Antrim Minor Camogie Championship final
Dunloy 5-5 Loughgiel 2-12
By John McIlwaine
History was made in Cloughmills on Friday evening when Dunloy won their first Minor Camogie title since 1985 by beating Loughgiel in a thrilling final that will be talked about by Cuchullain fans for years to come. Ten minutes into the second half championship specialists Loughgiel appeared to have sealed their tenth title in twelve years when a Roisin McCormick point put them ten clear and apparently cruising. What happened next was right out of the “If I hadn’t seen it I wouldn’t have believed it” category as Dunloy powered their way back into the game with four goals inside eight minutes to turn the match on its head. During the last ten minutes they added three points to move four clear, but the drama was far from over and after Roisin McCormick closed the gap to three with a late free she had the chance to earn her team a draw in injury time but her shot whizzed inches over the bar.
Loughgiel started strongly with corner forward Caoimhe McMullan pointed in the opening minute and McMullan stretched her team’s lead to four six minutes later when she forced the ball over the Dunloy goal line following a goalmouth scramble. Dunloy looked nervous but when Kyra Doherty opened their scoring with a goal in the tenth minute it looked like they were settling into the game.
That’s is not how it turned out however as Loughgiel took control of the game and with Roisin McCormick pulling the strings they took control of the game. McCormick started the run with a point from a free and after Carla McGarry added her team’s second goal McCormick added two more points from play, and Annie Lynn one to put them 2-5 to 1-0 ahead by the 27th minute. Erin Traynor ended an 18 minute scoreless spell for Cuchullains with a point from play and though McCormick and Caoimhe McMullan added two to the Loughgiel total to stretch their lead to nine, a Caoimhe Molloy point in first half injury cut her team’s arrears back to eight at the break. (2-7 to 1-2)
There were signs early in the second half that Dunloy were starting to hurl a bit better but they missed two good goal chances and when Loughgiel hit back with two brilliant points from Annie Lynn and Roisin McCormick the gap was out to ten. All was to change in the 40th minute when a 45 by Dunloy’s Caoimhe Molloy went all the way to the Loughgiel net, and when they won the puck-out from that score and Cassie McArthur deflected it to the net, the gap was down to four.
Roisin McCormick put five between the sides when she broke through from midfield and sent over a superb point but Dunloy came back with two more quick-fire goals through Kyra Doherty and Bronagh Magill the Cuchullain girls were a point ahead. They appeared to have sealed the win when Caitlin Crawford, Bronagh Magill and Cassie McArthur added points to stretch the gap to four. Roisin McCormick sent over a free from thirty meters to leave just a goal between the sides and when Loughgiel’s Orlagh Laverty was dragged down in injury time the Dunloy fans held their breath. McCormick stepped up to take the free knowing that a goal would take the game to extra time, but her well struck shot rose just inched over the bar and the final whistle sounded to spark scenes of celebration among the Dunloy contingent.
DUNLOY: Kirsty McFerran, Sarah McIlhatton, Eilish Kearns, Aimee Johnston, Eimer McMullan, Katie Laverty, Katie Molloy, Caoimhe Molloy, Erin Traynor, Aine Magill, Caitlin Crawford, Brid Magill, Kyra Doherty, Cassie McArthur, Bronagh Magill.
LOUGHGIEL: Shauna McKillop, Erin McMullan, Ciara Laverty, Megan McGarry, Orlagh Laverty, Mary McKillen, Aofie O’Mullan, Kathryn Kelly, Roisin McCormick, Annie Lynn, Caoimhe McMullan, Carla McGarry, Carlina Sullivan.
Referee – Ryan O’Reilly (Con Magees)
