Antrim v Waterford at the TU Sports Grounds, Dublin
Antrim 2-13 Waterford 1-04
PICS BY BERT TROWLEN
Antrim Minor Camogs booked their place in the final of the All Ireland A Shield when they had too much power for Waterford in Sunday’s final in Dublin. Playing against a strong breeze in the opening half the Saffrons fell behind when Waterford scored the first two points of the game but as soon as they settled into their stride they dominated the remainder of the half to lead by 1-08 to 0-3 at half time.
The stretched that lead to eleven after half time and when Amy McAlister got their second goal the only thing is question was the size of the winning margin.
Aoife Latimore and Kim McGrath game Waterford an early lead but points from Amy McAlister and Eva McNeill brought Antrim level. An Eimear McCaughan point put the Ulster champions ahead after McAllister added a point, corner forward McCaughan popped over a point before scoring the first goal of the game to put Antrim firmly in charge. Right half back Laura Black chipped in with a point as did the midfielder pairing of Eva McNeill and Amy McAlister to stretch their team’s lead to 1-08 to 0-02 at half time.
Two points from left half forward Mary McArthur and another by Amy McAllister at the start of the second half stretched the Antrim advantage after half time, but Waterford came back with a point from corner forward Emma Walsh. Centre forward Aimee Ferris chipped in with a point and when McAllister fired in her team’s second goal the victory was virtually sealed. To their credit Waterofrd came back with a goal from substitute Muireaan Hickey but Ferris and McAllister wrapped up the victory with two more excellent points.
A fantastic win for the Antrim girls and their management team who now go through to face Laois in the Shield final in two weeks’ time
ANTRIM
Orlaith Johnston, Rhianna Black, Eva Lee, Leona Gillan, Maeve Devlin, Casey Crawford, Laura Black, Eobha McAllister, Eva McNeill, Cara Delaney, Aimee Ferris, Mary McArthur, Amy McAllister, Aoife Fitzsimons, Eimear McCaughan.
Subs – Kady McNeill, Lisa Stone, Cara Lynch, Niamh Mullan, Sarah Louise Kearns, Sara Flavin, Erin Mae Mitchell, Amelie Annett, Orlaith Gould, Mary Angela NicCarthaig
TO SEE MORE OF BERT’S PICS FROM THE GAME CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW
Antrim’s Eobha McAlister eye’s up the throw in but it’s Waterford’s Aishling Bonnar that has the edge
Antrim travel to the half way venue of Technological University (TU), Blanchardstown to meet familiar rivals, Waterford on Sunday for the semi final of the All Ireland Minor A Shield. Both sides met on Sunday 2nd March in Abbotstown for the round robin stage but that was on the 3G surface with a blustery wind that swept the sliotar ahead of chasing players.
The fast pace of the game led to eight goals in total, four apiece, but it was Antrim that leaned harder into the rucks over the last quarter of the game and profited from cruising six additional points over Waterford’s bar to end Waterford 4-10 Antrim 4-16.
Antrim’s Amelie Annett keeps her distance from Waterford’s Aine Mackey and Helen Dungan O’Neill
This will be a tougher test for Antrim as they await the outcome of a fitness test for an injured player but they have depth on the bench and with both teams meeting on grass, it should prove to be a terrific game and likely to have management pacing the technical areas for the duration of the match. This one will be too close to call.
Antrim’s Casey Crawford played a crucial role in defence in the last game against Waterford
THE 2024-25 EOS IT Solutions All-star camogie team received their awards at a gala dinner on Thursday evening in the Elk Restaurant.
The All-star awards were presented by double All-Ireland senior club medallist and former Offaly All-Ireland junior winner Tina Bradley. Rosemary Hughes-Merry, representing Ulster Camogie, presented the senior winning captains with their trophies while Emer Rafferty, chair of QUB Camogie, presented the Player of the Match awards from the various senior finals on behalf of the sponsor QUB GAA.
Also in attendance were Sean McGourty representing Ulster schools’ GAA, while the All-Ireland winning teams from the province were recognised – St Patrick’s Maghera (All-Ireland sevens and All-Ireland Junior Corn Gobnait) and St Dominic’s Belfast (All-Ireland Junior Corn Úna).
