Armagh too strong for brave Sligo in Junior Final

Armagh Ladies claim junior crown

Sunday, October 2 TG4 ALL-IRELAND LADIES JFC FINAL: Armagh 0-12
Sligo 0-9

Sligo hopes of attaining their first TG4 All-Ireland Ladies JFC
title sank for the second year in succession at Croke Park on
Sunday, when Armagh made good in their first final appearance
to claim the 2005 crown. The victory sees the Orchard girls, who
beat Sligo in the NFL Division Two semi-final earlier this year,
graduate to senior football in 2006. A three-point victory was
the least that the Ulster side deserved though, as they amassed
some 20 wides over the course of their clash with the Yeats girls
– 15 of which were shot in the second half alone.

Such attacking dominance should have earned them a landslide win.
However, that was the tale of the second half as the first period
had seen a tightly contested game on display. At the break the
teams were level 0-7 to 0-7 but Armagh finally got some breath
space soon after the restart when Caroline O’Hanlon and Maeve
Moriarty sent over points.

Sligo were still in the hunt and could have turned the game back
in their favour when Stephanie O’Reilly’s attempt on goal came
off the butt of the post. Armagh continued to rack up to the wides
as Sligo kept within reach, but it always looked like the Ulster
girls would get the scores. Sharon Durkan and Caroline O’Hanlon
helped stretch their lead to 0-11 to 0-7.

Sligo had to wait for the final quarter of the game to get their
first score of the half, it coming from Noelle Gormley. They would
score a second, but Armagh had the momentum and ran out deserving
winners.

SCORERS:
Armagh – A Matthews (3fs), S Duncan, M McAlinden 0-3 each,
C O’Hanlon 0-2, M Moriarty 0-1.
Sligo – N Gormley 0-5 (5fs), S O’Reilly, T Marren, H Haran,
L Brett 0-1 each.