Glen Dimplex All Ireland Intermediate Championship
Westmeath 4-04 Antrim 5-09
Match report and photos from Antrim Camogie PRO, Michael Corcoran
Torrential downpours across portions of Saturday’s game defined scoring conditions as visibility dropped to mere metres at times, grips were saturated and underfoot was slippy but it it didn’t detract from the intensity of the match. Attempts to float the heavy sliotar through a curtain of rain for points were far and few between, as both sides opted to play safe and go low.
It was Westmeath that leveraged those conditions early in the game and amidst a sprinkling of chaos in the Antrim defence, Westmeath found themselves two goals up after fifteen minutes before Antrim came back with a Nicole McAtamney penalty, as referee Karol Collins agreed Caitrin Dobbin was pulled to the ground on her advance to goal.
Antrim looked like they had steadied the ship at 2-02 apiece, points from Lucia McNaughton and Maeve Kelly as McAtamney struck again from a free that tucked itself under the bar for her second green flag but Westmeath had their share of luck too, as a high dropping ball bounced out of the hand of Antrim’s keeper for their third of the game at twenty eight minutes gone.
Unrelenting rain was the hallmark of the second half and Westmeath wasted no time in puncturing Antrim’s net with their fourth goal from a delicate pass into Julie McLoughlin, but Antrim were about to swing their fortunes and the appearance of Roisin McCormick from the bench would send Westmeath into turmoil, infusing skills with pushing forward, feeding Katie Molloy and Caitrin Dobbin, Dobbin enjoying two goals, one of those from a Katie Molloy Annie Lynn genesis and onto McCormick. McCormick would announce her presence quietly at first, cruising two frees over Westmeath’s bar before becoming a handful for Westmeath.
One of Dobbin’s goals came from a tenacious read of Westmeath’s puck out by McCormick as the dud ball slammed short, picking it up and offloading into Dobbin for her goal. A buoyant Antrim had four goals in the bag and McCormick was about to be rewarded with her own goal to register five on the scoreboard for Antrim with nine points gathered up from McCormick, Dobbin, Kelly and two from McAtamney to Westmeath’s 4 goals and four points, Westmeath only managing to score 1-02 in the second half speaks volumes of Antrim’s swing in fortunes as they continued to keep the sliotar forward and ground down any advance from Westmeath.
Despite Collins adding on four extra minutes, Westmeath were unable to make good of those precious minutes and Antrim walked in 5-09 to 4-04, a tough but well won three points, facing Meath now on Saturday 21st June in Loughgiel.
Westmeath Panel and scorers
Aoife Corcoran, Emily McCabe, Dearbhail McLoughlin, Claire Gaffney, Katie Coleman, Roisín Scally, Laura Doherty, Caoimhe McCrossan 0-02 (1f), Aoife O’Malley, Karen Keegan, Áine Newman, Hannah Core 0-01, Meadbh McLoughlin 1-01, Julie McLoughlin 2-00, Olivia Kelleghan 1-00
Anna Weir, Fiona Keating, Ciara Corcoran, Katie Penrose, Reanna Kennedy, Eva Cawley, Kate Whyte, Rebecca O’Neill, Mary Geraghty, Muireann Scally, Holly Dowdall, Caoimhe McCormack
Antrim panel and scorers
Becky Ellis, Clare McKillop, Katie Lynn, Caoimhe McNaughton, Erin Coulter, Sarah O’Neill, Shannagh Heggarty, Amy Boyle, Nicole McAtamney 2-02, Maeve Kelly 0-02, Eavanne Martin, Lucia McNaughton 0-02, Cassie McArthur, Katie Molloy, Caitrín Dobbin 2-01
Caitriona Graham, Dearbhail Dobbin, Katie Rose Bell, Sarah Fyfe, Niamh Neeson, Janey McIntosh, Emer Johnston, Roisín McCormick 1-03 (2f), Aisling O’Donnell, Annie Lynn, Orlaith McAllister, Fionnuala Kelly, Dervla Cosgrove, Collen Patterson
You can view more photos from Saturday’s game here…
https://myalbum.com/album/jSpbNsNZLggczJ/?invite=12656bd3-83da-4da6-8af4-b0fb7b7c3955