Travel Ireland Coaches Antrim senior championship
Loughgiel 3-6 Ballycastle 0-7
Two superb goals in the last ten minutes from star forwards Roisin McCormick and Caitrin Dobbin steered Loughgiel to their tenth title in a row at Pairc Mhuire, Cushendall on Sunday and dashed the hopes of challengers Ballycastle.
Entering the last ten minutes it appeared that Ballycastle’s long search for a senior title might be coming to an end when Aine Donnelly’s point from play brought them within a single point of the champions, after having trailed by six at one stage in the opening half. Hopes were high among the black and amber fans that a shock could be on the cards, but the introduction of the Shamrocks brightest star Roisin McCormick (who hadn’t started because of hamstring strain) and Caitrin Dobbin (who was by that stage back in the action after picking up an injury in the first half) swung the game back in Loughgiel’s favour, and five minutes later it was all over bar the shouting.
Ballycastle gave it their all and will be desperately disappointed at how things ended, but despite an abundance of possession in the first half they failed to raise a flag until the 26th minute of the game and that statistic cost them dearly.
Loughgiel had started with a bang and two early points, the first from Orlagh Laverty and the second from Caitrin Dobbin were quickly followed by brilliant struck goal from the right corner by Dobbin to put her team in control. Ballycastle recovered from their bad start and steadied the ship but though they began to create chances they simply could not hit the target until Maeve Kelly got their first score on 26 minutes. In the run in to half time Kelly hit another and younger sister Fiona got one, in reply to two from Lucia McNaughton frees which gave Loughigel a 1-4 to 0-3 lead at the break.
Despite facing a diagonal breeze in the second half Ballycastle began to claw back the deficit. They actually fell a further point behind when Orlagh Laverty got Loughgiel’s last point for twenty five minutes, but slowly but surely they began to close the gap. Former All Ireland winner Sionan Graham was beginning to make her presence felt and they started their fightback with two pointed frees from Maeve Kelly. Samantha McKillen added another to close within two by the 40th minute, but is could have been even closer but for some poor finishing.
When Aine Donnelly closed the gap to a single point with still 11 minutes of normal time remaining hope were high for the black and amber following, but McCormick’s dramatic entrance, and Dobbin’s brilliant strike snatched the game from Ballycastle’s grasp. McCormick cut in from the left and soloed along the endline before throwing the ball up and batting it past the advancing Ballycastle goalkeeper Danielle McMichael. Two minutes later Caitrin Dobbin was sent clear by a ball played over the defence by Christine Laverty and the corner forward picked it up on the run before sending it across the goal from the right corner to seal the club’s tenth title on the trot.
When the disappointment of this defeat fades Ballycastle will take great encouragement from their performance and come again next year. The strong start by the Shamrocks and even stronger finish was their undoing but for long periods of the game they gave as good as they got.
As for Loughgiel they won’t have much time to celebrate their historic victory as they are down to face their great Ulster rivals Slaughtneil next weekend. A tough encounter at any time, but without two of their top players it would be well night impossible so let’s hope that McCormick and Dobbin make a speedy recovery.
Loughgiel: E Boyle, C Campbell, K Lynn, M Lynn, E McFadden, C Boyle, C McKillop, A Boyle, L McNaughton 0-2, Christine Laverty, A Connolly, A Lynn, C Dobbin 2-2, 0-1 free, K McKillop, O Laverty 0-2.
Subs: C Higgins for C Dobbin (13), C Dobbin for A Lynn (33), Ciara Laverty for K McKillop (44), R McCormick 1-0 for C Higgins (51), M McGarry for M Lynn (53)
Ballycastle: D McMichael, C Heggarty, C McShane, A Toner, M O’Neill, K Mullan, E McShane, N Cosgrove, S Heggarty, M Kelly 0-4 frees, F McIntosh, F Kelly 0-1, S Graham, S McKillen 0-1, J McIntosh.
Subs: NA Donnelly for C Heggarty (HT), Á Donnelly 0-1 for F Kelly (43), R McBride for J McIntosh (47), E McIntosh for S McKillen (52)
Referee: J McAllister (Dunloy)
