Antrim Fire Stop & Seal Ltd Antrim Senior Camogie Championship quarter-final
Dunloy 3-11 Ballycastle 1-10
Dunloy booked a semi-final spot against neighbours Loughgiel in the Fire Stop & Seal Antrim Senior Camogie Championship when they beat Ballycastle in Tuesday evening’s quarter final in Armoy.
For most of the game there was little between the sides but Dunloy came strong in the final quarter to win with a bit to spare.
Overall this was a tough encounter, with never more than a couple of points between the sides until the last quarter when Dunloy made their move with a series of points before delivering the killer blow in the 58th minute when Michaela Elliott blasted a shot that Aoife McGowan could only parry into the path of veteran Jacinta Dixon who fired the rebound home. That gave Dunloy an eight points’ breathing space and they only conceded a late Niamh O’Neill point in injury time.
In the opening half the teams hit score for score to end the half on Dunloy 2-5 Ballycastle 1-7. Indeed all but a goal from Dunloy’s total came from Nicole O’Neill frees.
Caitriona Maybin hit the first goal of the game in the 8th minute to put Dunloy into a 1-3 to 0-3 lead, but scores from Niamh Donnelly (0-3) and Caoimhe Wright (0-1 free) had the teams tied on 1-4 to 0-7 after 20 minutes.
A couple of minutes later Nicole O’Neill spotted a gap as she stood over a 20 metres free and she fired low to the net, but Niamh O’Neill grabbed a Ballycastle goal just before the break to keep her side in contention.
For the first 15 minutes of the second half, there were only two points for each team, two Niamh Donnelly frees for the “Town” and a free and a first score from open play for Nicole O’Neill.
Then Dunloy pushed for home with teenager Dearbhla Magill (2), Nicole O’Neill and Michaela Elliott all hitting the target before Jacinta Dixon’s hammer blow near the end.
Dunloy : Nicole O’Neill (1-7, 1-5 frees), Caitriona Maybin (1-0), Jacinta Dixon (1-0), Dearbhla Magill (0-2), Michaela Elliott (0-1).
Ballycastle : Niamh O’Neill (1-2, 0-2 frees), Niamh Donnelly (0-5, 0-3 frees), Caoimhe Wright (0-2 frees), Méabh O’Neill (0-1)
Pics by Sean Paul McKillop
Coverage sponsored by 