Ulster Camogie Junior A championship semi final Loughgiel v Crosserlough
Preview and photos from Michael Corcoran
After last Saturday’s game against Edendork, the Shamrock’s will feel this Saturday’s game is a deserved encounter. Although Edendork displayed they were capable of launching threats on the turn of a sixpence from the likes of Lara Devlin, Loughgiel remained largely in control to hold out for the winning whistle and proved their ability to play camogie under difficult conditions.
Crosserlough have three Junior titles in their name, coming in 2012, 2017 and 2018 [1]. Here’s a clip from the Ulster Camogie archive from the 2018 final. https://www.facebook.com/reel/568139106950931 and an archive article from the Saffron Gael on the game. Crosserlough beat Lacken this year in the Mannok Cavan Camogie Senior Championship. Principle players such as Cara Reilly (POTM in the Cavan final) and Orla Flynn are likely to be involved in any Crosserlough scoring action, whilst Joanne Dowling will be looking to keep the green flags to a minimum.
Interestingly, it was Loughgiel that ended Crosserlough’s run for three in a row in 2019, that quarter final game ending Crosserlough 2-07 Loughgiel 3-06. Ballymacnab from Armagh, lifted the silver that year.
The intermediate (Ulster Junior) ranks are arguably more dynamic in terms of player churn; some moving up and some moving on. It makes Junior all the more unpredictable and all the more an achievement to grade up to Ulster Intermediate, like Brídíní Óga and Granemore (pronounced ‘Grain’-more).
Saturday’s match will test the Shamrock’s defence unit, with a mix of younger camogs in the full back line like Caoimhe McGarry (see the feature photo) and Brianna McCloskey, augmented with experience from Úna McGovern and Shauna Doran likely sitting in the half back line. Louise McKillop will no doubt figure around mid field with a reliable camán to feed the likes of Rose McMullan and Ceala Dobbin. Dobbin will prefer firmer footings than last week in order to use her natural speed around the pitch. Anna McKillop, Carla Sullivan, Therese Hill and Eimear McKinley will look to get in on the scoring action, with the keen eye of Shauna McKillop patrolling the goal line at the opposite end. Who will be your player of the match? Saturday’s 1pm game in Loughgiel is shaping up to be one you won’t want to miss.
The other Junior A semi final between Mayobridge (Down) and Ballyinderry (Derry) is also at 1pm in Mayobridge. Saturday’s weather will be an improvement from last week, but a spell of rain will never be too far away.
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulster_Senior_Club_Camogie_Championship