Antrim Senior Camogie League – Division 1
Loughgiel 3-21 Cushendall 3-6
The Antrim Camogie League finally got underway in earnest on Tuesday evening at Fr Healy Park when champions Loughgiel recorded a big win over a Cushendall side who had in their ranks a good few of the Antrim team who had won the All Ireland Junior title at Croke Park.
The celebrations from Sunday’s famous win over Armagh may, or may not, have been completed, but four goal hero in Croker two days earlier, Dervla Cosgrove showed she hadn’t lost her touch when she fired a ball to the Shamrocks net on four minutes, in reply to an earlier point from the home side’s Christine Laverty.
Luca McNaughton and Amy Boyle drew Loughgiel level by the sixth minute, but goal number two for the Ruairis three minutes later from Ellen Leech, another of Sunday’s scorers, put Cushendall back in front. However as the half proceeded Loughgiel began to get on top and a five minute spell of dominance, which brought points from Claire McKillop, Chloe Higgins and Lucia McNaugthon, and a goal from Caitrin Dobbin, turned the game firmly in Loughgiel’s favour and they went on to lead by 2-9 to 2-3 at half time.
The second half was dominated the Shamrocks as they opened with five points on the trot, before Christine Laverty grabbed her team’s second goal. The excellent Lucia McNaughton grabbed three of the next five points, to take her second half total to six. Caoimhe O’Hara pulled a goal back for Cushendall and Orlagh O’hara added a point, but Una McNaughton finished it all with a point from play from half back to get the champions away to a winning star.
