U16A Shield All Ireland Championship Round 1 Sunday 9th February 2025
Antrim 4-10 Clare 0-08
Match report and photo album from Antrim County PRO Michael Corcoran
A cloudy sky with a cold north easterly breeze would have supporters clasping tea and coffee in the hope of offering some comfort as Clare and Antrim went head-to-head in Trim on a pitch that was excellent for a Championship opener. Antrim picked up a red card early in the game and having droped a player, there was a chance that Clare would enjoy the advantage, but Antrim leaned harder into the rucks and with a star performance from Cliodhna Thompson and Maeve Scullian, at opposite ends of the pitch, Antrim were able to deny Clare much of the possession and were equally efficient in their scoring efforts.
Four goals from Cliodhna Thompson would seal Clare’s fate but not without some anxious times in the Antrim camp, as Clare mounted a comeback into the wind in the second half. An on-form Antrim goalkeeper, Maeve Scullion would drop the sliotar safely from high to low and diffuse direct shots to goal that denied Clare a route back into the game.
The referee, Justin Heffernan from Wexford, commenced the game at 2pm sharp and immediately Antrim were scuffling in Clare’s square with a ground ball. Nothing would come of the early efforts, but Thompson would coast two frees over the bar in quick succession to have Antrim two points up after four minutes.
Clare’s Sheena Bernie would drop a 45 between the uprights before Antrim’s Eimear Ward found the stick of a running Cliodhna Thompson for Antrim’s first goal after fourteen minutes.
Clare’s Rachel Kerin would reply with a point from a free and four minutes later, returned with a shot on goal but Maeve Scullion diffused the danger and Kerin looped back for a point to make amends.
Both sides would go point for point as Clare’s Katie Conlon and Sheena Bernie brought Clare’s score to 0-04 as Antrim’s Tamara Black reaped the benefits from a long solo run ending in her point and centre half forward, Eimear Ward brought the second half up the whistle with her point from a fine pass from Black up the centre of the pitch. The score would stand at the half time whistle, Antrim 1-04 Clare 0-04.
The second half started with a similar intensity to the first, with Cliodhna Thompson pulling on her second goal after only two minutes. A tenacious Thompson would press the goalkeeper after a short puck out and after forcing a wide, took her 45 to register Antrim 2-05 Clare 0-04 on the scoreboard, followed by Antrim’s Tegan Cassidy’s point as she caught a high ball to solo and score.
Clare’s Aoibhinn Corbett would have a presence throughout the second half as a strong player and read the game well to set up opportunities and stepping up after twelve minutes for a safe 45, Corbett would move Clare a point up the board.
Clare was now beginning to take portions of the game to Antrim at the three-quarter way mark in the second half. Pushing in deep and although forced to go wide on several occassions, Corbett would find a way to weave the sliotar back into a concerned position for Antrim. That spell of play would offer Clare two points coming from Katie Conlon but it would be Antrim’s Thompson that would take the match beyond Clare in the 20th minute with a scorching hat trick shot to the back of the net after Antrim were dogged along the dugout to not only maintain possession but to advance that forward.
With a fresh perspective of the game, Clare’s Ava Reddan would receive a handpassed sliotar on the edge of Antrim’s square, but a wall of saffron forced the point and as Antrim floated three more points over the bar from Eimear Ward and Caoimhe McErlain, Thompson would deliver the final blow, not on her first attempt as Clare’s goalkeeper, Lily Fitzgibbon pushed that away, but a hungry Thompson would see it over the line to finish the game with little extra time added. Final score on the board, Antrim 4-10 Clare 0-08. Antrim’s campaign has got off to a good start but there’s plenty of game time ahead and it’ll be back to training this week as the schools now take their mid-term break.
Antrim starting panel and scorers
Maeve Scullion, Kiera McLaughlin, Laoise McCollam, Isabelle Martin, Hannah Mead, Fiadh Sands, Amy Gault, Caoimhe McErlain 0-01, Tamara Black 0-01, Sorchá Carey, Eimear Ward 0-04, Orla Munce, Bronagh Doherty, Caela Cassey, Cliodhna Thompson 4-03, Tegan Cassidy 0-01
Clare starting panel and scorers
Lily Fitzsimmons, Alice McGuane, Bláthnaid Hegarty, Aoibheann Finneran, Sophie McNamara, Aine McGann, Moyra O’Grady, Sheena Beirne 0-01, Holly Wynne, Orla Cusack, Katie Conlon 0-02, Mylie Tracey, Mai Tedford, Sarah Fitzgerald, Rachel Kerins 0-03, Ava Reddan 0-01, Aoibhinn Corbett 0-01
Photos from today’s game can be found by following the link below…
https://myalbum.com/album/m6CXr7n8Fx4NmP/?invite=104d5d34-0f66-4e27-9b4d-c9b1495f4f28
Follow Michael G. Corcoran on Twitter/X @keep_clickin for match GIFS when available.
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