Team Kit Senior Camogie Championship Final

Loughgiel 3-11 Dunloy 2-9

Sunday 13 October

Brendan McTaggart reports from Páirc Mhuire, Cushendall

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A strong second half and a player of the match performance from Caitrin Dobbin was the foundations for the Shamrocks as they sealed an 11^th county title in a row.  They had to show plenty of determination and character along with their undoubted skills to see off the challenge of Dunloy, however.  The Cuchullains threw everything they could at Loughgiel and held a six point lead after just 10 minutes but it was a dominant second half from the Shamrocks as they turned the screw and when Dobbin fired in their third major, it all but sealed their victory.

It was the twin attacking threat of Roisin McCormick and Caitrin Dobbin that did the majority of the damage for the Shamrocks but the driving force of Lucie McNaughton and work rate of Christine McCloskey were vital in the middle third.  McCormick finished with a final tally of 1-7 as she caused plenty of problems in an overworked Dunloy defence. 

Dunloy’s early attacking threat and goals came from the brilliance of Katie Molloy and the determination of Eobha McAllister while Cassie McArthur was never far away but once the Shamrocks came to terms with the Dunloy attack, they were able to capitalise at the other end of the pitch.  Katie Lynn, Emma McFadden and Finvola McVeigh were excellent while Megan McGarry proved to be a more than capable replacement for McVeigh when she had to leave the field injured.

Dunloy’s defence didn’t give anything easy to the Shamrocks as Loughgiel really had to work for their scores.  The three goals came from sheer determination more than brilliant passages of play with Sarah McIlhatton, Kathryn Boyle and Brid Magill giving their all for the Cuchullains shirt but with McCormick and in particular Dobbin in sensational form, Loughgiel were not to be denied.

Electing to play into any wind that was blowing in Páirc Mhuire, Dunloy got off to the dream start with Cassie McArthur finding the back of the net in the third minute.  It was Katie Molloy who broke the line and as the Loughgiel defence swarmed to nullify her threat, she unselfishly found McArthur and she made no mistake.

Nicole McAtamney split the uprights for her first of three first half points and five overall before Annie Lynn opened the Shamrocks account in the eighth minute.

With the clock ticking into the tenth minute Dunloy found the back of the Loughgiel net again.  Eobha McAllister contested a restart on the 21 yard line and managed to break the sliotar into her own path.  She went through on goal with a dash of pure determination and while Eimear Boyle stopped her initial shot, McAllister was first to the rebound and made no mistake.

It was the best possible start for the Cuchullains but McAllister’s goal would be their last score for 15 minutes as Loughgiel began to find their game.  Three pointed frees from McCormick in a five minute spell lifted the Shamrocks confidence while the Cuchullains went close to a third goal in the same period of time.  Katie Molloy once again showing great strength to hold off challenges before finding McAllister.  The angle wasn’t kind for the young Dunloy flier and her effort fizzed across the goals and wide.

Caitrin Dobbin split the uprights in the 25^th minute to leave two between the sides while Annie Lynn went close for the Shamrock’s first goal moments later.  She evaded the Cuchullains challenges and showed plenty of grit and determination to find the half yard she needed but her drilled effort was well saved by Aileen McManus in goals for the Cuchullains.

Roisin McCormick pointed the resulting ’45 and another free either side of a Nicole McAtamney free for the Cuchullains. 

A free from McAtamney in the 28^th minute edged Dunloy two clear once again before Loughgiel found the back of the Dunloy net.  McNaughton with the finish despite the best efforts of the Dunloy defence.  It gave Loughgiel the lead for the first time in the game but the Dunloy response was excellent.  Points from McArthur and Katie Molloy in injury time gave them a half time lead of 2-5 to 1-7.

The goal came at the perfect time for Loughgiel.  Given the Cuchullains efforts in that opening 30 minutes and despite not scoring for 15, they posed a serious threat to the Shamrocks defence and probably deserved to be leading by more at half time.  The short whistle came at a good time for Loughgiel with Dunloy in the ascendancy and the Shamrocks upped their tempo after the restart.

Points from Christine McCloskey and McCormick (free) were answered to by an excellent free from Nicole McAtamney.  Wide on the right and maybe 25 yards from the end line, McAtamney split the uprights to restore parity to the score line.  It would be the Cuchullains last score for almost 20 minutes however with the second Loughgiel goal pivotal.

It was McCormick who applied the finish but it was owed much to the work of Lucia McNaughton as she broke from a ruck and found McCormick running from deep off her shoulder.  The Dunloy defence tried to suffocate her space but McCormick found the back of the net.

