O'Neill calls Golden Boot a "bonus" after brilliant Antrim season

Antrim's Maria O'Neill with Niamh Forde of Carlow ©INPHO/Grace Halton

Antrim star Maria O’Neill described winning the ZuCar Golden Boot as a “bonus” on top of a brilliant year with the Saffrons.

Last month saw Antrim defeating Carlow by 1-13 to 2-9 to claim the TG4 All-Ireland ladies junior football championship title, with O’Neill landing the winning point in injury-time.

The Moneyglass clubwoman finished as top-scorer across all three grades with a personal haul of 11-20 and, speaking to BBC Sport NI, she said that winning the accolade “adds to the year as a whole”.

"To get the result that we did on the day and now to get the Golden Boot, I'm happy with that," O'Neill said.

"It's almost just like a wee bonus. It's just one of those things where it adds to the year as a whole.

"My scores are just a reflection on the hard work that the rest of the team have put in all over the pitch. The turnovers and everything. I'm doing the easy job here.

"It doesn't matter who scores, as long as there's a score at the end of every play. You have massive players like Lara [Dahunsi] and Orlaith Prenter also contributing to it. There's not too much pressure on me."

On next year’s goals for the Saffrons, O’Neill added: "Our biggest goal going into next season is to just try our best to compete again, the way that we did back in 2023. We are more than capable of playing at that level. From what I've gathered, everybody is coming back and everybody is buzzing to be playing intermediate football and Division Two league as well. Hopefully it's as good a season as last, but everything goes up from here."