Ulster Club Ladies’ IFC semi-finals
Glenavy (Antrim) v Ballyhaise (Cavan) (Saturday, Glenavy, 2pm)
GLENAVY and Ballyhaise find themselves just 60 minutes and one more hurdle away from an Ulster intermediate final.
The Cavan champions make the journey up to Glenavy for this semi-final clash after an impressive quarter-final win over Aghadrumsee from Fermanagh, 2-17 to 2-8, also away from home.
The platform for that win was built in the first half thanks to a 2-10 to 1-4 lead, Ellie Brady finding the back of the net to set them on their way.
Lucy Jane Grant grabbed their second goal while also hitting four first-half points before finishing with 1-7.
Glenavy needed a late winning goal from Ellen Morgan to see off Rostrevor 3-6 to 2-6 in last Saturday’s quarter-final.
They were eight points ahead at one stage in the first half but led by just three at half-time and fell behind by two points in the second half before Megan McGary and Grainne McLaughlin got then back level and then Morgan struck for the winning score.
While they will not have been happy to see an eight-point lead slip into a two-point deficit, the character they showed, for the second game running, having needed to withstand a fightback from Donegal champions Naomh Muire in the preliminary round, will give them confidence against a Ballyhaise side who will feel they have every chance at reaching the final.
Castleblayney (Monaghan) v Steelstown (Derry)
(Saturday, Castleblayney, 2pm)
THERE is a huge semi-final down for decision tomorrow when Castleblayney Faughs meet Steelstown.
The Derry champions are hoping to make it a second final appearance in the space of three years, while Castleblayney are out to reach back-to-back provincial finals after clinching the Ulster junior title just 12 months ago.
Steelstown proved too strong for Omagh, St Enda’s last Saturday in the quarter-final, winning 1-8 to 0-5, while the next day, ’Blayney were also too strong for Armagh side Granemore, recording an impressive 5-18 to 0-7 win away from home.
The Monaghan champions will face an even stiffer test against Steelstown, who are the favourites for this year’s provincial title.
The Derry side have a vast amount of experience in players like joint-captains Aoife McGough and Ciara McGurk, Emma Doherty, Katy Holly, Kathryn Canavan and Megan Devine, who have all played for Derry.
Orla McGeough is also a match-winner and very difficult for any defence to keep tabs on.
’Blayney will need to be at their best and in Jodie McQuillan and Hazel Hughes, they have two players who will need to be kept a close eye on.
They have been exceptional to win their county intermediate title at the very first opportunity after claiming the junior one last year and to reach the semi-finals of the provincial competition is no mean feat, but this may be a step too far.
