Ballycastle had a big win over Cushendall in Tuesday evening’s Division 1 League game at Pairc Mhuire. With a lot of members of the All Ireland Junior winning side on show from Croke Park ten days earlier it was expected to be a close encounter but after a good start by the home side Ballycastle took over.
Niamh Anne Donnelly put Ballycastle ahead with the first score of the game but points from Ellen Leech and Dervla Cosgrove edged the home team in front. That however was to be their last score of the opening half as Ballycastle took over and goals from corner forwards Tara O’Neill and Aine Donnelly, and two from full forward Kathryn Mullan saw them race to a 4-5 to 0-2 half time lead.
The visitors had three more points on the board early in the second half through Tara O’Neill, Aine Donnelly and Emma Laverty before Dervla Cosgrove pulled one back from a free for Cushendall on 38 minutes. Aine and Niamh Anne Donnelly came back with points for Ballycastle, and after Dervla Cosgrove grabbed another point for the home side, Ballycastle finished with a goal from Emma Laverty and another Aine Donnelly point to win by 5-11 to 0-4
Saturday 6th August saw two under 14 squads compete in the national camogie blitz. One panel in Dunganney for the Lily Spence Cup, the Meath development centre and the other panel in Abbotstown, Co. Dublin for the Micheal Kennedy Cup.
Sunny conditions left both venues dry and with very little wind it turned out a great day for four games of camogie per panel twelve minutes per half.
Match 1
Dunganney panel began their campaign slowly against Cork and Abbotstown panel started quickly against Laois. Cork made strong progress with some fast running in midfield and pushed into a commanding lead. Meanwhile in Abbotstown Antrim were motoring along to a comfortable lead. After the break Laois had no answer for the Antrim style and failed to make their mark on the scoreboard. The second half in Dunganney saw a resurgent Antrim squad claw back into the game with some classy forward interplay. By the final whistle Antrim had the upper hand and looked good value for their win completed with the winning goal from Isabella Martin.
Match 1 Final scores:
Antrim 9:05 Laois 2:07
Antrim 2:09 Cork 2:07
Match 2
Abbotstown then saw Antrim face an excellent Kerry side in match while Offaly took on the Dunganney panel. It was Offally who dominated the first half but after some words of encouragement at half time the Antrim squad at Dunganney showed their calibre and rattled off some excellent scores to finish the stronger team. On the score tally there was Louise McBride, Marie Laverty, Amy McAlister and Shannon McQuillan. Meanwhile in Abbotstown Kerry beat Antrim despite a great defensive effort from Laoise Stone, Mya McKinley and Aoife McGivern
Match 2 Final Scores:
Antrim 1:05 Offaly 0:05
Antrim 0:00 Kerry 3:06
Match 3
Dunganney Antrim next faced a formidable Dublin side and Abbotstown saw a rejuvenated Antrim take on Laois Antrim made inroads against the O’Moore county and held their own in all areas of the pitch with Fionnuala Baker, Eimhear McCloskey and Amelie Annett all starring. It was a different story nearer the Boyne river as Dublin held the lion’s share of possession and with blistering pace took a commanding lead into half time. Dublin pushed on against the resolute full back line of of Maeve McAlister (c), Cora Pierce and Carly McNamee. Substitutes Aoibh Woods and Darcy Ward gave spirited performances but Dublin ran out comfortable winners
Match 3 Final Scores:
Antrim 10:05 Laois 0:05
Antrim 0:01 Dublin 2:06
And so to the finals. In Abbotstown Antrim would face Offaly and in Dunganney it was Kilkenny to beat.
It was was thrilling stuff in Dunganney as parents and coaches from both teams cheered on. A minutes silence was observed for the late Lily Spence and young Tipperary star Dillon Quirke.
Kilkenny took an early lead, Antrim dominated quarters 2 and three, Kilkenny hit the crossbar and blazed a 20 metre free over the bar in the last minute. Eva McNeill’s sidesteps and interplay between Adria McAlister Anna Smyth and Erinmae Mitchel were some of the highlights there.
In Abbotstown Caela Casey, Cara Lyttle and Fionnual Baker showed their determination and class to help Antrim overcome a skillful Offaly team. Margaret Flynn a friend of Lily Spence made the trip from Rossa Belfast to congratulate the girls mentioning how proud Lily Spence would have been to see success go Ulster and Antrim’s way. The players, coaches and parents made this a memorable day for Antrim and excellent preparation for the Croke Park Camogie finals and half-time parade.
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.
