All Ireland Under 23 Camogie Championship
Wexford 1-13 Antrim 4-6
Venue: Enniscorthy
Antrim’s Under 23 camogie squad has marched into next weekend’s All-Ireland B Championship semi-finals with a spring in their step after a thrilling, goal-heavy victory over Wexford on Sunday.
A brace of goals in each half proved to be the ultimate difference-maker, with senior standout Cliona Griffin delivering a devastating attacking masterclass.
Wexford opened the scoring through a Ciara Butler free, but Antrim quickly seized the momentum. Just six minutes in, Cliona Griffin found the back of the net for her first goal of the afternoon, followed closely by two frees from Elen McIntosh.
The Saffron attack briefly stalled midway through the half, allowing Wexford to edge ahead by the 22nd minute thanks to the sharp shooting of Butler and Caoimhe Byrne. However, Antrim responded emphatically before the break. Griffin shattered the Wexford momentum with her second goal, which was swiftly followed by points from Sarah Fyfe and McIntosh.
Half-Time Score: Antrim 2-4 | Wexford 0-6
The second half tested Antrim’s resolve. Elen McIntosh knocked over her first point from play shortly after the restart, but the Saffrons were subsequently pinned back by intense Wexford pressure. Antrim endured a 20-minute scoring drought, during which Butler and Byrne combined for four points to narrow the gap to a single point. Crucially, however, the home side never managed to take the lead.
In the 52nd minute, Antrim finally broke the siege. Following a frantic scramble for possession 20 metres out, Griffin emerged with the sliotar and fed Orlaith McAlister, who ruthlessly dispatched the ball into the net.
Six minutes later, Griffin hammered the final nail into the coffin, firing home her third goal in the 58th minute to complete a spectacular hat-trick. Wexford fought fiercely until the bitter end—with Byrne finding the net and Reddy and Butler adding late points—but Antrim manager Elaine Dowds saw her team hold their nerve to hear the final whistle.
While Griffin’s hat-trick stole the headlines, Antrim boasted star performers across the entire pitch:
- Defence: Captain Katie Molloy anchored the backline brilliantly, while Casey Crawford executed a flawless man-marking job on Wexford’s dangerous forward, Kayla Reddy. Orlaith Johnson was also rock-solid between the posts.
- Work Rate: The Ballycastle contingent of Elen McIntosh, Janey McIntosh, and Shannagh Heggarty provided tireless energy and crucial scores alongside goalscorer Orlaith McAlister.
Scorers
Antrim
- Cliona Griffin: 3-0
- Orlaith McAlister: 1-0
- Elen McIntosh: 0-5 (4 frees)
- Sarah Fyfe: 0-1
Wexford
- Caoimhe Byrne: 1-3
- Ciara Butler: 0-9 (8 frees)
- Kayla Reddy: 0-1