The Shamrocks were well on top but weren’t finding their accuracy.  A couple of wides and efforts dropping short kept Dunloy within touching distance but it was the third Loughgiel major in the 50^th minute that proved to be match winning.  Lucia McNaughton again providing the assist as she played the sliotar cross field towards a heavily marked Dobbin.  She managed to break the sliotar into her path and made no mistake from close range when given the opportunity.

Annie Lynn’s second of the game stretched the Loughgiel lead to seven and while Dunloy added three unanswered scores from McAtamney (free), Aine Magill and Casey Crawford, Loughgiel and McCormick had the final say when she split the uprights in the fourth minute of injury time.

It was a brilliant second half from the Shamrocks as they proved yet again they are the team to beat.  Dunloy will be disappointed not to have met the challenge in the second half having played so well in the first but the O’Duffy Cup remains in Fr Healy Park for an 11^th year in succession.

TEAMS

Loughgiel: Eimear Boyle; Clare McKillop, Katie Lynn, Finvola McVeigh; Maria O’Hara, Emma McFadden, Shauna Doran; Amy Boyle, Anna Connolly; Christine McCloskey, Lucia McNaughton, Annie Lynn; Anna McKillop, Roisin McCormick, Caitrin Dobbin

Subs: Ciara Laverty for S Doran (26); Megan McGarry for F McVeigh (30+3); Katie McKillop for A McKillop (47)

Scorers: R McCormick 1-7 (6fs 1’45); C Dobbin 1-1; L McNaughton 1-00; A Lynn 0-2; C McCloskey 0-1

Dunloy: Aileen Martin; Sarah McIlhatton, Katie Laverty, Kathryn Boyle; Casey Crawford, Brid Magill, Caoimhe Molloy; Eimear Johnston, Katherine Mullan; Bronach Magill, Aine Magill, Nicole McAtamney; Eobha McAllister, Katie Molloy, Cassie McArthur

Subs: Caitlin Crawford for K Mullan (43); Erin McMullan for C McArthur (47)

Scorers: N McAtamney 0-5 (5fs); C McArthur 1-1; C McAllister 1-00; K Molloy 0-1; A Magill 0-1; Casey Crawford 0-1

Referee: Shane McDonnell (Glenariffe)

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Junior Camogie Final

St. Paul’s 2-8  Ballycastle 0-7

St. Paul’s produced a strong performance to overcome the challenge of Ballycastle in wintry conditions in Rasharkin on Saturday. Ten minutes into the game the heavens opened with a heavy hail shower but when conditions settled down the sides went on to produce a good final.

It was last year’s beaten finalists, St. Paul’s who dominated the opening half and goals from Maeve Devlin in the 11^th and 19^th minute saw them in control at the halfway stage.

Ballycastle, for whom Emma Connor was excellent at centre-half, did better after the break and actually out-scored their opponents but never looked like getting the goal they needed to mount a serious challenge.

The ‘Castle’ were first on target as Shannon McQuillan pointed a free in the 4^th minute but Nicole Munce fired over the equaliser as the game was treated to a heavy shower of hailstones.

Saorlaith Brennan gave the Shaw’s Road girls the lead with a point in the 10^th minute and when Maeve Devlin followed with a goal from an acute angle St. Paul’s were in control.

Saorlaith Brennan added her second point of the afternoon before Shannon McQuillan replied from her second free in the 17^th minute as the North Antrim side struggled to break down a solid ‘Hoops’ defence.

A second goal from Devlin, two minutes later and points from Rebecca McConville and Fionnghuala Rocks saw the Shaw’s Road side head for the dressing rooms leading 2-5 to 0-2 and even at this stage it looked a long way back for Ballycatle.

The Sea siders needed a good start to the second half if they were to make inroads into the St. Paul’s lead but it was St. Paul’s who extended their lead with a Niamh Ritchie point after 30 seconds.

Slowly though Ballycastle started to enjoy some success with their free taker, Shannon McQuillan adding two more to bring her total for the evening to four and Emma McQuillan striking a good effort from play to give her side some encouragement.

Rebecca McConville for the Red & White hoops and McQuillan with another well struck free exchanged further points by the 22^nd minute but St. Paul’s were always able to find a response.

Fionnghuala Rocks fired over a long range free and Saorlaith Brennan added another from play before Erin O’Harra in the ‘Castle’ goals pulled off an excellent save as the Belfast girls threatened again.

Louise McBride replied with a late point for Ballycastle and it was to prove the game’s final score as last year’s beaten finalists celebrated at the final whistle after a game where they were always in control.

