Longford: Z Drake, S Madden (2f) 0-3 each, M Kiernan, O McGann, L Maguire 0-1 each.
ARMAGH: L O’Neill; E Melanophy, M O’Hara, C Carnegie; A Hagan, M McGrane, A Lavery (capt.); E Hart, C Henderson; J McCreesh, L McBennett, A Brennan; C Gollogly, A O’Neill, N O’Reilly. Subs: B Carragher for Gollogly (34), Gollogly for McGrane (42), O Campbell for O'Neill (46), S McKeever for Carnegie (46), C McGeary for Brennan (55), J Bann for McCreesh (56).
LONGFORD: S McDermott; A Tiernan, B Reilly, L Killian; E Kearney, O McGann, L Maguire; M Kiernan, A O’Brien; E Feeney, S Madden, Z Drake (capt.); E Dowd, M Lynn, A Mulligan. Subs: S Murphy for Dowd (42), M Campbell for Lynn (47), L Kiernan for Mulligan (58), A Lynch for Feeney (60), L Kenny for Tiernan (60+3).
Referee: Kevin Corcoran (Mayo).
