National League Camogie – Division 2
Antrim 5-13 Tipperary 1-6
ANTRIM built on a solid performance in their opening game in Division 2 with an improved performance at the same venue (Ahoghill) to defeat the league champions by an impressive margin of 19 points.
Today saw a good all round performance, everyone backing each other up, the ball from defence played with accuracy into the forward line and forwards using the full width of the pitch.
Again the half-back line was the area that Tipperary found hardest to break and behind them Chloe Drain came out time and again with authority.
Three of the forwards scored, the other three didn’t. But that is not to say those players did not perform. They supported each other brilliantly and created the space for Roisin McCormick, Maeve Kelly and Katie Carey to take players on and register scores. All three were excellent with McCormick’s second half goals cementing Antrim’s lead.
It probably helped Antrim that, like the last day, they played with the breeze to build up a lead for their opponents to chase. By half time the Saffrons led by 0-12 to 0-0.
There was just one scoring chance for Tipperary and good defending saw that shot go wide. Meanwhile some of the scores at the other end were sublime as Maeve Kelly (3), Róisín McCormick (4) and Katie Carey (5) all hit the target with four of Katie’s scores coming from either 45s or frees.
Although Róisín McCormick pointed in the first minute of the second half, Tipperary scrambled a goal, Nicole Loughnane kicking the sliotar over the line, to give her side a foothold in the game. With Andrea Loughnane adding a superb point from wide on the right wing, the gap was down to nine points after just five minutes.
However between the 40th and 46th minutes Antrim hit the net on four occasions to put the game beyond the visitors.
McCormick finished a beautiful team move involving Maeve Connolly, Niamh Donnelly and Maeve Kelly by racing clear for the first of those. She also scored the second after Katie Carey had caught a poc out from Eimear Boyle and delivered a great long-range pass.
Then another fine team move and this time sub Emily Falloon passed back for Lucia McNaughton to bundle over the line at the second attempt and McCormick completed her hat-trick, again from a long ball from Carey.
Tipperary hit back with a couple of frees and a good point from sub Sarah Delaney, but Maeve Kelly blasted home a fifth goal a couple of minutes from time to put Antrim top of the group ahead of their final game against Laois.
Antrim : E Boyle, L McKenna, C Drain, M Lynn, N Donnelly, M Connolly capt., R Kelly, L McNaughton (1-0), A Boyle, M Kelly (1-3), A Connolly, C Laverty, R McCormick (3-5), K Carey (0-5, 0-4 frees), C Dobbin.
Subs : E Falloon for C Dobbin (43), C Duffin for C Laverty (50), C McKillop for L McKenna (53), E McKee for A Connolly (55), E Kearns for R Kelly (55).
Tipperary: E Mulqueen, B Ryan, S Larkin, N Long, M Quigley, M Ryan, T Curtin, C Stakelum, N Loughnane (1-0), C McKeogh, A Loughnane (0-5, 0-3 frees), M Burke, C McIntyre, R O’Donnell, Á Dwyer.
Subs: S Delaney (0-1) for N Long (20), E Flanagan for A Dwyer (37), E Carey for T Curtin (41), A Sheedy for B Ryan (46), N Shelly for M Burke (47), C Casey for R O’Donnell (56)
Referee: P McDonnell (Cavan)
