Eglish reach Ulster Intermediate Championship final

Eglish camogs started the defence of their Ulster Intermediate championship on Sunday at home against Down champions Liatroim Fontenoys. The weather and pitch were perfect as the match got underway.
It was a leisurely start to the game by both sides and with the first five minutes gone there were no shots on target. Soon afterwards Eglish registered a wide before the visitors took a superb point from open play. They extended their lead with another one from a free. It didn’t feel like a place in an Ulster final was at stake as the game drifted towards the ten minute mark. Ciara McGready and Aisling Jordan for Eglish were steadfast in their play and often were frustrating the visitor’s attempts to extend their lead.
Ciara Donnelly then settled her team’s nerves with a point just in front of goals from a free. Kelley Anne Fay was the play maker in the centre of the field for Eglish and an accurate pass to Niamh McNulty resulted in her taking a long range point. It was Jordan and McGready again who were mopping up all the loose balls as the game moved towards the fifteen minute mark.
Donnelly(C) from a free put her team in front for the first time in the game but Liatroim levelled a few minutes later from a 45 metres. Liatroim went on the attack towards the Eglish goals and keeper Leona Gallagher stood firm and marshalled her back line to clear the threat. Eglish then stepped up a gear and Aisling Donnelly found a brilliant diagonal cross field pass to Niamh McNulty who sent the sliotar over the bar to regain the lead.
Donnelly(A) and McNulty combined again with a pass off to Donnelly(C) who sent the ball into the back of the net with five minutes of the half remaining. Donnelly(C) was rewarded with another point almost immediately from the puck out to extend the home sides advantage to five points.
Liatroim then launched a ball into the Eglish square and their full forward latched onto it and the ball was sent into the nets to reduce the deficit to two points with as many minutes remaining. Eglish hit back immediately and Annette Jordan pulled on the ball in front of goals to restore the five point lead as the ball rocketed past the Liatroim goal keeper. She soon added to her tally with a
point just before the end of the half.
Half Time Eglish 2-6 Liatroim Fontenoys 1-3
The visitors took the first point of the half as the intensity of the game increased. Influential Eglish captain Ciara McGready then sustained a head injury and had to be substituted as Amy Barrett took her place with five minutes of the half gone. Donnelly(C) for Eglish had two quick fire points shortly afterwards. Liatroim had their fair share of attacks and Gallagher in nets for Eglish made some fine stops before the visitors added a point with ten minutes gone.
Eglish had plenty of scoring opportunities which they failed to capitalise on as both sides traded wides when a score looked more likely. The next ten minutes of play was rather scrappy and disjointed and neither side managed a score. Then Liatroim got two unanswered points and when they seemed to be in touching distance of Eglish, the defending champions pushed forward. A goal from Leanne Donnelly on twenty-nine minutes when she broke clear increased her teams lead. A penalty on the thirty minute mark for Liatoim was converted when Gallagher made a brilliant save only to see the sliotar hit the ground and spin back into her nets. The next five minutes of injury time was littered again with frees and Donnelly(C) ended the game with a point as the score board read
Eglish 3-9 Liatroim Fontenoys 2-7
Eglish Scorers Ciara Donnelly 1-5 Annette Jordan 1-1 Leanne Donnelly 1-0 Niamh McNulty 0-2 Aisling Jordan 0-1
Eglish will now play Armagh champions Granemore as they overcame Dungiven of Derry in the other semi-final. The final will take place on 23rd October at a venue tbc with a replay date if needed on 30th October.