All Ireland Intermediate Camogie Championship
Antrim v Meath in Breffni Park, Cavan
Antrim’s opponents for tomorrow’s All Ireland Intermediate Camogie semi-final are Meath, a team whose interest in the competition appeared to be dead and buried when they lost the first two games of the All Ireland campaign to Laois and Westmeath
It was backs to the wall time for the girls from the Royal county but the showed great resolve when beating Carlow in the last of the round-robin section by 4-15 to 1-12, a result that got them back on track, and thanks to superior scoring difference, earned them a quarter final place
That victory earned them quarter final against Derry where the driving runs of Aoife Minogue gave her team the edge against the Ulster side. In that clash with the Oak Leaf county their defence were rock solid and Derry never looked like breaching their rearguard.
Going into tomorrow’s game Antrim will probably start favourites but team manager Elaine Dowds will have them well warned that the Meath challenge is lot stronger than some of the pundits are predicting.
The Saffrons won their three games in the round-robin section with victories over Derry, Kerry and Down, and while they had a bit to spare in the first two, Down put them to the pin of their collar in Ballycran, holding them scoreless for 27 minutes of the second half, and had it not been for a brilliant Roisin McCormick goal then things could have been different. The got off to a flying start against Kerry and were ten points clear after just six minutes, but for the remainder of the game the girls from the Kingdom gave as good as they got, and ten points was the margin at the end.
Elaine Dowd’s charges will wanting to make a quick start again tomorrow against Meath and with the likes of Roisin McCormick, Maeve Kelly, Eobha McAllister, Nicole McAtamney, the McIntosh sisters Janey and Elen and Cliona Griffin they have unit with great potential. The newlywed Lucia McNaughton and her midfield partner Amy Boyle are formidable, but they will be well tested by the Meath duo. Team captain Catriona Graham wears the number 1 jersey and is a vital cog in the wheel while the back six should be very similar to the side that faced Down last time out with Colleen Patterson, Caoimhe Conlon, Caoimhe McNaughton; Clare McKillop, Katie Molloy, Shannagh Hegarty all figuring. Molloy has been a real tower of strength all through this campaign, and in the league.
One thing that would worry me a little is the length of the break from their last round robin game against Down. Meath have been involved in the quarter final two weeks ago and that quite often is a big boost to a team.
No doubt Dowdsie and her backroom team have had them all in tip top condition for the game and if they perform to their strengths they are in with a great chance of secure a final place in Croke Park. However they must not be complacent as Meath will provide a stern challenge.