Roscommon and Offaly book their places in the TESCO HomeGrown NFL Division 4 Decider

GREG Farrelly’s Offaly are through to a first Tesco Homegrown Ladies National Football League final since 2004.

The Faithful County ran out 3-8 to 0-10 winners against Antrim in Sunday’s Division 4 semi-final, played in Inniskeen, county Monaghan.

And the reward for Offaly is a first League decider since they beat Wicklow in the Division 4 showpiece nine years ago.

Linda Sullivan scored 2-3 and Mairead Daly added 1-2 for Offaly, who led by 1-6 to 0-4 at half-time.

Daly scored a hat-trick of goals against Antrim when the sides met earlier in the season.

Offaly’s final opponents will be Roscommon, who beat Limerick by 3-15 to 2-6 in Birr on Saturday evening.

The Westerners led by 2-6 to 0-4 at half-time, with Natalie McHugh and Tara Taylor netting the first half goals.

McHugh struck in the 23rd minute and Taylor added the second goal on the stroke of half-time.

Rachel Ryan notched a third Roscommon goal in the second half, with Donna Mulcahy on target for Limerick with two second half goals.

Limerick had a player sinbinned in the second half and Allstar forward Dymphna O’Brien was held scoreless from play on the night by tenacious Roscommon defender Sarah Brady.

Roscommon were dominant from the off and kicked a number of wides before McHugh’s crucial opening goal settled their nerves.

Roscommon will hope that it’s third time lucky in a League decider, having lost out to Longford and Westmeath in the 2012 and 2011 deciders, respectively.

 

Results:

 

Tesco Homegrown Ladies National Football League Division 4 semi-finals:

 

Roscommon 3-15 Limerick 2-6

 

Offaly 3-8 Antrim 0-10.