The Antrim Camogie League finally got underway in earnest on Tuesday evening at Fr Healy Park when champions Loughgiel recorded a big win over a Cushendall side who had in their ranks a good few of the Antrim team who had won the All Ireland Junior title at Croke Park.
The celebrations from Sunday’s famous win over Armagh may, or may not, have been completed, but four goal hero in Croker two days earlier, Dervla Cosgrove showed she hadn’t lost her touch when she fired a ball to the Shamrocks net on four minutes, in reply to an earlier point from the home side’s Christine Laverty.
Luca McNaughton and Amy Boyle drew Loughgiel level by the sixth minute, but goal number two for the Ruairis three minutes later from Ellen Leech, another of Sunday’s scorers, put Cushendall back in front. However as the half proceeded Loughgiel began to get on top and a five minute spell of dominance, which brought points from Claire McKillop, Chloe Higgins and Lucia McNaugthon, and a goal from Caitrin Dobbin, turned the game firmly in Loughgiel’s favour and they went on to lead by 2-9 to 2-3 at half time.
The second half was dominated the Shamrocks as they opened with five points on the trot, before Christine Laverty grabbed her team’s second goal. The excellent Lucia McNaughton grabbed three of the next five points, to take her second half total to six. Caoimhe O’Hara pulled a goal back for Cushendall and Orlagh O’hara added a point, but Una McNaughton finished it all with a point from play from half back to get the champions away to a winning star.
A personal haul of 0-08 by centre forward Ciaran Bradley featured prominently as Cargin proved to be the better side as the Toome men recorded a nine point victory over the visiting Tir na nOg on Wednesday evening.
Ronan Devlin’s men deserved their victory over their visitors but the Whitehill men gave their hosts a run for their money and indeed it took some stout defending in the Toome men’s defence to deny the Randalstown men a couple of goal chances in the course of the hour.
Tir na nOg net minder, Sean McAtamney came forward to despatch a 29th minute penalty to the back of the net and it took the tenacity of Sean Og O’ Neill and a superb ‘rob’ when Kevin Kerr was about to pull the trigger to deny the wing man a certain goal.
The visitors arrived in Toome following a win over St Gall’s on Sunday and were forced to field with an extensive injury list but Kevin O’ Kane’s charges stood toe to toe with their hosts in the opening quarter.
Cargin were first to open as Ciaran Bradley pointed in the 2nd minute to punish an indiscretion on Mark Kelly but the visitors were quick to respond as Kevin Sheerin took aim from 30 metres and directed between the posts.
Similarly when the hard grafting David Johnston sent Michael Clark in to raise white, Darragh Feagan rose highest in the edge of the box to fist over the bar and tie the contest for a second time.
The Whitehill side remained on par with their hosts and were still on terms at 0-03 apiece at the end of the opening quarter.
Cargin took some time to settle into the game but with Gerard McCann starting to make his presence felt they added unanswered points through McCann, John McNabb and three from Ciaran Bradley to ensure a healthy 0-08 to 0-03 lead as half time approached.
Tir na nOg were still in there fighting and their endeavours were rewarded in the latter stages when Darragh Feagan was upended en route to the posts and when the match official pointed to the spot up came their keeper, Sean Paul McAtamney to blast to the back of the net.
That last minute strike reduced the Cargin advantage to just a couple of points at 0-08 to 1-03 and left all to play for in the second half.
Ciaran Bradley and Darren Fagan exchanged points at the start of the second half but the home side began to get on top with Gerard and Paul Mc Cann gaining control in the vital central sector. Ciaran Bradley added back to back points before Paul McCann followed suit as the Toome side moved five points clear 0-12 to 1-04 by the 40th minute.
A fine Ronan Grbbin long range point brought quick reply from Darragh Feagan at the other end but try as they might there would be no way back for the visitors.
David Johnston added a point to the Cargin total when he raised a 50th minute white with Ronan Gribbin, Mark Kelly and Ciaran Bradley following suit as the home side moved clear.
Tir na nOg kept going to the end and it took a last minute intervention from Cahir Donnelly to deny Aaron Mc Neilly as he threatened to score.
A late Tom Shiver’s Point concluded the home side’s total with the final score coming from the visitors Aaron Mc Neilly with Cargin breasting the winning line 0-18 to 1-06 ahead.
Cargin: John Mc Nabb (0-1), David Johnston (0-01), Cahir Donnelly, Brendan Laverty, Justin Crozier (0-01), Sean Og O’Neill, Ronan Gribbin (0-02), Gerard Mc Cann (0-01), Paul Mc Cann (0-01), Benen Kelly, Ciaran Bradley (0-08), Paudie Mc Laughlin, PJ Quinn, Mark Kelly (0-02), Michael Clarke (0-01)
Subs
Kevin Mc Shane for M Kelly
Tom Shivers (0-01) for P J Quinn
Odhran Molloy for G Mc Cann
Enda Mc Grogan for P Mc Laughlin
Eoin Coyle for M Clark
Tir na nOg: Sean Paul McAtamney (1-0), Ethan Higgins, Peter Cullen, Ryan Crilly, Ciaran O’ Neill, Caomhinn Duffin, Oliver Mc Atamney, Joshua Higgins, Ryan O’ Neill, Kevin Kerr, Sean Duffin, Darragh Feagan (0-03), Kevin Sheerin (0-01), Aaron Mc Neilly (0-02), Conor Hastings
3-3 from Dunloy full forward Cassie McArthur gave the Cuchullains victory over Ballycastle in Tuesday evening’s Division 1 Camogie game at Pearse Park. Played in fog, rain and semi-darkness the conditions were not conducive to good camogie, but both teams produced a high quality game. Ballycastle, despite a good start when they went 1-4 to 0-0 behind, had good spells in the game, but they lacked the killer touch in front of goal which McArthur gave to Dunloy.