The All-star panel of 24 players was drawn from 13 schools across the province with Erin O’Hara, Leah Cassidy and Fiadhna Loughran accepting awards for the second year in a row.
Goalkeeper O’Hara is one of six players from Cross & Passion Ballycastle in the selection. Three of the six are younger sisters of previous All-star recipients. Mary McArthur is following in the footsteps of Cassie (2022) and Ceala Dobbin bridges a ten year gap back to Caitrín while Marie Laverty has equalled the achievements of two older siblings Ciara (2020) and Orlagh (2022).
Another north Antrim school and beaten Corn Uan Uladh finalists for the third year in a row, St Killian’s Garron Tower, picked up four awards, all of them members of the Ruairí Óg Cushendall club that has been so successful at under-age level in recent years. Eva McNeill’s older sister Abi was selected two years ago while the other awards go to Laura Black, Kady McNeill and Amy McAlister.
Leah Cassidy from St Patrick’s Maghera also collected a second All-star award and added more Ulster senior medals to her collection alongside Katie McCloskey and Caoimhe Chambers first time All-star award winners. Katie, from Ahoghill, was also the QUB Player of the Match in the Corn Uan Uladh final in the Dub in January.
Ceala Dobbin with her sister Caitril who won her All Star ten years ago. St Killian’s principal Mr Johnny Brady and teacher Aislin McFadden with the school’s All Stars Laura Black, Eva McNeill, Kady McNeill, Amy McAlisterMary McaArthur from Cross & Passion with her mum and dad. CPC tacher Barry Kelly with the school’s All Stars Erin O’Hara, Cara Delaney, Shanna Deery, Mary McArthur, Ceala Dobbin, Marie LavertyAntrim Camogie chairperson Una Kelly with the nine Antrim All Stars
The third double All-star is Fiadhna Loughran a member of the Granemore side that won the All-Ireland Junior club title in 2023. She is a student in St Patrick’s Keady along with Eimear McGeary.
There are no fewer than nine schools in the selection with a single player picking up an award. Amongst those are St Patrick’s Dungiven who have picked up their very first All-star through goalie Aoife McAteer.
Staying in the north Derry town and Niamh Nig Uiginn became just the second student from Gaelcholáiste Dhoire to catch the eye of the selectors. Niamh was also player of the match in the Rosina McManus Shield final in January.
In total there are 24 players named in the squad, with half of them having represented Antrim at under-age level. Six are from Derry clubs, while four come from Armagh with Catherine Moohan from Edendork and Erin Daly from Bredagh completing the panel.
Fiadhna Loughran and Erin Daly finished the event by making acceptance speeches on behalf of the All-stars while the evening opened with each of the senior winning captains bringing in their trophies:
Rosina McManus Cup: Caitlin Nic Eocháin – Gaelcholáiste Dhoire
Senior Medallion Shield: Grace Draine – St Conor’s Kilrea/Clady
Fr Davies Cup: Caitriona McArdle – St Patrick’s KeadyCorn Uan Uladh: Eimear Murray – St Patrick’s Maghera
In addition, the Players of Match in each of the senior finals picked up their awards, presented by Emer Rafferty, chair of QUB Camogie:
Rosina McManus Shield final: Katie McKavannagh from St Bridget’s club and Aquinas Grammar
Rosina McManus Cup final: Niamh Nig Uiginn from Sleacht Néill agus Gaelcholáiste Dhoire.
