Gaelic Games

Niamh Reel secures dramatic Ulster title for Armagh with first touch in extra-time

Division One champions add provincial crown to their haul as they see off Donegal in Clones

Armagh celebrate their win over Donegal in the Ulster Women's SFC final at St Tiarnach’s Park in Clones. Photograph: Leah Scholes/Inpho
Armagh celebrate their win over Donegal in the Ulster Women's SFC final at St Tiarnach’s Park in Clones. Photograph: Leah Scholes/Inpho
Sun May 19 2024 - 19:51
Ulster Women’s SFC final: Armagh 0-17 Donegal 1-13 (aet)

Niamh Reel kept her cool to hit the winning point with her first touch as Armagh saw off Donegal in yet another epic battle in Sunday’s Ulster SFC final at St Tiernach’s Park in Clones.

With the possibility of free-kicks to determine this provincial decider, Reel fired over a free to put her side into the lead with just over a minute remaining, and it was enough as Armagh clinched a seventh Ulster senior title, winning it back from Donegal who had wrestled it from them 12 months ago.

The Division One champions looked to be on their way to victory in normal time before Katy Herron found the back of the net for Donegal with two minutes remaining. Susanne White, who finished with eight points, then levelled from a free in the 59th minute. They even had a chance to perhaps win it but opted to take a short free and it so it was to extra-time.

The sides went in level at half-time of extra-time after sharing two points each, Niamh Henderson, who was awarded player of the match on target for Armagh and White for Donegal.

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Donegal took the lead for the first time since the first minute through Amy Boyle Carr before corner back Grace Ferguson popped over the equaliser. Lezza Cunningham and Lauren McConville traded points as it looked like a free-kick shoot-out was going to be the only way to determine this game before Reel, only on the pitch a minute, hit the winning score.

ARMAGH: A Carr; G Ferguson (0-1), C McCambridge (capt), R Mulligan; C Towe, L McConville (0-1), D Coleman (0-1); N Coleman (0-1), C O’Hanlon (0-1); E Druse, A McCoy (0-1), L Kenny; A Mackin (0-4, 0-3f), N Henderson (0-3), K Mallon (0-2, 0-1f).

Subs: S Quigley (0-1) for Kenny (inj, 11 mins); M McCambridge for Mackin (inj, 45); C Doyle for Druse (50); S Gray for Mallon (58); E Lavery for Quigley (h-t, e-t); N Reel (0-1, f) for Towe (78); Mallon for D Coleman (79).

DONEGAL: C Friel; S McLaughlin, A Temple Asoko, E McGinley; K Dowds, N Boyle, T Hegarty; R Rodgers, J McGettigan; C Keon, N McLaughlin (capt) (0-1), A Boyle Carr (0-1); S White (0-9, 0-5f), K Herron (1-0), K Long.

Subs: E Gallagher (0-1) for Long (43 mins); L Cunningham (0-1) for Carr, J McFadden for Keon, K O’Donnell for Rodgers (inj) (both58), Carr for O’Donnell (h-t, e-t); R Rodgers for Herron (75).

Referee: Eddie Cuthbert (Down).