Antrim v Offaly All Ireland A Shield round 4 Sunday 23rd March 2025
Antrim 1-11 Offaly 0-09
Match report and photos from Antrim Camogie PRO Michael Corcoran in St. Mary’s GAA Club, Ahoghill
Two very distinct halves entertained the supporters lining the perimeter of Ahoghill’s Fr. McGuigan Park. Offaly won the toss and preferred to play with the breeze running down the pitch towards Crosskeys but it was Antrim that made the most of the conditions and after raising the green flag only six minutes into the first half, Offaly never managed to close the gap before the short whistle as teams walked in five points apart.
Offaly came out after the break with renewed determination and were dominant for the first ten minutes; Antrim having to react to several goalmouth scrambles and a great shift put in from goalkeeper Maeve Scullion as she brought down persistent shots from Offaly to find the net. Antrim weathered that storm, and some balance returned but the Saffrons, like Offaly, were never able to master the elemental advantage, instead containing Offaly to a no score in the last twenty minutes, maintaining the Saffron lead at the final whistle of five points.
Simon Redmond from Dublin got proceedings underway and reached for his notebook within the first minute as Offaly found the catch net for their two points from Laura Foley and Siofra Ginty.
Antrim responded from a free by Caoimhe McErlain that had to be deflected for a 45, but the breeze exaggerated the drift for the wide. McErlain though would be instrumental in finding Adria McAllister running in at close range to find the net and raise the green flag with only six minutes gone on the clock.
McErlain would prove to be Antrim’s powerhouse in today’s game, pointing three times and creating scoring opportunities as she offloaded to Cliodhna Thompson, taking her first point of three by splitting the catch net over the bar.
Offaly were quick to respond, and Siofra Ginty cruised two points in succession from a personal tally of seven on the day only to find Antrim’s JoJo Darragh moving Antrim ahead with her point on the twelfth minute but three minutes later, Laura Foley would point and Offaly would not return to move the scoreboard for the remaining fifteen minutes of the first half with a scoreline Antrim 1-02 Offaly 0-05.
In contrast, and at the core of Antrim’s win, the Saffron’s would make good of the remaining time and five points on the trot took Antrim into the short break with those five points the difference. One of those points came from Cliodhna Thompson as she took a free at the sideline near the clubhouse from a near impossible angle given the strength of the breeze, which didn’t appear to alter the sliotar’s path. And equally thrilling at the opposite end of the field, Offaly were destined to test keeper Scullion from close quarters but a brave hook by Laoise McCollam thwarted that effort.
In the second half, Offaly came out as the dominant force and Siofra Ginty started what looked like a comeback for the faithful county. Two points from two frees were equally matched though by Antrim as Caoimhe McErlain made good of the free awarded from Tamara Black being tripped and JoJo Darragh floated her attempt successfully over the bar from a tidy pass from Kiera McLaughlin.
Offaly would continue though with their strong engagement, and two points came in rapid succession, one from a free and the Offaly’s nineth and final point was a sure-fire goal only for a brave block from Laoise McCollam that deflected the sliotar over the bar.
Antrim’s tally was nudged up by two more points from Caoimhe McErlain and Anna Smyth amidst a plethora of fouls, fourteen in total over the remaining twenty-one minutes, illustrating the intensity the game took as both sides played exhaustively to Redmond’s long whistle.
The result for Antrim secures a semifinal position but it will take round five to finalise the table and deliver clarity on the opposition.
Antrim starters and scorers
Maeve Scullion, Kiera McLaughlin, Laoise McCollam, Isabelle Martin, Orla Munce, Fiadh Sands, Amy Gault, Tegan Cassidy, Anna Smyth, Tamara Black 0-01, Caoimhe McErlain 0-03 (2f), JoJo Darragh 0-03, Adria McAllister 1-00, Aedin Vallely, Cliodhna Thompson 0-04 (2f)
Offaly starters and scorers
Aoibhinn Slattery, Elodie Loonam, Tara Moran, Dara Delaney, Cara Brophy, Ruby Oakely, Ailbhe Martin, Annie Mulhare, Ali Smyth, Rachel Cunningham, Laura Foley 0-02, Keeva Davey 0-01 (1f), Shauna Mannion, Siofra Ginty 0-06 (2f), Holly Sexton
Photos from today’s game can be found in the album here…
https://myalbum.com/album/KsV94X5yKU6JJE/?invite=2d42a754-c279-4e4d-b8d6-b7e349f8d836