Antrim’s goal keeper, Caitriona Graham talks to Michael Corcoran ahead of Sunday’s game
As luck would have it, Antrim’s ‘Goal stopper’, Caitriona Graham, literally found herself in goals due to Chinese whispers. Playing on the County development squad at underage, Caitriona was given the number one jersey because her home club, Ahoghill, was alphabetically first and that’s simply how jersey numbers were assigned back in the day of her development camp. Caitriona played outfield for that entire summer camp.
When Caitriona returned to school in September, her school Camogie coach had heard she was playing number 1, obviously a ‘goalie’. And so, Caitriona found herself in goals playing for the school. The rest, as they say, is history. There are no regrets about the mix up, as long as Caitriona gets to play outfield for her club, then County goals is an interesting mix.
Ahead of this Sunday’s Ulster Senior Championship final, Caitriona spoke to the Saffron Gael about the up-and-coming game. An item on the agenda had to be a firsthand narrative of that amazing save in the dying minutes of the recent semifinal game against Down. Had that sliotar crossed the line, Antrim would have been defeated, and the chances of a back-to-back win were over. Caitriona picks up the conversation, “I saw the Down free dropping in from I believe it was from Paula O’Hagan, I guess their plan was to go for a goal given there was only two points between us. The next minute the sliotar was travelling towards the left side of me, probably just inside the left post. I just reacted, no thinking time, and thankfully got the stick to it and turned it away. It would have been heartbreaking to lose from that shot but a great way to end the game for Antrim.”
Caitriona isn’t a stranger to saving game changing shots. During the Very league final against Clare, Graham pulled off another goal stopping shot as Clare’s full forward, Ellen Casey, turned on a sixpence to fire at point blank range into Antrim’s net. Caitriona adds, “I’ve been coached to get off the line and make yourself big, like really big. That’s what I did, moved off the line, followed Casey out and when she turned, I got my stick and hand onto the ball and thankfully managed to deflect it away.” When asked how did she like being relabeled a goal stopper in match reports as opposed to a net minder, Caitriona simply laughs it off. And that would be her nature, jovial around her mates but keeping her feet planted on the ground and doesn’t get too carried away with the peripherals.
Sunday’s game against Derry will see the Oak-leaf County and Antrim play against each other for the first time this year. Caitriona elaborates that, “They’ve shed a few County players since their All Ireland of ‘23 but there’s younger girls coming through onto the panel. Sunday’s game will be interesting as they know us well and the same can be said for us, we know them well too. It’ll come down to whoever plays the best camogie on the day.”
As we move closer to the final, we asked Caitriona to share her pre-match routine and this is what she had to say on that, “Well, strangely enough I don’t get too involved with that aspect. I just like to get there, warm up and get into the game. There’s usually music playing in the changing rooms and so long as we can get Cassie McArthur to change the selection from, I think it’s rave she has on, then I’m good to go.”
A win on Sunday will give Caitriona a back-to-back Ulster winning experience, will that be up there as one of her career highlights? “Yeah, no doubt but then there’s also the All-Ireland win in 2021 and then you can’t forget about your club involvement. We had a mighty run in the Ulster Junior up to the semifinal against Kilrea. There was a big crowd, and we had an extended season when everyone else had finished for the year. We trained three nights a week on the run up. The club senses the activity and everyone rows in behind. It’s a special time as you get to play with family and friends, although County is special too but in a different way.”
Sunday’s game will see the end of Antrim’s Ulster senior campaign and then it’s onto the All-Ireland Glen Dimplex series. But for now, Antrim are laser focused on a positive outcome in Dunloy with a throw-in time of 2pm. You can get your tickets here…