Senior Medallion Shield final: Ellie McCartney from Swatragh and St Conor’s
Fr Davies Cup final: Fiadhna Loughran from Granemore and St Patrick’s KeadyCorn Uan Uladh final: Katie McCloskey from Ahoghill and St Patrick’s Maghera
Guest of honour Tina Bradley receives a bouquet of flowers fromRosemary Hughes-Merry from Ulster Council receives a bouquet of flowers from Aimee Ferris
The EOS IT Solutions Ulster Colleges’ Camogie All-stars 2024-2025
Erin O’Hara, Cara Delaney, Shanna Deery, Mary McArthur, Ceala Dobbin, Marie Laverty (Cross and Passion, Ballycastle)
Laura Black, Eva McNeill, Kady McNeill, Amy McAlister (St Killian’s, Garron Tower)
Aimee Ferris of St Geneive’s receives her All Star award from guest of honour Tina BradleyAmy McAllister of St Killian’s College receives her All Star award from guest of honour Tina BradleyAoife McAteer of St Patrick’s Dungiven receives her All Star award from guest of honour Tina BradleyCaoimhe Chambers of St Pat’s Maghera receives her All Star award from guest of honour Tina BradleyCara Delaney of Cross & Passion receives her All Star award from guest of honour Tina BradleyCatherine Moohan of St Patrick’s Acdadeny Dungannon receives her All Star award from guest of honour Tina BradleyCeala Dobbin of Cross & Passion Ballycasle receives her All Star award from guest of honour Tina BradleyEimear McGeary of St Patricks’s Keady receives her All Star award from guest of honour Tina BradleyEmma Hart of St Catherine’s Armagh receives her All Star award from guest of honour Tina BradleyErin Daly of Assumption Grammar receives her All Star award from guest of honour Tina BradleyErin O’Hara from Cross & Passion College receives her All Star award from guest of honour Tina BradleyEva McNeill of St Killian’s College receives her All Star award from guest of honour Tina BradleyFiadhna Loughran of St Patrick’s High School, Keady receives her All Star award from guest of honour Tina BradleyGrace Draine of St Conor’s College receives her All Star award from guest of honour Tina BradleyJessica McCreesh of Our Lady’s Grammar School, Newry receives her All Star award from guest of honour Tina BradleyKady McNeill of St Killian’s College receives her All Star award from guest of honour Tina BradleyKatie McCloskey of St Patrick’s College, Maghera receives her All Star award from guest of honour Tina BradleyLaura Black of St Killian’s College receives her All Star award from guest of honour Tina BradleyLeah Cassidey of St Patrick’s Maghera receives her All Star award from guest of honour Tina BradleyMarie Laverty of Cross & Passionn College receives her All Star award from guest of honour Tina BradleyMary McArthur of Cross & Passion, Ballycastle receives her All Star award from guest of honour Tina BradleyNiamh Nig Uiginn of Gaelcholaiste Dhoire receives her All Star award from guest of honour Tina BradleyPaige Bell of St Pius X Magherafelt receives her All Star award from guest of honour Tina BradleyShanna Deery of Cross & Passion, Ballycastle receives her All Star award from guest of honour Tina Bradley
TO SEE ALL THE PHOTOS FROM THE EVENT CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW
Match report and photos from Antrim Camogie PRO, Michael Corcoran in Ahoghill
The photo album can be found at the bottom of the report.
Antrim have added another piece of valuable silverware to the County cabinet, when they beat Derry in Sunday’s Ulster final. The Counties senior panel won the Very Div 1B National League on Saturday and no doubt fueled the Minor panel into pulling off something special.
Spectators were treated to a tough game, where referee, Philip McDonald, allowed camogie to flow. Despite there being a lot at stake for either team, there were only six fouls in the first half and ten in the second considering the intensity of the match, this was a free-flowing final.
Antrim took the game to Derry within seconds as the dynamic combination of Cara Delaney and Eva McNeill pushed into Derry’s scoring territory but after drifting the sliotar wide, McNeill would loop back around to secure the first point for Antrim from a 45.
Antrim’s early tenacity would prevail as Eimear McCaughan drilled the sliotar towards Derry’s goalkeeper, Aoife McAteer; pulling off one of many excellent saves to keep Derry alive in the game. Antrim’s McNeill though would tidy that up with a point over the bar and Antrim were laying down a marker within three minutes of the start.
Derry’s Cait Conway is about to endure the challenge from Antrim’s midfield pair of Aimee Ferris (13 for 9) and Eobha McAlister
Derry’s response was two points from Aoibh Mulholland and Mary Thérese McCullagh, though Mulholland’s point was a sign of things to come, as Antrim’s short puck outs would haunt the defence in the early stages of the game.
A buoyant Antrim would push up even harder and just over the ten-minute mark, Aimee Ferris raised the green flag at the Slemish end, but celebrations were short lived as another short puck out at the Antrim end was turned over for a goal and scores stood level at 1-02 apiece.
