Louth 0-12 Fermanagh 1-11

Cheers of Erne joy rang around Croke Park on Sunday afternoon as Fermanagh were crowned All-Ireland Junior champions with a two-point win over Louth.

Eimear Smyth excelled scoring 1-09, guiding her team to a repeat of their 2020 success, but this time they did it at the home of the GAA as captain Shannan McQuade climbed Croker’s steps to lift the cup in front of the green and white travelling fans.

(Image: John McVitty)

Like the semi-final in Longford, it was another blistering opening 10 minutes with a Smyth free and a Bláithín Bogue point, off the outside of the right boot, beginning the scoring.

Louth’s Kate Flood pointed her side’s first score with a free until an effort from Bogue dropped short with Smyth catching and pirouetting around goalkeeper Rebecca Lambe Fagan to tap into an empty net after nine minutes.

Smyth and Flood traded scores with Derrygonelly goalkeeper Megan Maguire then denying Lucy White a goal from close range, with an outstretched hand.

Despite an increase in the Dublin breeze, it didn’t stop Smyth from making it 1-04 to 0-02, with a free after 23 minutes, and she would add another, in-between points from Niamh Rice (2) and Flood, to leave the score at 1-05 to 0-05 as the teams made their way to the changing rooms following the halftime buzzer.

Aoife Russell split the posts at the start of the second-half after another weaving run from White.

Niamh McManus was then denied three times in one-on-one positions in a matter of seconds, as the second of those efforts clanged off the right post.

The Erne side eventually got going with a Bogue point from range with another Smyth free shortly after.

It was then Louth’s turn to cause panic in the Fermanagh backline as White broke in behind, and at the second attempt, got her shot off as Maguire got a hand to it, and it looked set to trickle over the goal line, only for Cadhla-Cara Bogue to come to the rescue at the last second and clear.

Knockninny’s Ciara Clarke was sent to the sin bin just over 10 minutes into the half and two points in quick succession from Flood caused concern for Fermanagh.

Smyth restored the three-point lead at the other end with a free, however, a left-footed effort from substitute Mischa Rooney and a Flood free cut the deficit to one.

Smyth and Flood exchanged frees after Clarke’s reintroduction to make it 1-09 to 0-11 heading into the closing moments.

A Smyth point from play was followed by Flood missing the target with a close free that would have made it a one-point contest.

Shannan McQuade was also shown a yellow card with just over two minutes remaining and Flood knocked the free over.

Smyth would have the final say as she pointed from an angle to confirm her Golden Boot award for the competition, not that it was ever in doubt at any stage in the day.

Louth’s hunt to repeat 2019’s success over Fermanagh was brought to an end by the blare of the horn as manager CJ McGourty jumped for joy and the rest of his squad made a beeline onto the pitch to begin the celebrations as newly-crowned All-Ireland champions.


Louth: Rebecca Lambe Fagan, Louise Byrne, Eimear Murray, Eilis Hand, Holly Lambe Sally, Áine Breen, Ceire Nolan, Aoife Halligan, Eimear Byrne, Lucy White, Aoife Russell (0-01), Claire McDonald, Niamh Rice (0-02), Kate Flood (0-08, 7F), Seoda Matthews.

Substitutes: Mischa Rooney (0-01) for Lambe Sally (HT), Caitlin O’Reilly for McDonald (51), Rachel O’Connor Leonard for Russell (54), Katie Doheny for White (65), Caoimhe Boyle for Matthews (65).

Fermanagh: Megan Maguire, Ciara Clarke, Molly McGloin, Eimear Keenan, Shannan McQuade, Courteney Murphy, Cadhla-Cara Bogue, Brenda Bannon, Lisa Maguire, Danielle McBrien, Joanne Doonan, Aoife McCabe, Bláithín Bogue (0-02), Eimear Smyth (1-09, 6f), Niamh McManus. 

Substitutes: Bronagh Smyth for McManus (51), Sarah Britton for McBrien (60).

Referee: Gerard Canny (Mayo).