Write a comment
Limerick will take on Down in the TG4 All-Ireland Junior final at Croke Park on Sunday 13 August at 11.45am.
Down overcame Carlow at yesterdays semi final by 1-9 to 0-8 while Limerick beat Fermanagh by 0-10 to 1-6.
Down's late goal from Orla Swail was the difference ensuring Down who were relegated from intermediate last year, secure their place in the final. They now have the opportunity to earn an automatic return to the second-tier.
Down led by 0-6 to 0-4 at the break and eventually saw off the Carlow challenge when Swail got the only goal of the match four minutes from time.
“We needed something big like that,” said Down manager Peter Lynch. “The game was hanging by a thread. It could have gone either way and then that goal probably made it safer for us. We tagged on a point after that. Once we got four between us, it was just about keeping the house tight.”
It was Carlow who started strong but Down quickly found their rhythm and their full-forward line of Eimear Fitzpatrick, Natasha Ferris, and Aimee O'Higgins all got on the scoresheet to give their side the lead. Downs Ferris and Laoise Duffy extended their lead with well-taken points, but Rachel Sawyer responded with a score for Carlow. Ferris continued to cause problems for Carlow's defense and added another point to her tally. Sawyer added her second point of the game before half-time, but Down held a 0-6 to 0-4 lead.
Sawyer continued to be a threat for Carlow as she reduced Downs lead to just one point early in the second half. However, Aoife Brogan scored a fantastic point for Down to settle their nerves. Fitzpatrick and Sawyer traded scores, and a point from Carlow's Cliodhna Ni Shé left Down with a narrow one-point lead heading into the final quarter. Carlow thought they had found an equalizing goal when Ní Shé netted from a free, but after consulting with his umpires, the referee disallowed the goal. With the game delicately poised, Down produced the crucial moment of the match as substitute Orla Swail found the back of the net from a difficult angle. Sara Doyle scored a point for Carlow to reduce the deficit, but Duffy sealed victory for Down with a well-worked point.
You can get your tickets for the final at ticketmaster.com
