All-Ireland under 16 Camogie semi-final

Antrim 1-12 Offaly 0-10

Antrim are through to the All-Ireland under 16A shield final after beating Offaly in Abbottstown on Saturday.

Antrim had gone through the group stages unbeaten to top the group, leaving them a more favourable draw for the semi-finals.

They led by 1-5 to 0-5 at the break on a difficult playing surface after the heavy rain that preceded it. Cushendall midfielder Eva McNeill was the goal-scorer and the whole team was quite dominant although they found Offaly goalie Caoimhe Spain in outstanding form.

Kady McNeill and Dunloy’s Eabha McAllister both registered three points each as Antrim pulled away to lead by 1-11 to 0-5 during the third quarter. 

There was a rally from Offaly near the end, but it didn’t come close to knocking the Saffrons’ off-course for the final.

That final is set for UPMC Nowlan Park on July 29th. They will meet Clare who had a big win over Dublin in the other semi-final.

When Antrim and Clare met in the group stages in Abbottstown back in May, it was a ding-dong battle that ended with the Saffrons coming out on top by 4-8 to 2-13.

Antrim: Mya McKinley, Kerry Rose Draine, Maeve McAlister, Sarah Louise Kearns capt, Maeve Devlin, Laura Black, Kady McNeill (0-3), Casey Crawford, Eva McNeill (1-1), Rhianna Black (0-1), Eobha McAlister (0-3), Aimee Ferris (0-1), Katie McCloskey (0-1), Mary McArthur (0-2), Micha Cunning.

Subs: Marie Laverty for K McCloskey (45), Sarah Flavin for M Devlin (58).

Offaly: C Spain, S Gleeson, K Mannion, S O’Rourke, C Kennedy, Á Rigney, S King, K Pilkington (0-4), K Lawlor, F Gleeson, K Walshe, M Guinan, N Daly (0-1), N Sheehy (0-2), A Quinn.

Sub: G Cleary (0-1) for M Guinan.