Glen Dimplex Senior championship Group Two
Antrim 0-6 Galway 2-17
It was a case of what might have been for Antrim Camogs when they faced All Ireland Champions Galway at Pearse Park, Dunloy on Saturday. In the end they were well beaten by a very good Galway side who, once they hit their stride, showed just why they are champions. However there was much about the Antrim performance that was encouraging and had they have taken the chances they created when facing the gale in the opening half then things would have been much tighter.
When facing the first half gale Antrim were right there in the fight during the first quarter and early points from Caitrin Dobbin and Roisin McCormick had them level after ten minutes. Galway stretched their lead to 0-6 to 0-2 before Antrim’s teenage midfielder Aine Magill soloed through from midfield, with three Galway defenders giving chase, and brilliantly split the posts. There were other chances at this stage as Caitrin Dobbin cut in along the endline and fired low for goal, only to see the ball bounce of the foot of Galway goalkeeper Sarah Healy and out to safety. Soon afterwards Roisin McCormick stepped inside here marker and shot hurriedly with Magill breaking clear on her right, two chances that could have made a big difference.
As the game entered the second quarter the Galway girls began to find a bit more rhythm in the play and they made a significant breakthrough as Siobhan McGrath finished to the net after a move by Antrim to work the ball out of defence as intercepted. The points began to flow for the visitors and they made good use of the gale force wind and by half time they had pulled eleven clear. To make matters worse for the Saffons a torrential rain shower, which started in first half injury time, saw the gale easy noticeably by the sides re-emerged for the second half.
The home sides hopes of making a fight of it in the second half never really happened as the slick moving champions started to pick off some great scores, while Antrim struggled to make any significant breakthrough. The Galway defence was now rock solid, and with substitute C Finnerty in brilliant form in the right corner Antrim were struggling to win any clean possession. However the Antrim girls kept balling away and with Caoimhe Conlon, performing heroics at centre back the chance began to appear. Roisin McCormick picked off two fine points but Galway always had an answer and Aoife Donahue grabbed her team’s second goal on the way to a convincing 17 point win.
Although well beaten Antrim can take quite a few positives from the game. Going into it everyone knew the girls in Saffrons were up against it, but they will have learned a lot from their experience against Kilkenny and Galway in the last two outings. Although they lost against the top two sides they are still in contention for a quarter final spot. To clinch that last eight place they will need to beat Limerick in their final group game next Saturday, back in Dunloy. The Shannonsiders will not be easily beat, even with home advantage, but this Antrim team have the ability to turn them over as seal a quarter finals spot in a quarter final in Croke Park in three weeks time.
Antrim: Catriona Graham, Chloe Drain, Niamh Cosgrove, Maria Lynn, Lucia McNaughton capt, Caoimhe Conlon, Katie Laverty, Coleen Patterson, Nicole McAtamney, Amy Boyle, Maedhbh Laverty, Áine Magill 0-2, Caoimhe Wright, Roisin McCormack 0-3 (1f), Caitrin Dobbin 0-1.
Subs: Laoise McKenna for N O’Neill (38), Siobhan McKillop for M Laverty (42), Chloe McArthur for C Wright (46), Niamh Anne Donnelly for C Drain (54)
Galway: Sarah Healy, R Hanniffy, S Dervan, H Cooney, S Gardiner, R Black, D Higgins, A Donohue 1-1, N Kilkenny, C Dolan 0-8, R Hennelly 0-3, N Hanniffy, S McGrath 1-1, A O’Reilly 0-2, S Rabbitte 0-1.
Subs: C Finnerty for R Hennelly (30 + 4), Shauna Healy for S Dervan (39), Á Keane 0-1 for S McGrath (50), M Cooney for H Cooney (56)
Referee: J Dermody (Westmeath).
