TG4 All-Ireland Senior Championship semi-final

Galway 0-21

Armagh 0-8

By Kieran Lynch 

Galway were too strong for Armagh at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park, as a superb team performance with ten different scorers powered them to a 13-point win and booked their spot in the TG4 All-Ireland senior final.

The Connacht champions got the first two scores on the board through two Noones, Eva and Hannah, before Aimee Mackin got Armagh up and running from a free.

The Tribeswomen began to take control during the middle phase of the first half, with two points from Leanne Coen and scores from Niamh Divilly and Kate Slevin putting them 0-6 to 0-1 ahead after 15 minutes.

Scores from Kelly Mallon (free) and Aimee Mackin either side of an Olivia Divilly point provided Armagh with some optimism, but Galway closed out the first half in style, with points from Kate Thompson and two from Olivia Divilly seeing them take a commanding seven-point lead into the changing rooms.

Daniel Moynihan’s side almost had the perfect start to the second half when Nicola Ward broke three tackles and supplied Slevin to the right of goal, but she was denied superbly by the outstretched leg of Brianna Mathers.

Galway did increase their lead to eight when Coen notched her third point of the game, and although Mallon pointed a free at the other end, the Armagh goalkeeper was called into action once more.

Again Ward caused the Armagh defence problems, this time playing a give-and-go with Thompson, but Mathers again stepped up to the mark, denying the centre half back in a one on one.

Galway didn’t go empty handed however, as Roisin Leonard stroked over the score of the game from the resulting ’45, raising an orange flag.

Galway pulled 11 points clear coming into the final ten minutes with Niamh Divilly, Shauna Hynes, Ward and Olivia Divilly (free) all pointing, with Armagh’s response coming via two Aimee Mackin frees.

Moynihan’s side closed out a classy display in style in the closing stages, with two scores from substitute Hynes and one from Eva Noone adding to their tally. Two points from Armagh captain Lauren McConville at the other end were mere consolations, before Hynes closed the scoring with her fourth.

Scorers – Galway: O Divilly (2f), S Hynes 0-4 each, L Coen 0-3, E Noone, N Divilly, R Leonard (1’45) 0-2 each, H Noone, K Slevin, K Thompson, N Ward 0-1 each.

Armagh: A Mackin 0-4 (3f), K Mallon, L McConville 0-2 each.

GALWAY: L O’Halloran; B Quinn, S Ní Loingsigh, K Geraghty (capt.); H Noone, N Ward, E Power; N Divilly, S Divilly; O Divilly, K Slevin, K Thompson; E Noone, L Coen, R Leonard. Subs: L Ward for S Divilly (44), S Hynes for Leonard (45), C Trill for Power (48), R Quinn for Ní Loingsigh (51), S Healy for Quinn (53).

ARMAGH: B Mathers; A Donnelly, C McCambridge, C Towe; E Druse, L McConville (capt.), G Ferguson; B Mackin, C O’Reilly; L Marsden, A McCoy, C Marley; A Mackin, C O’Hanlon, K Mallon. Subs: C Henderson for O’Reilly (19), R Mulligan for Marsden (23), C McNally for Mallon (44), E Melanophy for Marley (48), N Reel for O’Hanlon (51).

Referee: Angela Gallagher (Meath).

TG4 All-Ireland Championships round-up

By John Fallon

Fermanagh will meet Down and Roscommon will take on neighbours Westmeath in the semi-finals of this year’s TG4 All-Ireland intermediate championship.

Down needed extra-time to see off another Ulster side Monaghan by 0-18 to 2-7 with Eimear Fitzpatrick shooting 0-9 against a Monaghan side for whom Cora Courtney and Aoibhin McCormack got goals in the first half.

Two goals in 30 seconds from Joanne Doonan and Eimear Smyth put Fermanagh into the driving seat to lead 2-6 to 0-5 at the break against Clare, with Smyth’s second goal helping to send them on their way to an impressive 3-12 to 1-8 win, with Eabha O’Driscoll getting the goal for Clare.

Opening half goals from Caoimhe Lennon and Laura Fleming helped Roscommon lead by 2-3 to 0-6 against neighbours Leitrim but they had to withstand a strong rally from the home side in Carrick-on-Shannon. Shaylyn Ward and Muireann Devanney got goals for Leitrim but Roscommon held on for a 2-12 to 2-8 win.

They will meet another neighbouring county in the last four with Westmeath defeating Wexford by 3-12 to 3-7. Goals from Amy Wilson and Aoife Fortune helped Wexford lead by 2-5 to 1-7 at the interval, with Katie Kilmurray finding the net for Westmeath. Anna Jones and Aoife Keegan got goals in second half as Westmeath pushed on for victory despite a late Anna Hughes goal for Wexford

Cavan and Louth both preserved their intermediate grade status. Aishling Sheridan and Sinead Greene got goals as Cavan defeated Laois by 2-12 to 1-6.

Louth, TG4 All-Ireland junior winners last year, will also remain in intermediate next year after Aoife Russell and Sophie Everitt got the goals and Laura Lynch hit 0-9 as they defeated Wicklow by 2-15 to 0-6.

Laois will now meet Wicklow in the relegation final with the losers of that tie dropping to junior in 2027.

Meanwhile, Antrim will take on Sligo and Carlow will meet Derry in the semi-finals of the TG4 All-Ireland junior championship.

Sligo defeated Limerick by 1-11 to 2-7 in a straight shootout to see who finished second to Carlow in Group B.

Three counties — Antrim, Derry and Offaly — finished on nine points in Group A so points difference decided the outcome. Antrim’s huge win over Kilkenny secured top spot, but while Derry suffered their first defeat when going down by 1-11 to 2-5 to Offaly, they advance by virtue of a superior score difference.

TG4 Intermediate Semi Finals

Fermanagh v Down

Roscommon v Westmeath

TG4 Intermediate Relegation Final

Laois v Wicklow

RESULTS

TG4 All Ireland Intermediate Championship Quarter Finals

Fermanagh 3-12, Clare 1-8

Westmeath 3-12, Wexford 3-7

Down 0-18, Monaghan 2-7 (aet)

Roscommon 2-12, Leitrim 2-8

TG4 All Ireland Intermediate Championship Relegation Play Offs

Cavan 2-12, Laois 1-6

Louth 2-15, Wicklow 0-6

TG4 All Ireland Junior Championship Group A

Antrim 12-31, Kilkenny 0-0

Offaly 1-11, Derry 2-5

TG4 All Ireland Junior Championship Group B

Sligo 1-11, Limerick 2-7

U20 All Ireland Championship Round 5

Meath 1-8, Dublin 1-8

Cork 6-7, Mayo 3-10

TG4 Championship action continues this weekend with 5 teams from the province in action.

SATURDAY

Donegal v Mayo – 1pm Glenfin

Tyrone v Meath – 1pm Healy Park

Armagh v Waterford – 3pm BOX-IT Athletic Grounds

SUNDAY

Antrim v Longford – 2pm Randalstown

Derry v Kilkenny – 2pm Celtic Park