Magnificent McCormick steers Antrim to All Ireland glory
Glen Dimplex Intermediate Camogie
All Ireland Final
Antrim 1-22 Laois 0-11
Sunday 9 August
Report by Brendan McTaggart
Antrim produced a masterful second half performance on Sunday afternoon to ensure the Jack McGrath cup returned to the Saffron County. Ahead by just four points and that deficit halved two minutes after the restart, Antrim played scintillating camogie to over run Laois, playing a brand and style of camogie that belittled their intermediate status.
Roisin McCormick, so often Antrim’s go to player, was once again the Saffrons tormentor in chief. She would finish with 1-11 beside her name and put in a performance that had Laois chasing her shadow for the majority of the game.
Eobha McAllister’s star continues to soar, she raise the white flag on five occasions while Maeve Kelly played like a girl who relishes the chance to play in Croke Park. She would finish with three points but was a major threat with her power and pace to get away from rucks in the middle third while her point taking was sublime.
The ball into the forward line, in the second half especially, was excellent as Antrim looked to nullify the Laois sweeper. Nicole McAtamney playing a number of cross field balls that allowed the Saffron inside forwards to utilise their pace. McAtamney’s ability to gather lose possession while the work rate of Lucia McNaughton and Amy Boyle was exemplary.
Coming into the game, Antrim had only conceded one goal in their championship run. On the evidence of this performance, it’s easy to see why. Despite losing the influential Katie Molloy at half time through injury, the Saffron defensive unit gave nothing easy away. Caoimhe Conlon outstanding at full back, Clare McKillop and Shannagh Hegarty excellent while Sarah O’Neill’s second half performance meant the impact of losing Molloy was minimal.
After weathering the early Laois storm at the start of the second half, Antrim reeled off 1-4 in the space of seven minutes. McCormick at the heart of it all and a period that was ultimately match winning. Laois were forced into abandoning their sweeper system and with spaces opening up, Antrim took full advantage.
After an even opening quarter, Antrim held a three point lead. Lucia McNaughton, Eobha McAllister and a trio of white flags from McCormick with the scores. Antrim held Laois without scoring for almost 15 minutes during that same period of time while the usually deadly Eobha McAllister had a half chance of a goal but her shot went wide.
Laois looked to settle and make life difficult for the Saffrons as the half progressed with Clodagh Tynan and Grainne Delaney catching the eye but while they recorded five points in the half, Antrim landed further scores from McCormick (two), Eobha McAllister and a brilliant score from Maeve Kelly on the stroke of half time to leave the score 0-9 to 0-5 at the interval.
While the scoreline might have been evenly poised, Antrim were guilty of passing up on scoring opportunities in that opening 30 minutes and when Tynan and Aimee Collier (free) cut Antrim’s lead to two it looked like we were in for a grandstand second half.
A Roisin McCormick free got Antrim firing again in the second half and while Grainne Delaney replied, Antrim went through the gears. Points from Janey McIntosh, Roisin McCormick, Shannagh Hegarty and Eobha McAllister preceded McCormick’s 40th minute goal. McAtamney sending the sliotar diagonally into the danger area where the Laois defence failed to deal with the danger. McCormick gathered the lose possession and sold a beautiful dummy before firing to the back of the net, giving Antrim a 1-14 to 0-8 lead.
The final quarter was the crowning procession for the Saffrons. Points from all angles with McCormick running riot, Maeve Kelly and Eobha McAllister outstanding and Laois left floundering.
A fourteen point winning margin and they could afford to reach double digits in their wide count. Team manager Elaine Dowds called for a 60 minute performance from her side and this wasn’t a million miles away from it. A return to the senior grade awaits her team in 2027 as the Saffrons end their season with silverware.
TEAMS
Antrim Starting XV: Catriona 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, Cliona Griffin, Eobha McAllister
- Subs: Sarah O’Neill for K Molloy (HT); Elen McIntosh for J McIntosh (48), Orlaith McAlaister for N McAtamney (48); Aimee Ferris for C Patterson (56), Dearbhill Dobbin for L McNaughton (56)
- Scorers: R McCormick 1-11 (5fs, 2’45s); E McAllister 0-5; M Kelly 0-3; J McIntosh 0-1, S Hegarty 0-1, L McNaughton 0-1
Laois Starting XV: Aedin Lowry; Laura Finlay, Aoife Finlay, Karla Phelan; Lucy Conroy, Clodagh Tynan, Rachel Deegan; Sarah Creagh, Jade Bergin; Kaylee O’Keefe, Grainne Delaney, Catherine Kirby; Kirsten Keenan, Aimee Collier, Susie Delaney
- Subs: Eimear Hassett for C Kirby (37); Aisling O’Dea for K Keenan (45); Amy Lacey for R Deegan (52); Aoife Carroll for K Phelan (57), Sarah Fleming for K O’Keefe (57)
- Scorers: C Tynan 0-4 (2fs); G Delaney 0-3; A Collier 0-2 (2fs); K O’Keefe 0-1, S Delaney 0-1
Referee: Joseph Mullins (Clare)