St. Paul’s: 1 Deirdre Valley, 2 Dairine Phillips, 3 Gemma McGroarty, 4 Aoibhinn Hand, 5 Enya Daye, 6 Katierose Bell, 7Caoimhe Bell, 8 Emer Rocks, 9 Niamh Ritchie, 10 Cara Duncan, 11 Fionnghuala Rocks, 12 Nicole Munce, 13 Cliodhna Phillips, 14 Saorlaith Brennan, 15 Rebecca McConville, 18 Maeve Devlin

Ballycastle: 1 Erin O’Hara, 2 Anna Bakewell, 4 Emma Fairley, 5 Noelle McAuley, 6 Emma Connor, 7 Rebecca Barrett, 8 Ellie McGarry, 9 Kaci-Lee Hunter, 10 Caitlin Hunter, 11 Grainne Hunter, 12 Shannon McQuillan, 13 Dani McQuillan, 14 Kara Brolly, 15 Amy Hunter. 24 Louise McBride

Referee: Paul O’Neill (Creggan)

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TeamKit Senior Camogie Championship Final

Loughgiel v Dunloy

Date: Sunday 13 October 2024

Venue: Páirc Mhuire, Bun Abhann Dalla

Throw in: 3pm

Referee: Shane McDonnell (Glenariffe)

The race for the O’Duffy Cup reaches its final hurdle on Sunday afternoon as two old rivals go head to head.  Cushendall plays host to Loughgiel and Dunloy as the Shamrocks go on the hunt for 11 in a row while the Cuchullains are looking for a 12^th title in their history but a first since 2003.

Sunday will be the culmination of eight weeks, 12 games and by the final whistle we will have one winner.  These two have proven all year to be the best in the county and the final promises to be a cracker.

This will be the fifth time this year they have played each other, the head to head sits at two wins apiece with one win each in the league while Dunloy wrestled the senior Feis away from the Shamrocks grasp and defeated them along the way.

The Loughgiel victory is probably more relevant at this stage.  Played in Fr Healy Park and in the round robin of the championship, Loughgiel fired a warning shot across the county with a 20 point win.  The final score 6-10 to 0-8 for the Shamrocks who’s win sealed their route direct to the final. 

That match will be four weeks ago by the time the sliotar is thrown in on Sunday afternoon and because of the concession by Brídíní Óga in the last group game, it was the last time the Loughgiel camogs have played competitively.  Much like their hurling counterparts, it’s far from ideal. 

A quick look at the scoring charts for the championship so far and Roisin McCormick has once again been phenomenal for Loughgiel.  She has 2-23 (15f) beside her name while the Cuchullains have Nicole McAtamney (0-38 26f) and Katie Molloy (5-14) leading the way.  Both teams showing their capabilities to grab majors with Dunloy raising the green flag 18 times in their 5 matches while Loughgiel’s strike rate is similar, 11 goals in 3 games.

The Shamrocks will be looking to McCormick for the magic she can undoubtedly produce while there are other threats throughout.  Caitrin Dobbin, Annie Lynn, Lucia McNaughton and Anna Connolly all found the back of the net when these two last played.

The Cuchullains have equally as many threats with Katie Molloy proving to be a goal scoring machine in the championship to date but she has plenty of support from Cassie McArthur, Bronagh Magill, Nicole McAtamney brings so much more than just her frees while Eobha McAllister has the speed and ability to cause plenty of concern despite her young age.

The winning of this game will come down to who can contain their opponents attacking threat the best.  Dunloy have shipped six goals to the Shamrocks on two occasions this year, Gabriel Crawford and his backroom team won’t need reminding of that.  They made positional changes in the Cuchullains defence for the Cushendall semi-final with Sarah McIlhatton and Kathryn Boyle retaining the same positions while Aileen McManus made a return to the starting lineup by lining out between the sticks.

Conor Higgins is now in his second season in charge of the Loughgiel camogs and while he may have run the rule over his squad in the league, his championship team looks to have been much more settled.  Amy Boyle and Anna Connolly will likely form their midfield pairing with Claire McKillop, Katie Lynn and Finvola McVeigh forming their full back line.

These two sides have played each other in two other finals in recent times, Loughgiel coming out on top in 2021 (3-12 to 1-9) and 2022 (0-9 to 0-6).  That contest in 2022 was played in horrendous weather conditions at Glenravel and one hopes the weather God’s will be kinder to us than they were on that day and indeed, last weekend!

