Antrim Camogie Feis Semi-final Loughgiel v Dunloy 14th June 2024
Match report and photos from Michael Corcoran
Friday evening’s Feis Cup Camogie semi-final between Loughgiel and Dunloy was played under perfect evening conditions. Despite a build-up of bellowing clouds surrounding the venue, Fr. Healy Park stayed dry with no wind to hamper play.
This was a game largely of goal for goal, but it was Dunloy that managed to accumulate the additional points to make an eight-point difference a comfortable win of the Feis semi-final. An understrength Loughgiel squad, hampered with county commitments and injuries, were in charge for the first half, but Dunloy came out after the break and by now had worked out how to penetrate Loughgiel’s defence that set them up for a cluster of points and a fourth goal to put the match beyond Loughgiel.
Owen Elliott was the match referee and shortly after getting things underway, blew for the games first foul and Dunloy’s Nicole McAtamney made it count for the opening point of the match as she pointed towards the road end goals.
Loughgiel replied with points from Anna McKillop and Christine McCloskey, after picking up a ball from Anna Connelly. The Shamrocks could have been an extra point up after Elliott spotted Kirsty McKendry being held, but the free sailed wide of Dunloy’s uprights.
Dunloy kept their patience and found four more points, two from Brid Magill and Katie Molloy from play and two taken by Nicole McAtamney, the first a free, awarded after Elliott spotted a throw and a 45 at around 12 minutes into the game.
Loughgiel were pressing forward and a lovely ball from Anna Connolly to a running Orlagh Laverty was richly rewarded when Dunloy’s keeper, Kathryn Boyle wasn’t able to stop the shot on goal. The Fridge Raiders scoreboard had tallied up Loughgiel 1-02 Dunloy 0-05.
In a short time, the sliotar had worked its way from Dunloy’s half into Loughgiel’s box and a waiting Katie Molloy put it beyond a stretching Eimear Boyle to the back of the net.
Anna McKillop inched Loughgiel closer with a free, before Christine McCloskey brought play to the left of field towards the clubhouse. Orlagh Laverty benefited from a short pass and running through, opted to offload to Marie Laverty running into space. The youngest of the three playing sisters made a clean swing for Loughgiel’s second goal.
The Shamrock’s would inch up another two points, one from McCloskey and Orlagh Laverty from a Marie Laverty pass.
Orlagh Laverty’s work rate was impressive as she actioned another pass to Shanna Deery. Deery was likely hoping to point but it dropped steeply behind Kathryn Boyle’s head for the Shamrock’s third goal and five points to Dunloy’s one goal and five points.
But Dunloy had an almost instantaneous reply as Nicole McAtamney dropped in a high ball to a waiting Brid Magill. Magill spun, ran towards Boyle’s goals and directed the sliotar low and beyond Boyle’s reach.
With just three points the difference, Dunloy’s Aine Magill closed the gap to one point with two points from play, one of those was a straight turnover from a Boyle puck out. Elliott glanced at his watch and after adding on a couple of extra minutes of injury time, blew for the break leaving scores standing Loughgiel 3-05 Dunloy 2-07.
Straight from Elliotts whistle, Dunloy found another gear and a spell of play amassed the eight points that would make the difference at the end of the game. Five of those points were over the bar and a goal from Brid Magill.
The final fifteen minutes of the second half witnessed Dunloy stretch their points scoring over the bar on a 2:1 basis, but the Loughgiel supporters were offered some hope when the industrious Orlagh Laverty found Katie McKillop and struck the sliotar into Dunloy’s net for the Shamrocks’ fourth goal.
Four points were the difference in Dunloy’s favour after Kerry Rose Drain pointed, shortly after substituting Kyra Doherty. It’s often said that a team needing a goal gets a goal but that Cumann proverb did not offer any further hope for Loughgiel as Dunloy’s Nicole McAtamney closed the door behind her with a punishing goal and 29 minutes on the clock.
Owen Elliott would bring the Feis semi-final to a close and the Fridge Raiders scoreboard illuminated the evening as the light began to drop, Loughgiel 4-07 Dunloy 4-15.
Photos from tonight’s game can be found by clicking on the photo album link below…
Loughgiel Scorers:
Shanna Deery 1-0, Christine (Laverty) McCloskey 0-02, Anna McKillop 0-02 (1f), Orlagh Laverty 1-02, Marie Laverty 1-01, Katie McKillop 1-0
Dunloy Scorers:
Brid Magill 2-01, Nicole McAtamney 1-06 (4f 1×45), Katie Molloy 1-02, Aine Magill 0-05, Kerry Rose Drain 0-01