Eimear Smyth stuck 1-9 as Fermanagh beat Louth to claim the TG4 All-Ireland Junior Football Championship title.
Fermanagh scoring a two point win 1-11 to 12 points over Louth writes Daire Walsh.
Player-of-the-match Smyth, was already guaranteed the 2024 ZuCar Golden Boot award. Awarded to the top-scorer across all three grades of the All-Ireland championship after an incredible haul of 7-39.
Smyth once again produced the goods to secure Fermanagh’s first junior crown since 2020. While, Kate Flood ended the action with 0-8 to her name, Louth fell short in their quest to claim a record-breaking fourth junior title.
Smyth and the ever-industrious Blaithin Bogue had created early daylight with unanswered points. Whereas, Flood’s routine free got Louth up and running. Smyth subsequently caught a ball ahead of Wee County netminder Rebecca Lambe Fagan before comfortably bagging a 10th minute goal.
Although CJ McGourty’s northerners twice moved five points clear with Smyth frees in the closing stages of the opening period. Another place-ball from Flood was preceded by Niamh Rice’s impressive two-point salvo, leaving Louth just three-points adrift at half-time. 1-5 to 0-5.
An Aoife Russell score reduced the deficit to two points on the resumption. Lambe Fagan pulled off two excellent saves from Fermanagh’s Niamh McManus in the space of 60 seconds.
McManus also rattled the post from a rebounded strike after the first shots was turned away. Fermanagh eventually reinforced their authority with Bogue and Smyth points. However, the sin-binning of Ciara Clarke on the stroke of 40 minutes came as a blow for the Erne women.
By the time corner-back Clarke returned to play, Louth had cut the gap to the bare minimum thanks to three points from Flood and one from Mischa Rooney.
Smyth split the uprights at the opposite end to ensure Fermanagh stayed in the ascendancy and added another free to her outstanding haul.
Flood did likewise on 52 minutes. Even though, Flood kept Louth in contention with an eighth point. The imperious Smyth raised white flags either side of it to guide the Erne County over the line.
Fermanagh: M Maguire; C Clarke, M McGloin, E Keenan; S McQuade, C Murphy, C Bogue; B Bannon, L Maguire; D Maguire (S Britton 57), J Doonan, A McCabe; B Bogue, E Smyth, N McManus (B Smyth 49).
Scorers: E Smyth 1-9 (0-6f), B Bogue 0-2.
Louth: R Lambe Fagan; L Byrne, E Murray, E Hand; H Lambe Sally (M Rooney HT), A Breen, C Nolan; A Halligan, E Byrne; L White (K Doheny 60), A Russell (R O’Connor Leonard 52), C McDonald (C O’Reilly 49); N Rice, K Flood, S Matthews (C Boyle 60).
Louth: K Flood 0-8 (7f), N Rice 0-2, A Russell, M Rooney 0-1 each.
Referee: Gerard Canny (Mayo).
