Antrim Camogie Junior Championship Group 1

Loughgiel 0-01 Ballycastle 1-13

14th Sept 2024

Match report and photo album from Michael Corcoran at Fr. Healy Park

A mizzling afternoon with a strengthening breeze blowing from the clubhouse up the pitch and a battling Ballycastle team managed to get the better of Loughgiel as the Shamrock’s struggled to get the sliotar up into Ballycastle’s half during the first thirty minutes.

Ballycastle pegged Loughgiel to a no score against their own six points and Shamrock supporters held out for a possible swing in fortunes as they took the breeze on their backs in the second half but despite chances that fizzled out short or wide, the Town doubled their score and a goal for good measure.

Referee Shane McDonnell took charge at noon, after presiding over some of the games up in Fr. Barrett Park for the North Antrim GAA U12.5 Festival of Hurling. It would be two minutes before Ballycastle made a foray into their scoring zone and Grainne Hunter would stir the large Fridge Raiders scoreboard into action with the Town’s first point. Hunter would return for a second point minutes later as it was deflected up and over the bar.

Over the next fifteen minutes, Hunter would strike again, with two more points and one from Kaci-Lee Hunter as Loughgiel fought to try and make their five frees count into the wind without success.

Ballycastle looked like they were building a move as Hunter found Shannon McQuillan in a useful space but Loughgiel’s Ellie Glackin would be solid throughout the entire game and denied this attempt as it went out for a 45 and Ballycastle’s Emmer Connor made that six points to Loughgiel’s none as McDonnell blew for half time.

The expectation of a move from Loughgiel in the second half hung on how they would take advantage of the blustery breeze and could Ballycastle push into the wind close enough to score.  The answer to that came quickly as McQuillan pointed from the edge of Loughgiel’s 13m box after one minute and thirty on the clock. McQuillan would clip another two points from frees as Loughgiel struggled with getting the passing distance correctly, as sliotars ran on for Ballycastle jerseys to roll up and turn over.

McQuillan would show further style at thirteen on the clock as she delivered her sliotar deep into Loughgiel’s Eimear McGivern’s net. Fortune and favour would assist the sliotar to drop short but deflected off the stick of Kara Brolly and up into McGivern’s net. This would be the only goal from Ballycastle, as McGivern had a solid run of saves throughout the game and a long puck out aided at least a dozen healthy clearances.

Ballycastle were to face the wrath of the wind, and four successive frees would drop short for Loughgiel to clear back out. Town supporters would have to wait until twenty five minutes elapsed as another goal attempt was foiled but the Town were able to turn that over for their point from Hunter.

Ballycastle were by now over the line with twenty seven minutes gone in the second half but an eager McQuillan pointed after a clever pass from Tara McAfee, and as Loughgiel’s Eibhlín Kearney cleared the sliotar from a Ballycastle attack, Grainne Hunter turned that over the bar to move Ballycastle to 1-12.

Loughgiel were pushing up, despite a wide margin to close in the remaing minutes, Neala Clarke embarked on a long solo run that although drifted wide, McDonnell pulled back for a foul. Katie Glackin tucked that well over the bar for Loughgiel’s only point in the game as McQuillan took the honour of closing the Town’s account with a point that was assisted by a sublimely delicate pass from Tara McAfee.

McDonnell blew with a minute extra, leaving the scoreboard Loughgiel 0-01 Ballycastle 1-13 in today’s Antrim Camogie Junior Championship Group 1.

Loughgiel starters and scorers

Eimear McGivern, Grace McLean, Ellie Glacken, Eibhlín Kearney, Clodagh McNulty, Ella Sullivan, Neala Clarke, Rhea Dickson, Aoibhinn Fennelly, Roma McGarry, Kathryn Glackin 0-01f, Aoife Cunningham, Kaitlin McAlister, Anya Connolly, Aoife McKinley

Ballycastle Starters and scorers

Erin O’Hara, Anna Bakewell, Caoimhe McShane, Emma Fairley, Noelle McAuley, Emma Connor 0-01, Rebecca Barret, Ellie McGarry, Caitlin Hunter, Eimear Donnelly, Grainne Hunter 0-06, Kaci-Lee Hunter 0-01, Grainne O’Neill, Kara Brolly 1-00, Oonagh McCaughan, Shannon McQuillan 0-05 (2f)

Photos from today’s game can be found by clicking on the album link here…

https://myalbum.com/album/WQVdq99P9xwMon/?invite=b172d7fc-9d23-47a4-8f4a-10e37a3d998c

Follow Michael G Corcoran @keep_clickin on X (formerly Twitter) for match Gifs when available.

Follow The Saffron Gael @TheSaffronGael on X for links to match reports.