Super Shamrocks roll on to another final

Antrim Fire Stop & Seal Ltd senior championship semi-final

Loughgiel 5-17 Dunloy 0-3

Loughgiel Shamrocks overcame the challenge from close neighbours Dunloy Cuchullains at St.Mary`s Ahoghill on Saturday and now progress to the final when they will defend their Senior Championship crown against Cushendall. The exchanges between these close rivals are always tough and physical, and todays encounter was no different from all previous matches. Their domininace in Antrim continues unabated and they haven’e lost a game in the Antrim championship since losing to Saturday’s opponents on August 16th 2013 in their openening round game in Armoy. 

The Shamrock ladies got off the mark after 5 minutes with an excellent score from the hard working Christine Laverty and almost immediately Roisin McCormick scored a quick fire goal followed by a point from play to stretch the lead out to 5 points. Dunloy settled and scored the next two points courtesy of two frees from Nicole O`Neil but this was as close as it got for the Dunloy girls as Loughgiel pegged on another 2-03 before the break, the goals coming from Racquel Murphy, after excellent foraging from Lucia McNaughton, and a long distance effort from the hard running Emma McFadden.

Loughgiel turned with the elements in their back and both sides exchanged early points, one from the stick of Aisling McFadden and the other from the recently introduced Dunloy substitute Caitlin Crawford. Dunloy worked extremely hard in the third quarter holding the Shamrocks to 4 further points, but the Loughgiel rearguard remained disciplined throughout and limited the Cuchullains threat to long range efforts that either dropped wide or short.  In total Loughgiel tagged on 2-11 in the second half with all scores coming from open play.

Loughgiel have a well-balanced and experienced team with Maeve Connolly marshalling it well from the number six position, Emma McFadden covered every corner of the Ahoghill pitch and today the forwards were best served by the pace and vision of Roisin McCormick and Caitrin Dobbin. Dunloy worked to the end with Caoimhe Conlon and Chloe Drain being their pick. They tried valiantly throughout but a lack of scoring forwards tells its own tale, with Loughgiel on the other hand having 9 different scorers.

Loughgiel – Megan Coyle, Charlene Campbell, Laura Connolly, Finvola McVeigh [Emma McMullan 0-01], Maria Lynn, Maeve Connolly, Amy Boyle, Emma McFadden 1-00, Ciara Boyle, Roisin McCormick 2-06, Lucia McNaughton 0-01, Christine Laverty 0-02, Aisling McFadden 0-03, Racquel Murphy 1-00 [Chloe Higgins 0-01], Caitrin Dobbin 1- 03

Dunloy – Aimie Scott [Lisa McAlister], Annie Laverty, Lauren Elliott, Katharine Mullan, Leeanne Reid, Sorcha Conlon, Kathryn Boyle, Caoimhe Conlon, Katie Laverty, Nicole O`Neill 0-02, Dearbhail Elliott [Caitlin Crawford 0-01], Mary Martin, Chloe Drain, Dearbhail Magill [Michaela Elliott] Jacinta Dixon [Eilis Kearns]

Ref Michael Hardy – St.Marys Rasharkin