Antrim Camogie Minor A Club Championship
Loughgiels Shamrocks 2-12 Dunloy 3-24
Fr. Healy Park was awash with red and white for the annual club day and that didn’t deter Dunloy minors from putting on a strong performance. A breezy summer day with late sunshine brought pitch temperatures upwards of 26 degrees but no one was complaining. Two solid goals from Dunloy in the first half left the Shamrocks with much to do on the turn. Although Loughgiel did deliver two well worked goals in the second half, Dunloy ran away with the points using the breeze to their upmost benefit. Long puck outs from their goalkeeper Mya McKinley dropped far up the pitch to eventually overwork Loughgiel’s catch net.
Dunloy’s scoring blitz started with potential from a racing Eobha McAllister as she punched her throw-in prize hard into the clubhouse end wind. The sliotar had all the legs and although drifting wide, it sent out a message that despite the elemental challenge, McAllister had its makings.
For the first fifteen minutes, both sides went toe to toe, Loughgiel trailing by only one point 0-05 to 0-06 but when a Dunloy puck out worked its way cleanly into Loughgiel’s box, Erin McMullin found the back of the net with only a two point reply from Loughgiel before McMullin took advantage of a dropped ball at close quarters to raise her second green flag, in the closing stages of the first half. The half time whistle from referee Ryan O’Reilly left the score on the large Fridge Raiders scoreboard, Loughgiel 0-07 Dunloy 2-09. Walking into the clubrooms, Loughgiel would reflect on not capitalising on the two real goal scoring opportunities from close range that were hit with no power and directly to the goalkeeper.
The second half commenced with some similarity to the initial game throw-in, as Dunloy’s McAllister hurtled out of the throw-in with the sliotar to claim her point on this occasion. The Shamrock’s were largely holding their own but their first touch had deserted them and any potential to build up a run at goal went amiss as the sliotar couldn’t be picked up quick enough to protect the prize and Dunloy were eager to take advantage of that. With thirteen gone on the clock, Eobha McAllister claimed her own goal from a long wind-assisted puck out. Loughgiel replied with a goal, when the sliotar found itself round the back of keeper McKinley and running in at speed, Loughgiel’s Eva McGarry made no mistake in finding the net at very close range. Loughgiel looked lively now, despite a two goal and five point difference and seven minutes later it was one goal and seven points, as Riona McCaughan struck green gold from a well worked sequence that was clockwork in appearance.
The Shamrock’s managed to improve their scoreline with an additional two points but Dunloy had by now tamed the wind and another seven points put the game beyond Loughgiel as O’Reilly blew for full time, the scoreline ended Loughgiel 2-12 Dunloy 3-24.
Loughgiel panel and scorers
Maeve Scullion, Rhea Dickson, Brianna McCloskey, Eibhlin Kearney, Sarah Flavin, Aoibheann Gillan, Catherine McGarry, Anna Smyth, Rose McMullan 0-04 (2f, 45), Caela Casey, Marie Laverty 0-04 (2f), Caela Dobbin 0-03, Aoife McKinley, Caoimhe McGarry, Eva McGarry 1-00, Aoife Cunningham, Riona McCaughan 1-00, Roise McGarry 0-01
Dunloy panel and scorers
Mya McKinley, Eimear McGilligan, Brid O’Kane, Rebecca McGrath, Sarah Louise Kearns, Casey Crawford 0-01, Carly McNamee, Eobha McAllister 1-09 (4f, 2×45), Micha Cunning, Erin McMullan 2-05, Mary McArthur 0-03, Adria McAllister 0-03, Caoifhionn McShane 0-02, Kerry Rose Drain 0-01, Ciara McMullan, Hannah Richmond, Ava Johnston, Lucy Cunning, Hannah O’Neill, Carragh Boyle
You can see more action photos from the Minor game here…
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