Loughgiel camogs have been a force of nature for over a decade now and many have come up against the red and white with hopes of causing an upset.  However, the Shamrocks have been relentless in their pursuit of county and provincial if not All-Ireland glory.  They will start Sunday as favourites given how the most recent contest between the two finished but the Cuchullains have been building towards the big one, winning the league and Feis for the first time in a long, long time.  Don’t be surprised if the O’Duffy Cup finds a new home on Sunday.

Line ups for their last game…

Dunloy v Cushendall semi-final

Aileen McManus, Sarah McIlhatton, Brid Magill, Kathryn Boyle, Casey Crawford, Katie Laverty, Caoimhe Conlon, Eimear Johnston, Katharine Mullan, Nicole McAtamney, Eobha McAllister, Bronagh Magill, Aine Magill, Katie Molloy, Cassie McArthur

Loughgiel v Dunloy last group game

Amy Boyle, Clare McKillop, Katie Lynn, Finvola McVeigh, Maria Lynn, Emma McFadden, Shauna Devlin, Amy Boyle, Anna Connolly, Christine McCloskey, Lucia McNaughton, Annie Lynn, Caitrin Dobbin, Roisin McCormick, Anna McKillop, Marie Laverty

WITH just 60 seconds left in the FMC Appliances Ulster Schools’ Camogie Sevens Cup final on Monday in Portglenone, St Patrick’s Maghera’s three-in-a-row hopes hung by a thread. They trailed St Killian’s Garron Tower by 2-4 to 1-4. But they conjured up a goal and a point to make the cut once more.

Emma Quinn opted to go for goal from a 35m free and somehow the ground shot made it into the net off a defender. The Maghera defence returned the poc out and Quinn grabbed glory by flashing an angled shot between the posts.

The score-taking of Quinn as well as Eva McNeill for St Killian’s was outstanding. McNeill scored 2-3 while Quinn’s late salvo brought her final tally to 2-4. They were well supported by Laoise McCollam, Emer Ward, Tamara Black and Cliodhna Thompson for the Tower and Grace McCartney, Eimear Conway and Róisín McAtamney for the winners.

St Mary’s Magherafelt, St Louis Ballymena and Cross & Passion Ballycastle also competed for the Cup and all gave a good account of themselves, CPC unlucky not to reach the decider after a 4-3 to 1-3 win over St Killian’s in a group game. However they were beaten by St Louis Ballymena in the next game and missed out on a play-off for a spot in the final.

The final of the FMC Appliances Shield competition also went the distance with a very late goal from Áine Young snatching victory (3-5 to 4-1) for St Pius X Magherafelt at the expense of Our Lady & St Patrick’s Knock.

The teams had drawn during the group stages and when Caoimhe Dorrian and Emer Kelly each bagged two goals in the final, it seemed that the Shield was going to East Belfast for the first time.

St Conor’s Clady, Assumption Ballynahinch and St Patrick’s Keady also competed in the group stages.

Both St Pius X and St Patrick’s Maghera will now go forward to take part in the All-Ireland series in the Meath Centre of Excellence in Dunganny on Wednesday 16^th October.

Panels and scorers in the Cup final :

St Patrick’s: A McWilliams, E Quinn(2-4), R McAtamney, E Conway capt., G McCartney (0-1), B Donaghy, GM Bradley, G Diamond, E Diamond, O McKenna, I Martin, R McNally

St Killian’s: L McNaughton, L McCollam, E Ward, E McNaughton, E McNeill (2-3), T Black, S Carey, M McKeegan, K McLaughlin, N McCollam, A Campbell, C Thompson (0-1)

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Antrim Camogie Intermediate Championship Semi Final

Dunloy v Loughgiel 29th September 2024

Dunloy 0-10 Loughgiel 2-07

Dobbin’s overhead smash proves a hit and sends Loughgiel through to the Intermediate final

Match report and photo album from Michael Corcoran at Páirc Mhic Uilín

When two teams are evenly matched, tipping the balance of power can come down to the basics. Dunloy and Loughgiel didn’t have daylight between them and today’s elements brought the game to the ground for the most part and it became a battle of the rucks, winner takes all. Challenging conditions seen catching and point scoring skills at a premium and as sliotars dropped dangerously short of the bar, both goalkeepers were overworked and were a credit to their squads.

From the whistle, Dunloy took the lead and in a low scoring first half, it would be twenty five minutes before Loughgiel pulled up alongside Dunloy at four points apiece. The Shamrocks would take the break with a goal from Orlagh Laverty at the last minute but a second half start from the Cuchullians seen them close the gap in six minutes and it would take Loughgiel another fourteen minutes to draw level at ten points apiece before Ceala Dobbin’s overhead smash on the twenty eighth minute crossed the line for the win.

