Tesco Minor ‘A’ Camogie All-Ireland Championship (Group 3) on: Sunday the 6th February 2022 at 2:00pm in Abbottstown, Dublin:
Wexford 3.11 – 2.04 Antrim
On Sunday past at Abbottstown, on the outskirts of Dublin, the Antrim Minor Camogie team in their first All-Ireland Minor ‘A’ Championship game of the campaign, suffered a 10-point defeat to Wexford. Unfortunately, it was always going to be a very tough ask of the young Saffrons, as eleven of their starting-fifteen (and three of the subs who came on in the second-half), had ran and hurled them-selves into the ground, while suffering the hearbreak of defeat by the minimum (i.e. one point), in epic All-Ireland Colleges Senior semi-finals, just the day previously. Cross and Passion College, Ballycastle, were defeated in the Senior ‘A’ semi-final by Cashel Community School, in South Tipperary, on a score-line of 0.9 – 0.8, whilst at the same time in Moneygall (North Tipperary), St. Killian’s Garron Tower, suffered the same fate against Colaiste Phobal, Roscrea, in the Senior ‘C’ semi-final, on a score-line of 1.7 – 0.9. And so it proved. The exertions of the previous day, catching-up with the girls in the second-half of the Wexford game.
Yet, it had all started so brightly for Antrim in the first-half – playing against a very strong breeze. They had raced into a four-point lead after 10 minutes of play: team-captain and full-forward Cassie McArthur, slotting over a point from an acute angle in the second minute, followed by an excellent goal from the same player in the sixth. A long-range ball was delivered by her Dunloy club-mate, mid-fielder Katie Molloy, which was well fielded by Mc Arthur, who had still plenty of work to do. However, she set of on solo-run which turned the Wexford defence, and once some space was created, she crashed the ball into the top left-hand corner of the Wexford net. This was as good as it was to get for Antrim, who would register only one further point, in the next twenty-odd minutes. Slowly but surely – with the aid of the strong wind on their backs – Wexford began to open-up and stretch the Antrim defence. They recorded four quick points without reply (2 frees and 1 x ‘45’ from No. 14, Sarah Doyle; and a long-range point from corner-forward Caoimhe Byrne), which was followed by two goals between the 16th and 18th minutes. Both were speculative lobs by the Wexford captain and centre-half-back, Karen Tomkins, and the Wexford centre-forward, No. 11, Aoibheann Mernagh. However, each deceived the young Antrim net-minder and the pressure on the Antrim back-lines, was not abated, until mid-fielder Katie Molloy, was brought back to play as a ‘sweeper’. Wexford controlled the remainder of the first-half, with Sarah Doyle adding a further point from play, and centre-forward Mernagh, scoring her second goal of the game, smashing the ball to the roof of the Antrim, after a mix-up in the Antrim rearguard. Cassie Mc Arthur converted a late free for Antrim on the 30-minute mark, to leave the half-time score: Wexford 3.05 – 1.02 Antrim.
Antrim resumed the second-half nine points in arrears and with the strong breeze in their favour, it was in no way insurmountable. However, with the Wexford team being fresh and without the travails of what had happened the day previous, the ‘yellow-bellies’ were able run the ball more at Antrim and deploy sweepers to protect their lead. Antrim found it very difficult, to get any quality ball, into their inside-forward line of Monique O’ Boyle, Sine Woodhouse, and the ever-dangerous Mc Arthur. The Antrim half-back line, midfield and half-forward lines, found them-selves in a battle of attrition, with their opposite numbers, and any scores were at a premium. Katie Molloy knocked over one long-range free and a ‘45’, within 10 minutes of the re-start, but two excellent pointed-frees and a further point from play, from the impressive Doyle; followed by three points from play from corner back Byrne and Mernagh, always ensured that Wexford were in control. However, the Antrim girls fought and battled to the final whistle, with Mc Arthur scoring another good goal, with six minutes to go; but with fatigue and cramp setting in, the Antrim management was forced to substitute four players in the final quarter.
Overall, Antrim can be well-pleased with the performance in the circumstances, but to grind-out a result in the second-half – given the sheer exhaustion of the girls – would have been well-nigh on impossible. And no doubt, it would have been a very interesting match-up if both teams had been fresh – with Antrim fancying their chances. However, at this level, you cannot concede ‘soft’ goals and small technical mistakes, get punished. The Antrim rear-guard performed admirably, with Brid Magill at full-back, supported well by her two corner-backs; Fay Mc Intosh fought to the end, as did wing-half Mc Neill and centre-half Martin. Molloy and Johnston at mid-field, were under pressure throughout, but Molloy aided the Antrim defence when dropping back into ‘sweeper’, during the second-half. The half-forward line foraged hard throughout the contest, but the inside forward-line could not get the supply it needed, and especially Ulster Colleges All-Star full-forward, Cassie Mc Arthur, who was top-scorer with 2.02 and Antrim’s best performer on the day.
Antrim now return to the same venue this coming Sunday (i.e. 13th February 2022), to face Limerick (who suffered a heavy home-defeat to Tipperary on Sunday-past), in what more-or-less becomes now, a must-win game. However, the week’s rest should benefit the girls and an added impetus in training – now that the Colleges Senior Camogie campaigns have drawn to a close – will no doubt focus them, for the task in hand.
ANTRIM
1. Louise Mulholland, 2. Ellen Mc Intosh, 3. Brid Magill, 4. Erin Coulter 5. Fay McIntosh, 6. Eavanne Martin, 7. Abi McNeill, 8. Eimhear Johnston, 9. Katie Molloy (0.2 [1f; 1 x ‘45’]) 10. Lara Haughey, 11. Bronagh Magill, 12. Jannie Mc Intosh, 13. Monique O’ Boyle, 14. Cassie McArthur [Capt.] (2.2 [1f]), 15. Sine Woodhouse.
Subs: 16. Emily O’ Neill for Mulholland; 17. Eva Graham for Coulter; 18. Aoibheann Donnelly for Haughey; 20. Grace Kearns; 21. Cara O’ Boyle for Fay Mc Intosh; 23. Clodagh Mc Peake; 25. Niamh Graham; 26. Ailbhe Kane; 27. Orla Mc Ilroy for Brid Magill.
WEXFORD
1. Kate Butler, 2. Zoe Tobin Cosgrave, 3. Niamh O’ Rourke, 4. Martha Kavanagh, 5. Rebecca Oligive, 6. Karen Tomkins [Capt.] (1.0), 7. Roisin Hughes, 8. Cora Mc Grath, 9. Aoibhe Mac Sweeney, 10. Orla Redmond, 11. Aoibheann Mernagh (2.1), 12. Sadhbh Buttle, 13. Ciara Butler, 14. Sarah Doyle (0.7 [4f; 1 x ‘45’], 15. Caoimhe Byrne (0.3).
Referee – Liz Dempsey (Kilkenny)