Antrim and Longford will contest TG4 Junior Final

ANTRIM and Longford will contest the TG4 All-Ireland Ladies junior football championship final on September 25.

Antrim, winners in 2009 and 2012, have another chance to get their hands on the West County Hotel Cup, as Longford prepare for a first All-Ireland decider since their junior defeat to Tyrone in 1997.

Antrim hammered London by 6-15 to 2-8 in Sunday’s double-header at Fingallians before Longford walloped Derry by 9-26 to 0-3.

London got off to a brilliant start when Fiona Morrissey registered the game’s opening score, a goal but Antrim responded with a glut of goals, including efforts from Claire Timoney (penalty), Aine Devlin, Mairiosa McGourty and Mairead Cooper.

London’s other goal also arrived in the first half, courtesy of Aine Gormley, but the Exiles, who won this competition back in 2008, played second fiddle to an experienced Antrim side in this one.

Meanwhile, Longford continued their recent revival with that massive victory over Derry.

When the sides met in the League back in February, Longford ran out 8-17 to 3-7 winners but this championship meeting was even worse for the Oak Leafers.

Longford were up and running quickly in this one, with Aisling Greene netting an early goal.

The floodgates opened after that as Longford inflicted huge misery on Derry, finishing up with nine goals as ace forwards Orla Noonan and Claire Delaney contributed.

The scene is set for another close encounter between Antrim and Longford later this month – as just four points separated the sides when they met in a Lidl Division 4 semi-final back in April, Antrim victorious on that occasion.