Northern Properties Antrim Camogie Senior Championship Round 3 Dunloy 1-13 v Loughgiel 3-21 2nd September 2025

Match report and photos from Michael Corcoran in Pearse Park, Dunloy

Tuesday’s round three senior championship game between Dunloy and Loughgiel had all the hallmarks of a championship encounter, with pacing mentors, an excited crowd and top table camogie. Dunloy looked the part for the first twenty minutes, being the first to raise a green flag but it only took six more minutes for Loughgiel to go equal in points before their own goal would catapult them ahead and soon five points the difference going into the break. Dunloy’s Katie Molloy proved a first half threat with her goal and three points but couldn’t reignite that fire in the second half. Equally seven minutes later, Loughgiel’s Katie McKillop set about raising Loughgiel’s green flag at the road end of the pitch and although didn’t revisit the scoreboard, was a constant threat in the second half, feeding the likes of Caitrin Dobbin and Roísín McCormick.

The second half entertained the Loughgiel supporters with two more goals and a haul of points to drift well ahead of their hosts, fourteen points the difference at the long whistle. Dunloy’s Eobha McAllister brought out the best in Loughgiel’s goalkeeper with rasping low sliotars needing diffused to the side and Dunloy’s Dearbhail Elliott maintained a presence needing all of the attention from marker Emma McFadden but the productive mix of Loughgiel’s McCormick, McKillop, Dobbin and McKendry was too much up front for the Cuchullain’s to tame. This was an engaging game to watch and just the recipe of distraction from the evening’s biting gnats.

It took almost the full two minutes from Owen Elliot’s throw-in before Pearce Park’s neon light scoreboard moved to register Dunloy’s Eobha McAllister’s point from a dropped in pass from Caoimhe Molloy. Dunloy would keep the charge flowing with a fine point from Dearbhail Elliott before her centre half forward counter part, Roísín McCormick, would make a free from a throw ball. Dunloy’s Katie Molloy and Elliott again, would improve the Cuchullain’s point status as the Shamrock’s drifted a few wides but once Loughgiel’s Amy Boyle got traction, two successive passes to Anna Connolly and Caitrin Dobbin had the Shamrock’s starting their way up the board and that would continue as McCormick clipped two frees over the bar, one for a foot on the sliotar, the other as Katie McKillop made a goal run but referee Elliot spotted an infringement.

Nineteen minutes had now elapsed and Loughgiel’s goalkeeper, Emma McAllister had a dilema on her hands, either to stay on the line and watch Dunloy advance to within striking range or come out and it was the latter, leaving the line empty, the gamble paid off as Katie Molloy opted to point. But Molloy hadn’t finished, with a taste for close encounters, Molloy got in behind Loughgiel’s defence and on the twentieth minute struck home for a goal and looped back around shortly after the puck out for her point.

Loughgiel responded almost instantly from the puc out as Caitrin Dobbin offered the sliotar to Kirsty McKendry for her point. Although McKendry wouldn’t get within scoring range again, that was largely due to driving assists – bridging clearances into forward opportunities.

Signs of what was to come was in the making by twenty three on the clock. McCormick dropped in a free and a 45 with a long haul pass from the half way line to Orlagh Laverty and suddenly Loughgiel were level in the game, Dunloy 1-06 Loughgiel 0-09. This was Loughgiel’s purple patch as Dobbin found Katie McKillop for the Shamrock’s first goal, then McCormick aided Dobbin for the point and a fouled goal run from Dobbin witnessed McCormick drill that sliotar over the bar to end the first half, Dunloy 1-06 Loughgiel 1-11.

On commencement of the second half, Loughgiel picked up where they left off, with a McCormick, McKillop, Dobbin combo that was well saved by Dunloy’s goalkeeper, Clodagh O’Kane. Four minutes later, Dunloy’s Nicole McAtamney struck at the heart of Loughgiel’s catch net before the Shamrock’s young full forward, Marie Laverty, proved her worth with a superbly placed low drilled ball into the back of the Cuchullain’s net.

Loughgiel kept the pressure applied and a jersey pull on Dobbin as she advanced into the goal scoring region resulted in a yellow carded free that McCormick tucked away. And a minute later McKillop to McCormick to Amy Boyle had the player with a head for numbers improve those with a fine point down the middle of the uprights. McCormick would take her own point from play after a tidy pass from Orlagh Laverty but Dunloy would make a dent in those as Cassie McArthur managed to turn inside Loughgiel’s Finvola McIntyre but could only manage the point.

Both sides would now trade four points amidst another yellow carded foul on a Dobbin goal run, whilst both Dearbhail Elliott and Eobha McAllister tested Loughgiel’s Emma McAllister, forcing two magnificent saves. But it would be Dobbin’s tenacity that would be Dunloy’s downfall at the twenty seventh minute as the Shamrock persevered to strike hard into the back of Dunloy’s net and a point straight after.

As the clock ticked into injury time, Loughgiel’s substitute, Annie Lynn picked up a pass from Lucia McNaughton and wasted no time in offering the sliotar to McCormick for her point before Katie Molloy won a great ground ball and finished over the bar by Dearbhail Elliott. Annie Lynn would have the honour of closing the scoreboard with her own point and the long whistle secured three more points for Loughgiel in their unbeaten run to date, currently residing at the top of the table.

Dunloy starters and scorers

Clodagh O’Kane, Sarah McIlhatton, Eimear McMullan, Kathyrn Boyle, Casey Crawford, Katie Laverty, Eilis Kearns, Katherine Mullan, Caoimhe Molloy, Nicole McAtamney 0-04 (3f), Dearbhaile Elliott 0-03, Eimear Johnston, Cassie McArthur 0-01, Katie Molloy 1-03, Eobha McAllister 0-02

Loughgiel starters and scorers

Emma McAlister, Maria Lynn, Katie Lynn, Finvola McVeigh, Lucia McNaughton, Emma McFadden, Clare McKillop, Amy Boyle 0-01, Anna Connolly 0-01, Kirsty McKendry 0-01, Roísín McCormick 0-12 (7f, 1×45), Orlagh Laverty 0-01, Caitrin Dobbin 1-04, Marie Laverty 1-00, Katie McKillop 1-00, Annie Lynn 0-01

You can view photos from Tuesday’s game by following the link to the album here…

https://myalbum.com/album/qSxUxnCiPFCtwm/?invite=de160026-5d08-4d54-9768-a3a6c7246347

RUAIRI OG CUSHENDALL 1-18 BALLYCASTLE McQUILLAN’S 1-08

In the other game in the Senior Championship Cushendall had a ten point win over Ballycastle at Pairc Mhuir. Eva McNeill led the line for the home side, hitting 1-07 over the hour, while Cara O’Boyle contributed 0-04, Orlaith Alister 0-02 and Siobhan McKillop 0-01.

Janey McIntosh was lead scorer for Ballycastle with 1-01, her sister Ellen got 0-02 with Fionnuala Kelly landing 0-1.

The result means Cushendall move up to second place in the league table on 6 points, but Dunloy’s defeat to Loughgiel means they are still on 3 points, so it will all be very interesting when the two sides meet next Tuesday evening.