A day of pulsating Ladies Football Division 4 League action witnessed Limerick and Offaly set up a repeat of the 2015 league final.
Offaly perhaps pulled off the coup of the day by dumping consistent performers Leitrim out after extra time in Kinnegad.
Limerick took advantage of the second water break to overturn a five-point deficit to power home past a robust Fermanagh challenge.
Limerick 4-10 Fermanagh 3-9 Kinnegad
A stunning comeback capped by a Rebecca Delee goal saw Limerick in the National League Division 4 final.Trailing by five at the second water break, Limerick swung the differential from a -5 to a +4 win.
It was an entralling encounter that highlighted momentum is key.
Eimear Smyth was again to the forefront of Fermanagh’s attacking threat. Smyth opened the scoring after five minutes and her accuracy with the boot had her side 0-3 to 0-2 up at the first water break.
Mairead Kavanagh and Cathy Mee found the net for Limerick in the first half to respond to goals from Blaithin Bogue.
Limerick trailed at the break by 2-7 to 2-5.
Although Cathy Mee kicked opening score after the break, scores were hard to come by in the opening quarter of the second half.
Eimear Smyth appeared to put Fermanagh in control with a goal and a point to put her side ahead 3-8 to 2-6.
Limerick put in their biggest kick of the season to overturn the difference and send themselves into the final against Offaly, where they will surely hold the favourites tag. Limerick already put Offaly to the sword in the earlier league meeting.
Offaly 2-16 Leitrim 3-10 (AET) Kinnegad
Offaly held Leitrim scoreless in extra time advance from this semi-final in Kinnegad.
Leitrim raced into a five-point lead but were clawed back.
Offaly held supremacy for long periods of the game but dogged Leitrim consistently fought valiantly to remain in the hunt for progression.
Michelle Guckian was hugely influential in the Leitrim chase, while Laura O’Dowd and Niamh Tighe delivered early first half goals.
Leitrim trailed by one at the break 2-2 to 0-9. Ellie McEvoy, Emma Hand and Fiona Dempsey amongst the points for Offaly.
An Emma Hand goal dragged the Midlanders level 1-11 to 2-8 after another early Leitrim flourish.
Ciara Walsh followed up with a second goal to put the margin at three points. Offaly stretched the lead to four points before Laura O’Dowd stepped up again to reduce the difference to one. 3-10 to 2-13 at full time. Play was held up in extra time for a serious injury to Leitrim’s Emma McGovern.
Offaly produced points from Ellee McEvoy, Saoradh Doyle and Mairead Doyle in extra-time, while Leitrim’s momentum was lost.
Offaly will look to provide a stern challenge against Limerick in the final
