Ulster Camogie Intermediate Final @ Edendork
Armagh 0-13 Antrim 0-6
Pics by John Merry – Report by Seamus McAleenan
ARMAGH’S great experience helped them retain their Ulster Intermediate title and their 0-13 to 0-6 victory in sunny Edendork on Sunday prevented a clean sweep of provincial crowns by Antrim.
Apart from the first quarter, the holders were in charge of the game and even a scoreless 20 minutes in the middle of the second half followed by a red card for substitute Katie Comiskey couldn’t stop them lifting the Cup once more.
Armagh carried a bit more experience into the final and were also able to physically impose themselves on the game against a much younger Antrim team who couldn’t find the spark that disposed of Cavan in the semi-final.
Yet the Saffrons began brightly and were 0-3 to 0-1 up at the end of the first quarter with fine scores from Caoimhe McNaughton, Fionnuala Kelly and Anna McNeill.
Those scores all came from good work on the wings. Armagh however were ruling the centre of the pitch with Eimear Hayes a free player as Dervla Cosgrove had moved back as an extra defender for Antrim.
As the half wore on Armagh’s attack got into gear and the cuteness of former Cork All-Ireland winner and four times All-star Jennifer Curry created problems for the Antrim defence.
Curry, Corrina Doyle and two points each from the Donnelly sisters turned the game around before Antrim could get back on the score-board with a point from Emma Laverty in the 28th minute and Armagh went in at the break with a lead of 0-8 to 0-4.
Ciara Donnelly pointed her third free on the re-start and Curry then set up Doyle for a 10th Armagh point that could have been a goal. However Antrim pulled themselves off the ropes, helped by half-time substitutes Brid Magill and Cassie McArthur, but they couldn’t make real headway on the score-board.
By the time Armagh scored again in the 54th minute, Antrim had only managed to get within four points. Despite being reduced to 14 players, Armagh finished strongly with two more points from Donnelly frees and they will go into the All-Ireland Premier Junior competition with high hopes of reaching a third successive final.
Armagh: C Devlin, M Lenehan, N Woods, E O’Kane, G McCann capt, E Hayes, T Maguire, M McArdle 0-1, L Donnelly 0-3, C Hill, C Donnelly 0-6 (fs), E McKee, C Doyle 0-2, J Curry 0-1, H Duffy.
Subs: R Merry for H Duffy (10), C O’Kane for E O’Kane (38), K Comiskey for C Hill (43), E Smyth for M Leneghan (52), E Maguire for T Maguire (59).
Antrim: Á Graham, M McGarry, E Kearns, E McShane, E Laverty 0-1, K Laverty, M McLarnon capt, C Kearney, A McNeill 0-1, C McNaughton 0-1, D Cosgrove 0-1 (f), F Kelly 0-1, N Devlin, S Cosgrove, O Laverty.
Subs: C McArthur for N Devlin (HT), Brid Magill 0-1 for N Devlin (HT), T O’Neill for A McNeill (41).
Referee: EP Cassidy (Derry)