Centra League Div 1a Antrim 0-09 Tipperary 2-19 14th February 2026
Report and pics from Michael Corcoran in Cushendun
As the song goes ‘It’s a long way to Tipperary’, equally as long up to Antrim but the visitors to Cushendun made it all the worthwhile as they drove back down the road with their first Centra div 1a league win under their belt from 2026.
It was a healthy margin for the Premier County but that was expected as Antrim slip into a new league consisting of Camogie Behemoths, Cork, Galway, Waterford, Kilkenny and Tipperary. For now, Antrim has defined their league encounter as the bed for building performance and taking that into more realistic venues such as Ulster and the Intermediate Championships.
Antrim started well with only three points the difference after twenty minutes gone. The pitch held up well to the torment delivered underfoot and both squads managed to display a number of first touches off the pacy roll, but Tipperary seemed able to offload the sliotar better under pressure to a blue and gold jersey whilst Antrim under similar pressure occasionally spilled the sliotar to a waiting Tipp player. Those opportunities were rarely waisted as they carved up the middle of the pitch to deliver a volley of points and the drift began around twenty eight minutes when Tipp went four ahead and from a simple left flank move down towards the sea end, a running Caoimhe Stakelum teased Antrim’s goalkeeper to come off her line and look big but a rifled sliotar to the back of the net elevated Tipperary’s score to a goal and eight points before adding a further two points short of the whistle. There could have been a second goal for Tipp if not for the sharp action from Antrim’s Caitriona Graham who would continue to spoil more attempts to goal in the second half.
Antrim rallied at the restart with a constant drip of points to keep momentum going. Katie Molloy embarked on one of her solo runs, out striding her marker but dropped the sliotar off the stick. Such was the tenacity of the forward, roll lifting out of a mini ruck to continue her solo run finishing with a fine point.
Well into the second half, and making her debut on the senior squad, Eobha McAllister showing no fear went on a solo run charging down the metres for a fine strike at Aine Slattery’s net but sensing the following pack of defenders opted to ‘underarm’ flick it over the bar for her first county senior point. McAllister would get a second chance at Slattery’s net but directed the sliotar towards her from a narrow angle, unfortunately Slattery was able to raise the stick and diffuse the threat.
It was one of those games, where every point from Antrim was matched by two from Tipperary and a goal but Niamh Treacy was going to change that when Caoimhe Maher offloaded to Aoife Dwyer and finding Treacy for a short tap in over Antrim’s line to hear the long whistle ending Antrim’s first league opener Antrim 0-09 Tipperary 2-19.
All in all much the expected outcome in terms of score but a decent game for Antrim, taking the opportunity to run out Laura Black, Aimee Ferris and Eobha McAllister for first appearances in the senior Saffron jersey. Fine performances came in from Clare McKillop, Nicole McAtamney, Lucia McNaughton, who clutched an awkward ball out of the air that fed McAllister on her goal effort and stalwarts like Maeve Kelly, Shannagh Heggarty, Erin Coulter, Amy Boyle, Katie Molloy and Janey McIntosh to name a few and a great opening game for returning players like Colleen Patterson, Niamh Cosgrove, Katie McKillop and Elen McIntosh.
Antrim’s next game is against Cork on Saturday 21st February, weather permitting.
You can see more pics from Saturday’s game against Tipperary here…
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Antrim Starting Panel and Scorers
Caitrin Graham, Colleen Patterson, Shannagh Heggarty, Clare McKillop, Laura Black, Niamh Cosgrove, Erin Coulter, Amy Boyle 0-01, Nicole McAtamney 0-05f, Maeve Kelly 0-02, Lucia McNaughton, Katie McKillop, Elen McIntosh, Janey McIntosh, Katie Molloy, Eobha McAllister 0-01
Tipperary Starting Panel and Scorers
Aine Slattery, Isobel O’Donnel, Celine Guinan, Eimer Loughman, Sarah Corcoran, Caoimhe McCarthy 0-02, Emma Carey, Kate Ralph 0-02, Karen Kennedy 0-01, Amy Quinlisk, Roisin Howard 0-01, Clodagh McIntyre 0-03, Caoimhe Stakelum 1-04, Eimear McGrath 0-04 (1w), Lucy Purcell 0-01, Aoife Dwyer 0-01, Niamh Teacy 1-00