McArthur was first to score when she fired home the first of her hat-trick early in the game and her team added a further four points before Riana McBride opened the scoring for the visitors with a pointed free. McBride added another soon afterwards and when Niamh Cosgrove added one from play from distance it looked like they were back in contention.
However just two minutes from half time McArthur won a ball in the right corner before soloing in along the end line and crashing home her second goal to help her team to a 2-5 to 0-3 half time lead.
When Fionnuala Kelly grabbed an early second half point and Caoimhe Wright followed it up with a goal the signs were a bit more promising for Ballycastle but their hopes received another bad blow when Aine Magill soloed through from midfield and fired a shot from twenty meters out, right to the back of the Ballycastle net. Caoimhe Wright and Tara O’Neill pulled a couple back for the visitors but they could not get the goals needed to get back into the game and McArthur showed her great goal poaching qualities to complete her hat-trick and secure the Cuchullains win.
This proved to be a comfortable afternoon for the home side against a depleted St Enda’s at a blustery Kelly Park.
It was a slow start to the game as both teams kept possession waiting for an opening but it was Niall McKeever that opened the scoring in the 7th minute finishing with a point after a strong run.
Casements wing forward Aidan McAleese added 2 quick-fire points in 9th and 10th minutes to extend lead as the home side dominated the early exchanges. St Enda’s were struggling to put meaningful attacks to gether and got their first and only score of the first half through Christian Healy, who was proving to be the visitors main threat up front.
Corner forwards Michael Hagan and Oisín Doherty got on the scoresheet with a point each before Doherty raced onto a through ball to get the first goal of the game in the 18th minute as Poretglenone began to find they’re rhythm.
Aidan McAleese added a further point to leave the score at half time Casements 1-6 St Enda’s 0-1
The second half followed a similar pattern to the first with the home side largely in control and a Paddy Kelly free and a point from play by Niall Delargy extended the lead. St Enda’s responded with points from a mark and a free to reduce the lead slightly, before Michael Hagan got his second point of the game in the 24th minute.
Casements finished with a flurry with Aidan McAleese finding the net after a flowing Casements move through the St Enda’s defence and Ronan Kelly got in on the act in the final stages with a goal to give the home side victory on a scoreline of 3-9 to 0-3
A Kevin Kerr point late in the game secured a third win of the season for last year’s division 2 champions, Tir na nOg and a first ever victory over visitors St. Gall’s at Whitehill today. The sides were tied at six points each at half time and looked to be heading for a draw when substitute Kerr kept his cool to fire over the winner, much to the delight of the home support.
The home side staged a spirited finish after falling three points in arrears of the Milltown men in the last quarter after the excellent Niall Burns had added a couple of points to follow a 34th minute major.
Nothing had separated the sides at the end of the opening period with Sean Paul McAtamney pulling off a couple of excellent saves to deny the visitors but the Whitehill men came from behind in the latter stages to level the issue at 0-06 apiece with late points from Darragh Feagan and Aaron Mc Neilly.
Mickey Pollock, who was lively for St. Gall’s looks up as Peter Cullen moves in to challenge
St Gall’s started the better in the second half but Niall Burn’s early goal found reply in kind when Ciaran O’ Neill fired to the net at the other end before the Milltown men took charge and were three points to the good as the clock counted down and it looked like the points were on their way back to Belfast
In the event the home side were not to lose focus and a couple of subtle changes in the latter minutes worked the oracle as hard working defender Caomhinn Duffin grabbed a point before supplying a cross field delivery for Darragh Feagan to finish to the net.
St. Gall’s replied with a 57th minute point from central defender Sean McCaffrey to bring parity and a draw looked likely.
In the event replacement Kevin Kerr came up the right hand side to fire over the winner and secure the Randalstown sides third brace of points and make a mark in history for the Whitehill Blues.
Tir na nOg: S P Mc Atamney, Ethan Higgins, Peter Cullen, Ryan Crilly, Ciaran O’ Neill, Caomhinn Duffin (0-01), Oran Mc Atamney, Joshua Higgins, Ryan O’ Neill (0-01), Ciaran Logan (1-00), Sean Duffin, Darragh Feagan (1-02), Ciaran Dobbin, Aaron Mc Neilly (0-01), Daniel Martin
Subs:
Ronan O’ Neill for C Dobbin
Kevin Sheerin for R O’ Neill
Connor Hastings for C Logan
K Kerr (0-01) for Ryan O’ Neill
Barry Magee for P Cullen
St Gall’s: Niall Mc Curdy, Jack Hopkins, Connor Murray, Eoghan Mc Cabe, Caolan Chada, Sean Mc Caffrey (0-01), Cormac Bradley, Ruairi Wilson, Thomas Bunting, Marcus Donnelly, Niall Burns (1-04), Dualtach Wilson (0-02), Niall Fallon (0-01), Michael Pollock (0-02), Conaill Mc Girr
Referee: Eamon Mc Auley (Erin’s Own)
Sean Paul McAtamney gets down to save at his near post as umpire, Sean Redmond takes evasive action
