It’s hard to believe we are now fast approaching the end of 2025, and what a good year it has been for the camogs from Antrim Clubs and County. As you know, our team of snappers annually try their best to bring you the action from the Saffron county games across the four codes. It’s a big task but somehow it gets done and although you look forward to a rest over the festive period, cabin fever quickly sets in and you long for the lengthening evenings and the thud of leather on ash. So, in the meantime, we thought it would be a bit different to have ex Antrim Camogie PRO Michael Corcoran give us his select pick of photos that defined the year of 2025 for him behind his lens.

“The feature picture at the head of this post is a great starting point. Antrim Minors winning the All Ireland A Shield against Laois in April down in Nowlan Park, Kilkenny set us all off into early celebrations but not before they won the Ulster against Derry in Ahoghill, early March.”

You can read the original Minor All Ireland match report and view the photo album here… https://thesaffrongael.com/2025/04/28/antrim-camogie-minors-all-ireland-a-shield-champions/

You can read the original Ulster match report and view the photo album for the Ulster Minor final here… https://thesaffrongael.com/2025/03/31/antrim-regain-the-ulster-camogie-cup-from-derry/

“Antrim’s Seniors winning the Very League against Clare just a day ahead of the Minor’s Ulster win was great fuel for the younger camogs to demonstrate their own capabilities when the stakes are high.”

“Having access to the squad on the return bus journey allowed for a terrific group photo opportunity and then there was the traditional winners’ walk over the county border from Louth into Down.” Again, you can relive the match through the match report and view the photo album here… https://thesaffrongael.com/2025/03/30/antrim-on-their-way-up-after-their-league-final-win/

Miles of smiles as we journeyed back from the National Games Development Centre with the Very League Cup.

“Antrim continued with their winning ways and enjoyed an Ulster win against Derry during an early summer spell of fine weather in May. I like this photo as it captures the squad enjoying the result, the fine weather and also has an element of enormity about it, complementing the significant win.”

You can read the original match report and view the photo album here… https://thesaffrongael.com/2025/05/11/antrim-prevail-despite-an-early-threat-from-derry/

“In June, Antrim travelled to play Westmeath in spells of atrocious downpours of rain. This photo captures the moment Katie Molloy went on a solo run with Lucia Mc Naughton running off the shoulder. I think you get the sense of just how difficult that game was, considering the weather.”

You can reread the match report and view the photos from the game here… https://thesaffrongael.com/2025/06/15/antrim-avoid-dire-straits-playing-sultans-of-swing-in-the-second-half/

“Sometimes a photo tells a story without the action of a stick or sliotar. This photo of Katie Lynn applying sunscreen to Sarah O’Neill’s face is a great example of the camaraderie that existed in the squad but that day Antrim were baked in the July sun, Offaly holding out the better for their pathway to an eventual All Ireland Intermediate win.”

“That loss pretty much wrapped up county action on the big stage, but there were other photo assignments ongoing in the club scene. June marked an interesting initiative between the LGFA and Antrim Camogie for a joint club championship launch. It proved to be a colourful event down Belfast’s Commercial Court, the scene lining up to help promote the Camogie Associations Pride campaign.”

You can delve back into this if you missed the original Saffron Gael post here… https://thesaffrongael.com/2025/06/22/antrim-lgfa-and-camogie-dual-launch-for-championships/

“The club championships created so many wonderful photo opportunities but it’s hard to include so many, so here’s my shortlist of seven, only for the following reasons.”

“First up, Laura Brady from Patrick Sarsfield’s Junior win. It’s hard not to see the sheer delight in her face after a great game up in St. Enda’s against Loughgiel.”

Match report and photos from that Junior final can be read and seen here… https://thesaffrongael.com/2025/10/26/sarsfields-make-history-with-first-junior-camogie-championship-win/

Laura Brady from Sarsfield’s enjoys a moment of history for her club.

“This is an opportunity for me to include two players that I’ve enjoyed watching playing for their county. Here’s Clare McKillop in action against Cushendall. Clare has just pinched the sliotar off the end of Amy McAlister’s stick. Clare has been doing that all season, especially with the county with quiet aplomb. In my humble opinion seen through the lens, Clare has been one of the stand out players from 2025 with a level of consistency that was always dependable at times of need.”

“You’ll forgive me if I tell you that the next photo is nothing special but the player is. Róisín McCormick, Antrim and Loughgiel. It’s easy to run out of superlatives in your match report when covering one of her games.”

“The Antrim County final gave us a game we’ll remember. Looking through the photo gallery, one stands out. Here’s a photo of Dunloy’s Brid Magill. You’ve got to marvel at the angel she has created for propulsion in attempting to out pace Loughgiel’s Maria O’Hara, who incidentally has matched Brid.

“That same final seen Loughgiel’s Anna Connolly chaperone the sliotar under severe pressure from Dunloy’s Mary McArthur and Nicole McAtamney, with player of the match Eimear Johnston, ready to turn up the heat. Terrific skill under immense pressure.”

You can revisit that game’s match report and photos here… https://thesaffrongael.com/2025/10/13/shamrocks-secure-stunning-streak-12-in-a-row/

“My last two photos exemplify the thrills and spills you see in this marvellous game. Here we see Annie Lynn catching the sliotar tossed forward from Amy Boyle out of the side line ruck that would end in the back of Clonduff’s net, courtesy of Róisín McCormick to propel Loughgiel safely onto their fourth Ulster Win.”

Catch the action in words and photos from that game again here… https://thesaffrongael.com/2025/11/17/brilliant-shamrocks-bring-it-home-for-four-in-a-row/

“My last photo sums up the emotion this game can create as Loughgiel’s Megan McGarry drops to her hunkers in disbelief, so close but not enough to move into another All Ireland final. Thanks to Megan for being a sport and allowing this pic to be used.”

Words and photos from that titanic semi final that went into extra extra time can be found here… https://thesaffrongael.com/2025/11/30/loughgiel-dreams-sink-in-titanic-all-ireland-semi-final/

“That’s my pick from 2025, it’s by no means a review but the albums might have captured something you prefer, and that’s okay. It only remains for me to thank Carl McCormick, Martin Coulter and the players for unprecedented access to the Antrim senior squad, where nothing was a bother, also to the Antrim club management teams who trusted me to be impartial along the side line when it mattered. Finally a special thanks to Loughgiel’s Johnny Campbell for permission to shoot in and around the squad as I tried to capture the special moments from a serious journey. What photo assignments will come calling in 2026? Can Antrim make up for last year’s narrow miss on the Intermediate scene? How will they go in the top league? Can Loughgiel maintain their dominance and visit Croke Park again? Can Brídíní Óga make it three All Irelands? I don’t have the answers yet but hopefully the Saffron Gael will continue to get ring side and bring you those and much more in 2026.”

Happy New Year!