Glen Dimplex All-Ireland Camogie
Intermediate Championship
Group 1
Round 2
Antrim 2-16 Kerry 1-9
Saturday 6 June
Brendan McTaggart reports from Fr McGuigan Park, Ahoghill
Antrim recorded their second win of the campaign on Saturday afternoon with a 10 point win over Kerry. The win was built on a blistering start that saw Elaine Dowds’ side blaze into a 2-4 to no score lead inside the opening six minutes. It effectively was the winning of the game as the Saffrons held off any challenge and finished the contest strongly.
Roisin McCormick would finish top of the scoring charts, seven of her 10 points coming from placed ball while Eobha McAllister and Maeve Kelly found the back of the net. It was a top team performance however as the Saffrons showed little or no signs of weakness all over. Caitriona Graham was excellent between the sticks while Caoimhe Conlon, Katie Molloy and Clare McKillop formed a strong defence. The work rate of the forwards couldn’t be faulted as they pressurised the Kerry defence for the entirety of the game.
Kerry did well to settle after that opening salvo from Antrim and had top performances from Patrice Diggin and Amy O’Sullivan while the introduction of Kathryn Ryan, Norette Casey and Ann Marie Leen all gave impetus to their challenge but they never really looked like they would reel in the deficit throughout the hour.
To say Antrim made a quick start would be the understatement of the century. Two points from Eobha McAllister gave them a good start within the opening 80 seconds but two goals in a little over 60 seconds from Maeve Kelly and McAllister had Kerry reeling. Kelly’s major owing much to the work rate of Cliona Griffin in the build-up while McAllister’s goal came at the end of a breath-taking move that saw four handpasses in quick succession before the sliotar fell to the Dunloy star.
Scores from McCormick and Lucia McNaughton had Antrim 10 points ahead in the sixth minute and Kerry hadn’t seen the whites of Caitriona’s Graham’s eyes at the other end of the pitch.
Diggin scored the opening point for the visitors while O’Sullivan had a half chance for a major moments later. Racing on to a ball over the top, she was in a footrace with Graham but the Antrim ‘keeper got their first and bravely denied the Kerry star.
A brace of frees from McCormick came either side of another goal chance for O’Sullivan but the angle was against her and her rasping drive hit the side netting.
Antrim finished the half on top with three points from McCormick (two frees) along with Eobha McAllister’s third point of the half edged them further ahead while a brace of frees from Diggin was the only response from the Kingdom with the half time score 2-9 to 0-3 in Antrim’s favour.
O’Sullivan and McCormick opened the scoring in the early stages of the second half as Kerry started to match the intensity Antrim were bringing. Tackles were going in hard and the referee was doing well to keep the game with any flow. The Kerry challenge was given a boost when they scored their goal in the 39th minute. Patrice Diggin sending a free into the edge of the square and while Antrim cleared the initial danger, substitute Kathryn Ryan was on hand to fire the sliotar to the back of the net.
Another O’Sullivan point followed soon after to leave seven points between the sides after 10 minutes of the second half.
That was as close as Kerry got to Antrim as the Saffrons weathered the Kerry storm. Points from Nicole McAtamney and McCormick (free) got the Saffrons firing again and quell any thoughts of a comeback from the Kingdom.
Going into the final quarter, the Kerry substitutes were having a positive impact but Antrim kept them at arms length. McCormick’s accuracy from placed ball and a brilliant score from McAtamney rounded off the scoring while Kerry added scores from Norette and Diggin (2) in the time that remained.
This win and results elsewhere ensured Antrim’s passage into the semi finals with one game to spare. The momentum continues for the Saffron camogs with a clear buzz of excitement around the camp. It’s a trip to Down next in two weeks time will round up the group stage but the Saffrons can look beyond. The camogs march on.
TEAMS
Antrim Starting XV: Caitriona Graham; Colleen Patterson, Caoimhe Conlon, Caoimhe McNaughton; Clare McKillop, Katie Molloy, Shannagh Hegarty; Amy Boyle, Lucia McNaughton; Maeve Kelly, Roisin McCormick, Nicole McAtamney; Janey McIntosh, Eobha McAllister, Cliona Griffin
- Scorers: R McCormick 0-10 (7fs), E McAllister 1-3, M Kelly 1-00, N McAtamney 0-2, L McNaughton 0-1
Kerry Starting XV: Aoife Fitzgerald; Rachel McCarthy, Sara Murphy, Roisin Quinn; Aoife Behan, Niamh Leen, Ellen O’Donoghue; Patrice Diggin, Caoimhe Spillane; Laura Collins, Ruth O’Connor, Kate Lynch; Emma Conway, Jackie Horgan, Amy O’Sullivan
- Scorers: P Diggin 0-5 (3fs, 1’45), K Ryan 1-00, A O’Sullivan 0-2, N Casey 0-1
Referee: Alan Doheny (Laois)
To see more of Brendan’s photos from the game, follow the link below….
https://myalbum.com/album/kMAcLKZfUjRfyc/?invite=19211070-0341-4d36-86b9-f34c69995735
TO SEE CURLY’S PHOTOS FROM THIS GAME CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW
https://myalbum.com/album/zr2PajE2TmH8vp/?invite=14e6028d-cc8c-4149-8f0a-c971da8d2046