Down topped Group 1 in the Ladies Junior Championship, as they overcame Limerick by six points in Newcastle West.

That now sets up a tie between Carlow as Limerick face their old foes in Fermanagh, who knocked them out last year at the same round.

A point was the difference between the sides at the break, but Natahsa Ferris who scored 1-9 in the tie, goaled soon after the restart and Down from that point never saw their lead taken away, 7-23 now for Ferris in her three championship games

Down started well as Natasha Ferris and Laoise Duffy both added early points to build a lead, but Limerick replied through Cathy Mee, but celebrations did not last long as Niamh Scullion pointed Down’s third score in five minutes to restore the two point lead.

But momentum changed in an instance as Limerick threatened in the Down defence, Amy Ryan received a pass and shot for goal, her shot looping over Amy McGivern in the Down goal, dropping into the net to put the home side a point ahead.

Ryan replied to that score with a point a minute later, but Limerick failed to really build on that lead, Ferris with two more frees, tying the game 1-2 to 0-5 after 20 minutes, the first time the teams were level.

Iris Kennelly helped put the Treaty women back ahead after 23 minutes with a well worked score, but Ferris was in fine form, she kicked her fourth point of the tie in the 26th minute, as Down finished the half strong, Aimee O’Higgins putting them ahead before the half hour mark.

A point separated the sides at the break, Limerick with a few wides and plenty of misplaced passes were certainly the side more disappointed at the break, Down were playing with the wind in the first half but did kick a couple of wides themselves.

Down got the deceive score four minutes into the second half, Ferris taking a free that dropped into the net past Carol Bateman, Down moving four points ahead after that goal, 1-7 to 1-3.

Ferris followed that up by scoring two further points as Down came out the better of the two teams in the second half, Kennelly kicked two points to cut down the deficit, but Down were still well in the driving seat.

Eimear Fitzpatrick came off the bench and landed a point before Ferris kept up their scoring form, 1-11 to 1-5, Caoimhe McGrath kicked three late frees to keep Limerick on the board, but Ferris kept up her form, finishing with two more points, a 1-9 haul for the Down full-forward.

Cathy Mee served as the catalyst for Limerick this afternoon, her 2-3 helping them overcome a stern Sligo side to book their spot in the semi-finals.

Mee was the hero for Limerick and with Down’s big win up north, that saw both through ahead of their meeting in Newcastle West next weekend to determine who tops the group, Mee scored two goals past the midway mark of the opening half, as their defence stood tall to keep out Sligo.

They ended the first half leading 2-5 to 0-5, but Sligo started the second half the better and put them under intense pressure until they found the net, but Limerick held their nerve and remained calm to take their scores, they might rue missing some goal chances to put the game to bed, but will be in the final four of the championship.

Limerick started well with an early score from Deborah Murphy in the second minute, but Sligo failed to hit a reply immediately, a misplaced pass first allowed Limerick to clear the danger, before Tara Brehony had their first shot at the posts but it tailed wide. 

Leah Duffy found the Sligo reply in the fifth minute with a terrific right footed effort on the far side of the field, Amy Ryan and Katie Walsh exchanged further scores as the opening was tight as both teams were patient in attack.

Duffy aided Sligo into coming into the game and then gave them the lead 13 minutes in, but points from Iris Kennelly and Karen O’Leary put Limerick back ahead at the end of the first quarter, Wlash kicked her second point a minute later and the sides were level for the fourth time.

The Treaty Women found the net after 17 minutes through Cathy Mee, off the back of a well worked attack Iris Kennelly tried to put Limerick back in front with a point but it came off the crossbar, the Sligo defence chased the loose ball down, but Mee reacted well to get a touch on the ball to put it past the Sligo players along the surface, creating space and then struck a left footed shot which saw the ball roll along the ground into the right hand bottom corner for a 1-4 to 0-4 lead.

Mee two minutes later found the net for a second time, again from a well worked move she used her pace to cut inside and broke the tackle well and looked to the posts, but her shot dipped and looked to go in over Ellen Maguire in the Sligo goal, the keeper had caught the ball to prevent the shot dipping under the crossbar, but was deemed to have stepped over the line just after the save and the umpires signalled the goal was given, a dramatic two minutes in Newcastle West.

In the blink of an eye the game went from being deadlocked to a six point lead for the hosts, they held that six point margin until the 25th minute, Limerick’s defence was strong but with an advantage occurring Sligo were awarded a free as they could find no way through, Walsh tapped over her third point and the lead was five, 2-4 to 0-5.

Limerick ended the half the better as Mee kicked her first point of the tie off a free, restoring that six point margin, they went in search of further scores but were unable to breach the Sligo rearguard, Mee had a second free with the final act of the opening half but from a long way out it dropped short of the goal, but Limerick headed into the break knowing their 2-5 to 0-5 lead had them in the driving seat for the semi-finals.

Sligo almost had great scoring chances in the opening minute of the second half, Walsh looked to the posts but it drifted right and wide, then from Carol Bateman’s kickout, Sligo turned it over and almost had a goal on as the keeper was stranded, but Limerick cleared the threat for a 45.

Bateman made up for that error two minutes later as Walsh dropped a free short, the keeper saved and then held possession to deny Sligo an early sniff of a goal chance, the pressure looked on the Shannonsdiers in the early few minutes as the scoreline from Newry had Sligo out of the championship.

All the pressure coming in four minutes and it eventually reaped a reward for the Magpies, Aife Haran with a dangerous high ball into the square, Walsh was the target and had Bateman and a Limerick defender to beat, Walsh flicked home inside in the square leaving a goal between them, after a dramatic start to the second half.

Limerick were struggling in front of goal and almost had a chance at their third goal after 40 minutes, Karen O’Leary made a terrific burst to get through the Sligo defence but a big shoulder came in and stopped the Limerick forward from pulling the trigger.

Another goal chance came a minute later as Roisin Ambrose made a great one two move to break through on the Sligo goal, but yet again the crossbar was hit by a Limerick player, it broke to Iris Kennelly, she hit the post and was put under pressure, but the referee signalled for a free, with 43 minutes gone Limerick were on the board in the second half as Mee converted, back to a four point game.

From here the tempo dropped as both sides started to hold onto possession more, but some errors creeped in for both teams and turnovers were frequent, we had to wait 13 minutes for the next score and it came for Limerick as Mee struck another free, but Duffy cancelled it out as we had just minutes left of normal time.

Limerick could have put the game to bed in the 58 minute, Caoimhe McGrath laid a pass off to Ambrose who was racing toward the Sligo goal, she then flicked a pass across the face of goal for Karen O’Leary, but her chance at goal was saved well by Maguire in the Sligo goal.

As the clock ticked into the red, it was up to the discretion of the match referee, how long would be added, it was a nervy six minutes of added time but the Limerick defence as they had done throughout the contest, held firm and just the sole score from Duffy, saw their lead shrank as they booked their spot in the semi-finals.