Antrim v Westmeath Very National Div 1B league 1st March 2025
Antrim 1-09 Westmeath 0-09
Match report and photos from Antrim Camogie PRO Michael Corcoran at Páirc Mhic Uilín, Ballycastle
A low scoring first half that featured an evenly contested game with more than its compliment of frees, was ground out on turf showing the effects of our recent wet weather. A Westmeath puck out at one point plugged in the ground if front of the feet of Antrim’s Caitrin Dobbin, needing to be forced out for any chance of a pickup. That said, the weather developed into a sun-soaked afternoon along with a second half that witnessed Westmeath taking the game to the hosts and made Antrim work for the win, with a goal from Dervla Cosgrove essentially winning the match and a second half performance from Antrim’s full back line to save the game.
Match referee, Philip McDonald, had no sooner let go of the sliotar on the 2pm throw-in, when Antrim’s Caitrin Dobbin was running to point within the first thirty seconds. This felt like an omen for Antrim, but after McDonald had recorded six infringements with the next four and half minutes, the game slowed up until Westmeath pointed for their first score and Antrim’s Dobbin gave Westmeath a wakeup call on a goal run in the eighth minute, though Antrim would have to wait until Fionnuala Kelly pointed before nudging up the score by one more point.
Westmeath were able to level the score around the twelfth minute as Julie McLoughlin took a charge from a fast-flowing Eimear Johnston, with Westmeath’s appointed free taker, Caoimhe McCrossan making the score look easy.
Antrim’s Fionnuala Kelly improved Antrim’s score with another super point, followed by a well-placed pass from Dobbin into Orlaith McAllister for Antrim’s final point of the first half.
Westmeath’s Caoimhe McCrossan levelled scores after McDonald spotted Westmeath’s Hannah Core take a push and tumble and a solo effort after winning the ball from a ruck, found the ball net and the short whistle for the break, Antrim 0-04 Westmeath 0-04.
Antrim knew they had a second half coming where they could bring in additional heavy artillery but when it came, it wasn’t finding getting into the game easy. Westmeath was attritional in working up behind Antrim’s half back line and The Lake County’s Hannah Core was on the receiving end of many of those advances, showing strength and determination only matched and neutralised by the likes of Katie Lynn, Caoimhe McNaughton and Dearbhail Dobbin.
In the early stages of the second half, Antrim began to flow and with points from Eavanne Martin, two more from Caitrin Dobbin, and a solo effort from Fionnuala Kelly as she dragged the sliotar out of a heavy ruck and pointed, left Westmeath to reply with their first point in the second half from a placed ball by Caoimhe McCrossan.
With just three points the difference, almost on the dot of fifteen minutes gone in the second half, Kelly offered up the sliotar to a running Dervla Cosgrove. Cosgrove bravely reduced the yards to the striking zone and found the back of Westmeath’s net, raising the only green flag of the day and scores stood at Antrim 1-08 Westmeath 0-05.
Once again, Westmeath’s Caoimhe McCrossan floated a placed ball over Antrim’s bar around the sixteenth minute but point of the day came from Eavanne Martin’s reply as she cruised the sliotar from a free, all of 55 metres to split the uprights.
A goal and two points made up Antrim’s buffer with ten minutes to run in the game, but reduced by a point once more as Westmeath’s Aoife O’Malley played the advantage onto Hannah Core. Westmeath’s McCrossan would reduce that by a further two points from placed balls and all of a sudden, with a goal the difference, Westmeath hungered for the goal but Antrim’s experienced defence and solid performance from goalkeeper, Becky Ellis, meant that Antrim could weather the late storm and took the final whistle, Antrim 1-09 Westmeath 0-09.
This was an excellent game of camogie, despite attracting twenty-nine fouls and only seven scores from those, the physicality, determination and effort in the latter stages by Westmeath made for an entertaining finale.
Antrim get a break and return to play Down, at home, on the 15th March.
Antrim starting panel and scorers
Becky Ellis, Dearbhail Dobbin, Katie Lynn, Caoimhe McNaughton, Katierose Bell, Sarah O’Neill, Shannagh Heggarty, Amy Boyle, Eimear Johnston, Annie Lynn, Aisling O’Donnell, Eavanne Martin 0-02 (1f), Fionnuala Kelly 0-03, Caitrin Dobbin 0-03, Orlaith McAllister 0-01, Dervla Cosgrove 1-00
Westmeath starting panel and scorers
Aoife Corcoran, Emily McCabe, Dearbhail McLoughlin, Katie Penrose, Katie Coleman, Muireann Scally, Kate Whyte, Caoimhe McCrossan 0-07 (6f), Laura Doherty 0-01, Claure Gaffney, Julie McLoughlin, Aoife O’Malley, Hannah Core 0-01, Karen Keegan, Olivia Kelleghan
More photos from today’s game can be found in the photo album here…
https://myalbum.com/album/fd7C5PKX6hRD9G/?invite=6ac7ccb7-26d8-4204-bf95-7ffa8de18d19