Waterford and Tipperary will have to do it again.
There was nothing to split the last two teams standing in the Lidl NFL Division 3 final in Clane as Waterford rescued a replay in the dying moments.
Maria Delahunty fired home a free in the final minute of play to give Waterford the chance to fight another day.
Everything looked to be going according to plan for Waterford in the first half as they entered the dressing room seven points to the good but they were pegged back by a plucky Tipperary team after the break.
A terrific Tipp comeback was led by Aisling Moloney who registered 2-4 from play but, in controversial circumstances, a seemingly legitimate point was chalked off by the referee.
https://twitter.com/WomensGPA/status/726458131434344448
It ended up being more significant than he’d likely have imagined as Delahunty stepped up to cancel out what appeared to be Tipp’s winning point from Shelagh Carew.
Parity remained in a frantic final few seconds before the final whistle was blown with the details of the resultant replay to be confirmed in due course.
Terrific game! Replay date, time and venue TBC
— Ladies Football (@LadiesFootball) April 30, 2016
Earlier in the day, there was no replay required of Limerick.
The greatest captains step forward when it counts most and that adage was honoured by Limerick skipper Dymphna O’Brien who played a starring role in catapulting her side into Division 3.
O’Brien contributed 2-5 to the cause in Saturday afternoon’s Lidl NFL Division 4 final as Limerick triumphed over Antrim.
Niamh Holland had a telling impact on proceedings too as she fired home two goals, one in each half, to give Limerick a 4-8 to 1-10 victory.
So proud of @RichNiamh @MurroeBoher @LKLadiesGaelic Player of match Div 4 @LadiesFootball #lidl final pic.twitter.com/pgGrEJvaSf
— Prof Ita Richardson (@itajrd) April 30, 2016
It wasn’t a cakewalk for the Treaty County who had two players sin-binned during the second half – Megan Kelleher and Holland – but the latter returned to the fray in some style by netting her second goal of the game to get Limerick’s match back on track after a period of pressure from Antrim.
Holland steadied the ship and it was guided into port by Eimear Gallagher who scored the final goal of the game to put the result beyond Antrim and fire Limerick into Division 3.
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