A late goal by Clare broke Antrim hearts at Nowlan Park, Kilkenny on Saturday and gave the Banner county victory in the final of the All Ireland Under 16 Camogie championship
For long periods Antrim appeared to be on course for the win but a couple of late chances went astray and Clare goalkeeper Nisha O’Neill was in great form to deny the Saffrons victory. Clare took the lead in the fourth minute with a point from left half forward Jessie Hogan, but a point from a free by full forward Mary McArthur soon had Antrim level again.
Antrim missed a couple of chances to take the lead but on 17 minutes their fortunes changed when Eva McNeill found the target to bring them level on 17 minutes and though Clare went ahead again a good finish to the half saw the Saffrons draw level at 0-4 apiece by half time.
Clare edged ahead again early in the second half, but Antrim drew level again when Mary McArthur pointed again on 35 minutes. Eobha McAlister put the Saffrons back in front again and they then had really bad look when a shot for a goal came back off the bar, but Clare got the ball scrambled away and Hogan brought the Munster girls back on level terms.
Clare then took the lead but Antrim came back through Eva McNeill and Aobha McAlister to set up a grandstand finish. However luck ran out for Saffrons as Clare grabbed the next three points to by 1-9 to 0-9. Antrim pushed hard and were given a chance to level when they were awarded a late free, but the shot dropped short and Clare held on for the win.
Desperately disappointing for the Antrim team, having come so very close, but they can be proud of what they have achieved this season and can hold their heads high.
County champions and Division 1 League holders Loughgiel travelled to Cushendall and beat an understrength Ruairi Og side convincingly on Tuesday evening to move back to the top of the league table.
With eight players missing because of injury and holidays the home side knew there were going to struggle and their fears were soon realised as the Shamrocks hit them with a barrage of scores early in the game. Annie Lynn, Caitrin Dobbin (2) and Roisin McCormick all hit the net as Loughgiel raced to a 4-10 to 0-2 lead at the interval
A couple of early points from full forward Orlaith McAlister lifted spirtis a little but it was to be a brief respite as the Shamrocks continued to press home their undoubted advantage with Roisin McCormick and Caitrin Dobbin both adding goals to the team tally. Laura McMullan and Orlaith McAlister came back with points for the home side midway through the half but the visitors ended with six unanswered points to run out winners by 6-17 to 0-6
BRÍDÍNÍ ÓGA Glenravel moved ahead of Geraldine’s Portglenone in the Division 1 league table after this second round game in Glenravel on Tuesday evening.
The home side got off to the perfect start when the Ward cousins combined for Ashling to pull first time to the net in the 4th minute. Two minutes later a free from Caoimhe Duffin was knocked down into Ashling Millar’s path again and she lashed it to the roof of the net for her second goal and a 2-1 to 0-0 lead.
At the other end there was a scramble around the goal area and Katie Carey pounced for her side’s first score – a goal. That however was to be their only score right up until a minute before half-time when Shannon Darragh fired over a point.
In between the Glenravel girls pushed on with points from Torie Edgar, Molly Woulahan, Erin Coulter and two frees from Eimhear McAleenan to leave a gap of 2-6 to 1-1 at the change of ends.
Despite points from Áine Mulholland and Shannon Darragh on the re-start, the sliotar broke once again for Ashling Millar and she completed her hat-trick by racing clear and giving Patricia McCarry no chance from ten metres.
Millar, half-time sub Clodagh McPeake and Erin Coulter then swopped points with Aoife McKenna, Shannon Darragh and Orla Convery before another Glenravel sub Niamh McKay took a pass on the wing and scored her side’s fourth goal with a shot that went in off the post just under the cross-bar.
Molly Woulahan added a fifth goal before the end and Brídíní Óga were well worth their win, just their third in nine outings and second within a week.
It was a solid team performance from the home side with subs coming in and making their mark as well. Portglenone were best served by Alishia Convery and Cristin O’Kane in defence and Áine Mulholland and Shannon Darragh further out.
The last round of games takes place in a fortnight with Brídíní Óga away to Rossa and Portglenone at home to Tír na nÓg
Brídíní Óga: O Donnelly, A Mulholland, J Woulahan, A Donnelly, E Coulter (0-2), C Duffin, M Mulholland, K Laverty, S Fyfe, S McDonnell, M Woulahan (1-1), V Edgar (0-4, 2 frees), A Millar (3-1), O Ward, E McAleenan (0-2 frees).
Subs: M Law (0-1), C McPeake (0-2 frees), N McKay (1-0), C McCormick, C Law, Ú McAleenan, E Butler, D Scally, C McBride, C Stephens, K McDonnell.
Geraldine’s: P McCarry, E Vallely, A Convery, C McFaul, M Mooney, C O’Kane, D Dobbin, Á Mulholland (0-1), M McLarnon, A McKenna (0-1), S Darragh (0-3, 2 frees), G Convery, R Kelly, J Fleming, K Carey (1-1, 0-1 free).
Subs: O Convery (0-1), Ú Doherty, C Agnew, A Vallely, E Tsang, C Convery.
Antrim are through to the All-Ireland under 16A shield final after beating Offaly in Abbottstown on Saturday.
