11 September 2006 Armagh v Galway ladies senior semi-final report Share this Article 0 0 0 Shares! 0 Shares! Galway v Armagh ARMAGH 1-13 GALWAY 1-12 SHARON DUNCAN created history with the last kick of an extraordinary TG4 All-Ireland ladies senior football semi-final at Hyde Park on Saturday evening to fire Armagh into the decider next month. In one of the most astounding final 30 seconds of any championship game, Armagh beat Galway with the very last kick to secure a final against reigning champions Cork. Armagh, who were down to 14 players after having free taker Aileen Matthews sin binned, were level with Galway as the game entered the final 30 seconds when the Connacht champions broke up field. They split the Armagh defence wide open and it looked like they would get the winning point when substitute Barbara Hannon was put straight through on goal. But she hit the ball just wide and extra time seemed inevitable. However, Armagh took a quick kick-out and with just over five seconds left on the clock they won a free roughly 30 metres out and straight in front of goal. Although the clock ran out, the rules allowed the free to be taken once it had been awarded beforehand. But with their regular free taker sin binned it came down to Duncan to take the kick. She struck the ball perfectly and before it had sailed over the bar the Armagh subs and mentors were already running onto the field in celebration. Armagh have now created history by becoming the first team ever to appear in an All-Ireland senior final only a year after they won the junior title. It is also the first time the reigning junior and senior champions will meet in the final. The Ulster champions deserved to win on Saturday though as their work rate over the hour was immense. They were stronger than Galway and worked hard for each other blocking, tackling and chasing back. But Galway started the game brightly and led 1-8 to 1-6 at half-time. Galway led 0-6 to 0-4 after 19 minutes but Armagh pushed forward to score 1-1 in the space of two minutes. Full forward Patricia McAvoy registered the point before a long ball in by Duncan led to confusion in the Galway defence and allowed Maria ODonnell slot home the opening goal of the game. Duncans effort bounced high inside the square and up against the Galway crossbar. As it dropped back down ODonnell pounced to score. Gillian Joyce pulled a point back for Galway in the 24th minute before Armagh almost scored a second goal, only for Una Carroll to push Caroline OHanlons powerful shot over the crossbar. Just one minute later Lisa Coohill unleashed a powerful drive past Fionnuala McAtamney in the Armagh goal and Gillian Joyce added a late free to give Galway a two point advantage at the break. The second half produced less scores but far more drama. Armagh got the better start on the resumption with points by Matthews and Duncan bringing them level after 34 minutes. The balance of power continued to shift though with points from Niamh Duggan and Gillian Joyce reestablishing a two point lead for Galway by the 40th minute. Once more though Armagh came back with a free by Matthews and a fantastic score by Mairead Tennyson levelled matters again. Armagh were looking good at this stage and a Matthews free gave them the lead in the 46th minute. Galway replied with a brace of frees from Gillian Joyce to lead by the minimum in the 53rd minute. But Armagh refused to lie down and Matthews scored a great point from a difficult angle a minute later. The Killeavy girl was sin binned soon after, seemingly handing the initiative to Galway. But fate would have it that Armaghs fairytale season was not to end in Hyde Park and Duncan ensured there would be one more chapter at least, scoring the winning point with the last kick of the game. ARMAGH: F McAtamney; C Marley, F Quinn, A Murphy; R OMahony, B ODonnell, S McCleary; A ODonnell, C OHanlon (0-1); M Tennyson (0-3), S Duncan (0-2, 1f), S OHagan; M ODonnell (1-0), P McAvoy (0-1), A Matthews (0-6, 4f). Subs: M McAlinden for McAvoy (44 mins); O Murtagh for OHagan (58 mins) GALWAY: U Carroll; M OConnell, M Glynn, AM McDonough; C Cormican, A Daly, E Flaherty; A Clarke, P Gleeson (0-1); L Coohill (1-0), N Fahey, E Concannon; G Conneally, G Joyce (0-8, 6f), L Joyce (0-2). Subs: N Duggan (0-1) for Conneally (27 mins); Conneally for Coohill (41 mins); B Hannon for Conneally (50 mins) REFEREE: P Daly (Westmeath) Share this Article 0 0