Killeavy 1-07 Armagh Harps 1-08

Armagh Harps avenged last year’s county final defeat to deny Killeavy to accolade of becoming intermediate champions just a year after winning the Junior Championship.
In a nail-biting encounter Aveen Dooley opened the scoring, which was immediately cancelled out by Shauna McCready. Siobhan Feeney took the lead for Harps again before Aileen Matthews snatched on a lose ball played in by Marianne Watters and slammed the ball to the net. Matthews showed her best form when she plucked a ball from the clouds, turned a kicked the ball over the bar with barely a glance at the posts. Aveen Dooley extended the Killeavy lead again after good work from
Matthews before Fionnula McKenna pulled one back for the Harps and put a halt on the Killeavy momentum. Mc Cready combined with Paula Powell to set up Niamh Bratton for the final score of the half leaving the score line 1-3 to 0-4 in favour of
Killeavy.

Two points from Shauna McCready and a superb individual effort from Fionnula McKenna cancelled an Aileen Matthews free kick and brought the sides level for the first time. Tanya McCoy was a rock at the back for Harps but Sharon Reel found a
way through the rearguard to put her side back in front. A free from Matthews was cancelled out again by a Niamh Bratton point following brilliant play by Shauna McCready. Aveen Dooley restored Killeavy’s lead again but trailing by two points
in the dying seconds of the game Harps were awarded a free kick. Sinead McParland was told only a goal would do, so the Harps player stepped up and duly planted the ball past Nicola Cromie who had been outstanding for Killeavy throughout the game.
Tanya McCoy who had been a rock in the Harps defence carried the ball up the field and Killeavy had run out of time, left to rue missed opportunities and a freak ending.

It was a cracking game, very evenly matched and on the day a draw would have been a fair result but proud captain Paula Powell added another medal to her 1998 county medal and received the cup on behalf of an excellent Armagh Harps outfit who fully deserved their victory in a thrilling final.

In the Junior decider division 3 leaders Granemore overcame Clann Eireann II’s in another brilliant match. It is said goals win games and that was certainly true for Granemore who won on a score line of 3-08 to 0-16. Clann Eireann got off to their
customary good start racing into a 5-1 lead but Granemore battled and a goal by Amy McBirney pulled them back into contention. At the end of a high scoring first hal Clann Eireann held a five point lead but a fantastic team effort by Granemore in the second half ensured the cup would be theirs. It was end to end stuff at the start of the second half with Granemore bagging a second goal before their goalkeeper Niamh Lappin was forced to make an excellent save to dney Clann Eireann a similar score.
Amy McBirney and Kathy Smith were starting to show for Granemore and when Clann Eireann had two players sin binned they pressed on and made their numbers count. Team captain Ailish Murphy and Rachel Merry combined to keep possession
and close out a famous victory.

While this was an excellent team performance huge credit must go to wing back Michaela Doyle who saved her side throughout the game and to player of the match Grainne Kelly who was a rock at the heart of the defence and played her part in
closing out a famous win.