Antrim had gone through the group stages unbeaten to top the group, leaving them a more favourable draw for the semi-finals.
They led by 1-5 to 0-5 at the break on a difficult playing surface after the heavy rain that preceded it. Cushendall midfielder Eva McNeill was the goal-scorer and the whole team was quite dominant although they found Offaly goalie Caoimhe Spain in outstanding form.
Kady McNeill and Dunloy’s Eabha McAllister both registered three points each as Antrim pulled away to lead by 1-11 to 0-5 during the third quarter.
There was a rally from Offaly near the end, but it didn’t come close to knocking the Saffrons’ off-course for the final.
That final is set for UPMC Nowlan Park on July 29th. They will meet Clare who had a big win over Dublin in the other semi-final.
When Antrim and Clare met in the group stages in Abbottstown back in May, it was a ding-dong battle that ended with the Saffrons coming out on top by 4-8 to 2-13.
Antrim: Mya McKinley, Kerry Rose Draine, Maeve McAlister, Sarah Louise Kearns capt, Maeve Devlin, Laura Black, Kady McNeill (0-3), Casey Crawford, Eva McNeill (1-1), Rhianna Black (0-1), Eobha McAlister (0-3), Aimee Ferris (0-1), Katie McCloskey (0-1), Mary McArthur (0-2), Micha Cunning.
Subs: Marie Laverty for K McCloskey (45), Sarah Flavin for M Devlin (58).
Offaly: C Spain, S Gleeson, K Mannion, S O’Rourke, C Kennedy, Á Rigney, S King, K Pilkington (0-4), K Lawlor, F Gleeson, K Walshe, M Guinan, N Daly (0-1), N Sheehy (0-2), A Quinn.
Tipperary are back in the semi-finals of the Glen Dimplex All-Ireland senior championship after this very comfortable quarter-final victory in Croke Park on Saturday against injury-hit Antrim.
Up until last year the Premier had made four successive semi-final appearances.
There was little chance of that experience not counting against the Saffrons who had done well to reach a quarter-final for the first time in 41 years despite the experienced Lucia McNaughton, Shannon Graham and the long-term injured Maeve Kelly not participating in any of the group games.
Acting captain Caoimhe Conlon picked up a grade two tear on her shoulder AC joint in last week’s game against Waterford and joined those on the treatment table. The good news pre-match was the return of McNaughton for her first start since the league tie with Wexford on April 2nd.
The Saffrons set up defensively with Mary McKillen dropping back into the half-back line. It took Tipperary a little time to work out how to break them down and after 15 minutes the teams were locked on 0-3 each, three frees from Antrim (Róisín McCormick two and a huge effort from Niamh Cosgrove) and three from play for the Munster champions, including a fine effort from Cáit Devane who would go on to win the player of the match award with a total of 2-6.
Antrim clung on for a while in the second quarter, but three frees from Eimear McGrath and two points from Devane opened a gap of 0-10 to 0-5 by half-time.
The sliotar broke for Caoimhe Maher from the throw-in and she burst down the centre, the move ending with Cáit Devane slotting the goal after just 12 seconds.
Tipperary quickly set about killing off the game and a series of points followed to bring their total to 1-17 by the three quarters mark.
Then half-time sub Eimear Heffernan stepped on the gas. The Knocknavilla Donnaskeigh Kickhams forward was on hand to find the net after Caoimhe McCarthy’s shot was brilliantly saved by Catriona Graham in teh 46th minute.
She then tagged on four points during the last quarter while another driving run from McCarthy saw the sliotar off-loaded for Devane to volley to the net with a lob that would have had the crowds gasping at Wimbledon.
Antrim looked dejected as they left the pitch while all is rosy in the Tipp garden ahead of their eighth semi-final in nine seasons. But can they take the next step and reach a first final in 17 years?
Tipperary: C Devine (2-6, 0-4 frees), E Heffernan (1-4), E McGrath (0-5 frees), C McIntyre (0-2), C Hennessy (0-1), C McCarthy (0-1), R Howard (0-1), Caoimhe Maher (0-1), G O’Brien (0-1)
Antrim: R McCormick (0-4, 3 frees), N Cosgrove (0-1 free), C Dobbin (0-1 free)
Antrim: C Graham, C Patterson, K Laverty, M Lynn, N Cosgrove, A Boyle, L McKenna, L McNaughton, A Connolly, S McKillop, R McCormick, C Dobbin, K McKillop, M McKillen, Á Magill
Subs: F Kelly for S McKillop (40), C McArthur for M McKillen (40), M McGarry for L McKenna (50), E McShane for K McKillop (50) E Kearns for C Patterson (56)
Tipperary: Á Slattery, J Bourke, M Eviston, E Loughman. K Blair, K Kennedy, A McGrath, T Ryan, C Hennessy, R Howard, Caoimhe Maher, E McGrath, G O’Brien, C Devane, C McIntyre.
Subs: C McCarthy for C Hennessy (27), E Heffernan for G O’Brien (HT), M Ryan for A McGrath (39), Ciardha Maher for T Ryan (44), C Ryan for C McIntyre (50)
