The Lidl National League division four was a case of what might have been for both of Sunday’s finalists.
Leitrim contested a semi-final against eventual winners Offaly but lost out in an epic encounter after extra-time.
Antrim finished third in their group behind Fermanagh and Leitrim, failing to make the semi-finals, but the Saffrons would show much better form as the season progressed, which ended with a memorable TG4 All-Ireland Junior Championship success.
Sunday’s final at Parnell Park offers the chance of League redemption for both sides.As the final approaches, we have two well-drilled teams ready to prove that they’re the best in division four this year.
In their respective semi-finals, Leitrim got the better of Fermanagh by two points after extra-time. Antrim impressed yet again in victory over Limerick.
Antrim
Antrim have won all five of their division four fixtures to date in 2023 while Leitrim are also unbeaten, having won three and drawn one of their group matches prior to the semi-final.
In Orlaith Prenter and Gráinne McLaughlin, Antrim possess Division four’s two leading scorers, while captain Michelle Guckian has been most prominent for Leitrim in the scoring stakes to date.
Between them, Prenter (5-27) and McLaughlin (7-10) have been superb while for Leitrim, Guckian (1-2four), Leah Fox (four-1four) Vivienne Egan (four-13), Ailbhe Clancy (2-15) and Laura O’Dowd (3-8) have been hugely influential.
Victory would hand Antrim a very first Division four title, following Final losses in 2019, 2016 and 201four, as Leitrim, runners-up in 2021, aim for a second Division four crown, following victory back in 2010.
Antrim: A McCann; D Coleman, E Ferran, N McIntosh; O Corr, C Brown, S O’Neill; A Mulholland, Á Tubridy; T Mellon, C Carey (capt.) L Dahunsi; B Devlin, O Prenter, G McLaughlin.
Leitrim: M Monaghan; J Maye, C Tyrrell, M Murphy; R Rooney, C Bruen, C Le Guen; M McGovern, A Quinn; L O’Dowd, M Guckian (capt.), A Clancy; V Egan, L Fox, E Bruen.
