Glen Dimplex All-Ireland Camogie Championships – Group 3
Antrim 1-15 Limerick 0-14
When Amy Boyle sent over a point in the opening minute of the second half to put Antrim eight clear it looked like the Saffrons were on line to take a comfortable win, but as things turned out it was far from being the case as Limerick took control of the game, hitting seven of the next eight points to close the gap to just two by the midway stage of the second half. Points from Aine Magill and Caitrin Dobbin steadied the Antrim ship, but Limerick still held the upper hand when they got it back to two again entering the last five minutes the home side looked to be in trouble. However they dug deep when the chips were down and two excellent points from frees by Roisin McCormick and one from play by Caitrin Dobbin got them over line, and got their championship campaign off to a good start.
With the fresh breeze at their backs Antrim got the first score of the game through a Caitrin Dobbin free, but her opposite number Clare Keating brought the visitors level three minutes later with a point from a 45. Points from Katie McKillop and a Caitrin Dobbin 45 put Antrim 0-3 to 0-1 clear but less than a minute later Limerick’s left half forward Aine Reynolds cut the gap back to a single point.
The Saffrons took a significant step forward when Siobhan McKillop got in for the only goal of the game on nine minutes, and when Caitrin Dobbin, Aine Magill and Roisin McCormick all added points the gap was out to seven. Limerick’s Caoimhe Costello and Antrim Katie McKillop exchanged points, but we only had two more points in the opening half as corner forward Clare Keating’s 28th minute score from play, was cancelled out by Katie McKillop which sent Antrim in at the break seven to the good. (1-8 to 0-4)
Any Boyle’s early point in the second half put the gap out to eight, but the home team began to struggle as Limerick hit five without reply. McCormick eased the pressure a little but Limerick got the next two points and just two separated the sides. Antrim were really struggling to come to terms with their opponents, but they battled really hard through a tough spell and those late points from McCormick, Magill and Dobbin got them over the line.
Their next outing is against Offaly in two weeks’ time, and once again they have home advantage. They had hoped to play the match in Dunloy again, but that is the week of Feis na nGleann in Pearse Park and an alternative venue may have to be found.
Antrim: C Dobbin (0-4, 2 frees), R McCormick (0-4, 3 frees), K McKillop (0-3), Á Magill (0-3), S McKillop (1-0), A Boyle (0-1)
Limerick: C Keating (0-6, 5 frees), Á Reynolds (0-2), M Ryan (0-2), C Costelloe (0-1), L Fennelly (0-1), O Kelleher (0-1), S O’Callaghan (0-1)
Antrim: C Graham, C Patterson, K Laverty, M Lynn, N Cosgrove, C Conlon, L McKenna, A Boyle, A Connolly, S McKillop, M McKillen, K McKillop, Á Magill, R McCormick, C Dobbin
Sub: F Kelly for A Connolly (49)
Limerick: L O’Neill, T Dore, M Creamer, M Quaid, S Woulfe, M O’Callaghan, M Ryan, A Larkin, S O’Callaghan, O Kelleher, C Costelloe, Á Reynolds, S O’Brien, L Fennelly, C Keating.
Sub: C Ryan for L Fennelly (59)