Referee, Paul O’Neill, commenced the semi final game at the top of the hour on 3 o’clock, with Dunloy winning the toss to play towards the clubhouse and arguably into the south easterly breeze.

Both sides would send their first attempts to point wide of the posts within the first few minutes, but it would be Dunloy to point first as Mary McArthur turned over a Loughgiel puck out. Three minutes later, Dunloy had their first attempt at Loughgiel’s goal but goalkeeper Shauna McKillop deflected the sliotar, which was carried wide for the 45 leaving Dunloy’s Erin McMullan to secure second prize with her point.

McMullan would prove instrumental in Dunloy’s semi final challenge and offered up the sliotar from a short tap to a waiting Lisa McGuickian to take Dunloy three points up on the scoreboard.

With ten minutes gone, Loughgiel mounted an offensive that had Dunloy’s Kirsty McFerran taking flak from all angles, saving two of those on target to goal and eventually Loughgiel would pull their third attempt wide.

The Shamrock’s would return again to cause chaos at short range but McFerran had the better of the sliotar and it fell to Carlina Sullivan to rescue the point and have Loughgiel’s challenge underway on the scoreboard. Five minutes later points would flow from Caitie Connolly and on the twentieth minute, Caela Dobbin would get her first score of the match from a Laverty assist.

Both sides were level by now on three points apiece and within the next five minutes both teams’ left wing half forwards would point apiece before the game was stopped, with Loughgiel in possession, to allow Dunloy to attend to an injured player.

On commencement of play, Loughgiel’s indirect free was followed by three more frees from fouls with nothing to show for either side until Orlagh Laverty broke through towards McFerran’s goals and tapped the sliotar into the keeper’s upper right-hand side for Loughgiel’s first goal to take the game up to the short whistle at thirty two minutes on the clock.

The second half started well for Dunloy as they set about using the small advantage from the wind to drop in longer pucks into Loughgiel’s half. One of those puck outs found Mary McArthur, offloading to Clara Elliott with a shot on target but Shauna McKillop had the makings of it, but Dunloy would loop back around, this time with four points on the trot, two from Clara Elliott and one each from Dearbhail Elliott and Erin McMullan to bring both sides level again on eight points.

Dunloy now had inertia and dropped two more points over McKillop’s bar, coming from Clara Elliott and Mary McArthur, only for that inertia to be broken when Loughgiel’s Carlina Sullivan was fouled and Orlagh Laverty sent the resulting free effortlessly over the bar before recycling the puck out from Dunloy’s dugout on a solo run to striking distance and sent the sliotar over the bar for back to back points.

Dunloy still had a one point lead with twenty four minutes gone but Laverty was on shooting form into the cross wind and coasted a 45 over the bar to draw sides, but you sensed Loughgiel were now starting to get more of the sliotar behind Dunloy’s full back line as Ceala Dobbin persisted deep on the right of the pitch. It was just a matter of time before Dobbin moved away from her marker and avoiding a hook, smashed the sliotar overhead past McFerran. Although the sliotar came bouncing out, the umpire declared the sliotar was over the goal line and raised the green flag.

With just three minutes left, including two for injury, Dunloy were kept at bay around the centre of the pitch until O’Neill signaled the end of the game with the large ‘Myenergie’ scoreboard recording Dunloy 0-10 Loughgiel 2-07, putting Loughgiel through to the final encounter with Ahoghill in Portglenone in two weeks’ time.

Dunloy starting panel and scorers

Kirsty McFerran, Carragh Boyle, Clare McGuckian, Aimee Johnston, Annie Laverty, Eimear McMullan, Kyra Doherty, Lisa McConville, Micha Cunning, Mary McArthur 0-02, Dearbhail Elliott 0-01, Erin McMullan 0-03 (1f, 2×45), Clara Elliott 0-03, Kerry Rose Drain, Lisa McGuckian 0-01

Loughgiel starting panel and scorers

Shauna McKillop, Erin Connolly, Aoife O’Mullan, Zoe Cassley, Ciara Dobbin, Ciara Connolly, Sarah Flavin, Louise McKillop, Cara Connolly, Therese McKinley, Kirsty McKendry, Orlagh Laverty 1-04 (1f, 1×45), Ceala Dobbin 1-01, Caitie Connolly 0-01, Carlina Sullivan 0-01

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Photos from this evening’s game can be found by clicking on the album link here…

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