Saffrons comeback comes up just short

All-Ireland Intermediate championship

Cork 2-14 Antrim 2-11

CORK went top in Group Two of the All-Ireland Intermediate championship, holding off a late Antrim rally to make it two wins out of two in the Cork Camogie Grounds on Castle Road.

Antrim’s problem was their slow start to each half; they were 2-5 to 0-2 behind by the first water-break. Although they valiantly fought back to be just a goal adrift at the interval, Cork took off again in the third quarter and, despite failing to score after the second water break, held off the Antrim rally.

Cork’s running game caused problems for the Antrim defence who were under severe pressure from the opening minute when Kate Wall scored the first of her four points. 

Goals from Aoife Hurley and Katie Walsh in the ninth and eleventh minutes consolidated Cork’s dominance in that opening period in which Aoife Hurley, Katie Walsh, Kate Wall and Hayley Ryan stretched the Saffron defence.

At the water-break, Antrim introduced into defence both Niamh Donnelly and Colleen Patterson who had missed the Kilkenny game last week. The move seemed to steady Antrim and they slowly began to pick off points with Cáitrín Dobbin, Nicole O’Neill and Maeve Kelly driving the charge.

Antrim brought a couple of excellent saves from Cork goalie Sarah Ahern but eventually, three minutes from the interval, they breached the Cork defence with a long delivery from Áine Magill that was blasted to the net by Róisín Mc Cormack.

Magill added a point and the Cork lead was cut to 2-8 to 1-8. Sadly however Antrim could not maintain the momentum at the start of the second half and Cork’s defence tightened up significantly.

That meant more ball going into the forward line and, with Kate Wall and Rachel O’Shea on target from play and frees, the home side extended their lead to 2-14 to 1-8 by the second water break.

Again the Saffron management used the water break to introduce two more subs and again the changes had the desired effect. Cork failed to add to their total as Antrim rallied, but the scoring was slow.

A minute into added time Róisín McCormick gave Antrim a life-line, evading several Cork tackles before hitting the net. The same player added a point from a free to leave just a goal between the sides.

There were a further six minutes of added time Antrim and a couple of late frees that resulted in a frantic scramble but the Cork rear-guard held their ground and took the group points.

The result puts Cork a good position to win the group and claim a semi-final spot, while Antrim must defeat Kildare next Saturday to reach the quarter-finals. On Saturday Kilkenny swept to a 2-24 to 1-7 win over Kildare. 

Cork: S Ahern; N O’ Leary, G Hannon, A Crowley; A O’ Callaghan, A Moloney, K Kilcommins; L Callahan, M Murphy; K Walsh 1-0, H Ryan 0-2, R Harty; A Hurley 1-2, K Wall 0-4, R O’Shea 0-6, 3 frees.

Subs : D Carroll for A Crowley (h/t), F Neville for R Harty (44), M Barrett for K Walsh (53), E Flanagan for A O’ Callaghan (55), C Finn for A Hurley (56)

Antrim: C Graham; K McKillop, C Drain, M Lynn; M Connolly, C Conlon, C McKillop; L McNaughton capt 0-2, A Boyle; A McGill 0-1, C Laverty, M Kelly 0-4; R Mc Cormick 2-1, 1 free, N O’Neill 0-1 free, C Dobbin 0-2.

Subs : C Patterson for K McKillop (15), N Donnelly for C McKillop (15), K Carey for N O’Neill (45), A Connolly for C Laverty (45),

Ref: Conor Quinlan (Galway).

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