All Ireland Intermediate Camogie Championship
Antrim 3-7 Galway 2-11
By Seamus McAleenan
A goal from a 25m free with the last poc of the game saw Galway snatch victory from the jaws of defeat at Portglenone on Saturday.
Free-taker Rachel Monahan drove the sliotar past the Saffron line and there was no time for Caitriona Graham to re-start.
Antrim were clearly disappointed at the end, but for large chunks of the game they posed very little threat to the Galway goal, just one point from play before the break and a goal that was tapped home off the goalie’s stick.
But they also had little luck with both the visitors’ goals coming in added time, Monahan playing in Karen Kennedy right on the half-time whistle and then firing home that late winner at the death.
In hindsight it was a game Antrim could and should have won. Their defence held out for long periods of the game and Monahan from placed balls was the main threat. However ball into their forward line offered at best a 50/50 chance to their forwards and Galway’s defence also profited.
The game was sitting on two frees each for Monahan and Katie McAleese when a point effort from McAleese dropped in front of goalie Megan McDonagh. She allowed the sliotar to bounce on her stick but Caoimhe McAleenan quickly tapped it over the line.
That was in the 11th minute and Galway added points from Monahan (free), Karen Kennedy and Elisha Broderick before Katie McAleese posted her third point in the 27th minute and it was quickly followed by a fine point from Racquel Murphy before Monahan broke on the left wing and played in Kennedy for a half-time lead of 1-5 to 1-4.
Galway dominated the opening ten minutes of the second half, but could only move forward to 1-8 to 1-5 and then 1-10 to 1-6 by the 47th minute when Antrim suddenly woke up.
Lucia McNaughton burst down the left wing and her high ball was expertly fielded by Racquel Murphy and her goal narrowed the gap to a point.
Although Amy Caulfield responded with a point, McNaughton was pulled down for a penalty that Murphy despatched to the net. When Katie McAleese added a point a minute later after a lay-off from Murphy, they looked ready to close the deal only for that late goal from a free to steal it for Galway at the death.
Antrim : C Graham, M Lynn, K Donnelly, C Patterson, C Drain, A McManus, L McKenna, A Boyle, N Donnelly, L McNaughton, K McAleese (0-5, 0-3 frees), R McCormick, O O’Hara, R Murphy (2-2, 1-0 pen, 0-1 free), C McAleenan (1-0).
Subs : M Kelly for C McAleenan (HT), C McCarry for O O’Hara (HT), A Mulholland for C Drain (47), C Laverty for A Boyle (47).
Galway : M McDonagh, C Donohue, L Coen, L Brennan, A Downey, E Gilmore, A Dervan, D Higgins, L Casserley, K Kennedy (1-1), R Monahan (1-7 frees), E Broderick (0-1), N Fox (0-1), A Caulfield (0-1), T Rutledge.
Subs : E Porter for A dervan (35), S Minihan for L Casserley (55), D Walsh for N Fox (55).
Referee : P Egan
Pics by Kieran Convery