Tensions were bubbling over with an off the ball encounter between Derry’s Paige Bell and Antrim’s Eva McNeill but an entry in McDonald’s book would calm matters down and McNeill would go on to point two out of Antrim’s next three points, one of those screaming in from a tight angle under the clubhouse side.
Casey Crawford formed part of Antrim’s defence that stood up to the best of Derry’s challenges
Twenty minutes in and Derry had now found themselves deep in Antrim’s territory and a feisty scrum on the edge of the box ended in Derry’s favour as Emma Quinn settled for the point, but the Saffron’s Eva McNeill would neutralise that with another fine point from a turned over ball.
The large scoreboard announced twenty six minutes gone and scores Antrim 1-06 Derry 1-04 but in the remaining four minutes plus extra time, Derry rolled up another three points, one from Mary Thérese McCullagh and two from a very dynamic Aoibh Mulholland, her first from a stealthy tackle to gain possession and her second coming from a rebound off Antrim’s bar. As McDonald brought the first half to a close, Derry walked in one point the better, Antrim 1-06 Derry 1-07.
The second half started with a bang as Antrim’s pacey runner Amy McAlister was prevented from making a run on goal and McDonald called for a penalty. Despite picking her spot as low into the left-hand corner, Antrim’s markswoman, Eva McNeill couldn’t have struck a better penalty as it bounced up awkwardly just short of the line but miraculously Derry’s Aoife McAteer, later Player of the Match, stretched and pulled off the save to keep Derry well in the game. We should point out though that Antrim’s goalkeeper pulled off nothing short of a miraculous save in the first half as she blocked an incoming sliotar at point blank range, see one of our album photos to appreciate this.
Antrim’s goalkeeper, Orlaith Johnston pulls off a goal saving block at point blank range
That save was converted into a forty-five and McNeill cruised that effortlessly over the bar just before Antrim’s Amy McAlister would eventually have her goal as Eobha McAlister caught the puck out and sent it accurately into Amy McAlister.
A Casey Crawford – Aimee Ferris – Eva McNeill combination of passes would allow McNeill to notch the Saffron’s score up by another point, though Derry’s Emma Quinn would steady the cause with a reconciliatory point after Antrim robustly defended a near goal line attack.
As the scoreboard’s clock struck twenty minutes into the second half, Antrim would enter a purple patch and undoubtedly tipped the game beyond Derry’s grasp as five points bombarded the catch net , though a super point from Derry’s Cait Conway and a late goal from a free catch by Emma Quinn wasn’t enough to close the gap as Antrim converted the last two frees into solid points from Eva McNeill and Eobha McAlister.
As McDonald brought the game to a finish, the final score stood Antrim 2-15 Derry 2-09. A remarkable game of topflight minor camogie, full of intensity, skillful hooking and brave blocking that was a showcase for Ulster camogie.
Antrim starters and scorers
Orlaith Johnston, Rhianna Black, Eva Lee, Leona Gillan, Maeve Devlin, Casey Crawford, Laura Black, Eobha McAlister 0-03 (1f), Aimee Ferris 1-01, Cara Delaney, Eva McNeill 0-08 (1f), Órlaith Gould, Amy McAlister 1-01, Mary McArthur, Eimear McCaughan 0-01
I put up a post on Saturday about a great day for the Saffrons, when our senior Camogs won Division 1b of the National Camogie League with a 3-10 to 1-11 win over Clare at Abbotstown. Our Under 20 Hurlers beat Westmeath in their opening game in the Leinster U20 Hurling Championship Tier 2 in Mullingar and our under 20 Footballers, who lost heavily to Donegal in their opening game of the Ulster Championship on Wednesday, bounced back to get a draw with Fermanagh at Dunsilly. They probably should have won after holding a six point lead going down the home straight, but after falling behind going into injury time Tarlach Enright held his nerve to land a point from a 45 and get his team a share of the spoils.
Things got even better as the weekend progressed and on Sunday morning Antrim Minor Camogs beat Derry by 2-15 to 2-9 in a fantastic Ulster final at Ahoghill. Later in the day the Saffrons LGFA team turned in a great display to be beat Leitrim by 5-8 to 3-10 in the National Football League semi-final at Kingscourt in Cavan. Overall a fantastic weekend to be a Saffron fan.
