Antrim Camogie League – Division 1

Dunloy 1-12 Ballycastle 1-11  

By Paul McLean

League games can be sometimes labelled as dull affairs, especially when the clubs are minus their county contingency with the split season, but this game played at Pearse Park was played like an August championship contest.  

With the Intermediate and Senior panel members out of both sides it was a chance for other players to step to the front and both managements will be happy with the showing from their respective panels.  

The first half was very tight with Ballycastle playing against the wind and electing to adopt a sweeper to curb the Dunloy forwards, but it was Dunloy who stepped in front with a brace of points from a Caoimhe Molloy free and one from play from sister Katie.  

Áine Donnelly opened the Ballycastle girls account wide on the right-hand side following good defensive work by the returning Niamh Donnelly.  

Caoimhe Molloy pointed for the home side but with so little between the sides it was of no surprise that they reduced the gap again. A fine solo run and strike on the wing by Nuala Delvin was then followed up by a Fionnula Kelly point to make it a two-point game.  

The sides continued to exchange scores with points from Caoimhe Molloy, Lisa McConville and Eimear Johnstone for the home side and Áine Donnelly, Kelly and Devlin but it was both teams backs who really stood out.  

Full backs Kathryn Donnelly and Elis Kearns were both in excellent form standing strong along with the rest of the backlines.  

With no more scoring to the break the half time score read 0-09 to 0-07 with nothing between the sides.  

Caoimhe Molloy got the opening two scores of the second half as Dunloy started the stronger team. The wind that was much stronger in the first half seemed to die down which allowed the home side to do without any sweepers.  

Dunloy pushed even farther ahead when a long free from Caoimhe Molloy dropped into the box where full forward Orlagh O’Neill pulled on it and got enough contact on it to divert it past the keeper into the net.  

Another point by Caoimhe Molloy should have been the score that put the visitors away, but it wasn’t to be as they rallied themselves in the final 15mins of the game to get back into it.  

Catherine McShane pointed a free to get the Ballycastle girls first score of the half but it was a cross field ball to half forward Nuala Devlin who took on two defenders to bear down on goal that got them going. The speedy winger took on her player and the space opened up in front of her to finish to the roof of the net, despite the best efforts of Mary Martin in nets.  

The same player repeated the dose not long after although this time she settled for a point. With the pressure telling Dunloy gave away two frees which were well taken by Aine Donnelly to reduce the difference to the minimum.  

The last few minutes of the game were nip and tuck with both teams going at it and in particular the Dunloy defence who to their credit stood strong. Niamh Ann Donnelly worked two good shooting opportunities but the forwards struggled to find time and space to get their shots away. A fine brace of blocks by Sorcha Conlon and Katie Molloy really made the difference as they denied certain scores.  

A really good game from both sides which seem Dunloy winning by a point at the final whistle.  

Despite both sides being missing a number of key players both managements will have been happy with what they have seen from their panels as both teams served up an excellent game.  

Kathryn Donnelly at full back was very good along with the returning Niamh Donnelly at centre half who also had a very good game. Up front Fionnula Kelly and Nuala Devlin were the best of the forwards.  

For the home side Eilis Kearns and Sorcha Conlon were very good and well served beside them by Sarah McIlhatton and Kyra Doherty. Caoimhe Molloy and sister Katie were very strong along with the hard-working Eimear Johnstone.  

Antrim Camogie League – Division 1

Portglenone 0-5 Loughgiel 5-22

Loughgiel had too much fire-power for the Geraldines in Tuesday evening’s league game in Portglenone, winning by 5-22 to 0-5, despite the best efforts of the hard working home team.

The Shamrock opened with seven points without reply through Annie Lynn (3), Shanna Deery, Ciara Boyle, Christine Laverty and Emma McAllister before Deery got her team’s first goal on 18 minutes. Emma McAllister added another point before Shannon Darragh got her team’s opening score. However Loughgiel pushed on again and by half time were 1-12 to 0-1 ahead.

Loughgiel’s second goal came from Emma McAllister just three minutes into the second half, but Portglenone kept battling and Aoibhinn McCloskey and Shannon Darrgah pulled back points in the ninth and tenth minutes. Chloe Higgins, Emma McAllister and Anna McKillop came back with points before McCloskey struck again on sixteen minutes and she got her fourth point of the game on twenty-two minutes. However Loughgiel were still piling on the scores at the other end and they added three more goals in the late stages to end up emphatic winners.

Antrim Camogie League Division 1

Brídíní Óga Glenravel 1-4 O’Donovan Rossa 1-13

ROSSA picked up their first win of the season in Fr Maginn Park Glenravel on Tuesday evening, comfortably beating the home side by nine points.

The experienced trio of Máirín Quinn, Orla McCaul and particularly Natalie McGuinness were the main architects of the Rossa victory against a young Glenravel side who fought well over the hour.

Rossa served a warning of their intent with Caitlin Armstrong pointing in the first 20 seconds. They were wide with a few more efforts before Natalie McGuinness raced through for her first point.

In their very first attack in the 9^th minute, the home side scored an excellent team goal, Eimhear McAleenan and Shauna McDonnell combining for Ashling Millar to fire across Michelle Prett.

However Rossa quickly responded with points from Máirín Quinn and Natalie McGuinness (two) to take the lead once again. Although Brídíní Óga hit back with a point from a free, Sophie Erskine fired home a goal for Rossa and they went on to lead by 1-6 to 1-3 at the break despite points in reply from Clodagh McPeake and Shauna McDonnell.

As they had done in the first half, Rossa opened with a quick point this time from Natalie McGuinness who went on to double her first half tally of four points.

Although Eimhear McAleenan pointed in reply, that was to be the home side’s only score of the half with most of the action centred around their half of the pitch.

Brídíní Oga’s next scheduled game in this Division is on July 4^th against Ruairí Óg, while Rossa have a re-fixed game with Portglenone in three weeks.

Rossa: M Prett, C McKernan, N Semple, L McMullan, C Wylie, M Quinn (0-1), C McNeice, E Matthews, Lois Lynch, C Armstron (0-1), N McGuinness (0-8), O McCaul (0-2 frees), S Erskine (1-0), E Byrne, L Kane (0-1).

Sub: S Armstrong for E Byrne.

Brídíní Óga: O Donnelly, Ú McAleenan, J Woulahan, A Donnelly, E Butler, C Duffin, C Law, E McAleese, K Laverty, E McAleenan (0-2 frees), M Law, S McDonnell (0-1), A Millar (1-0), O Ward, C McPeake (0-1).

Subs used: N Donnelly, V Edgar, C McBride & A McPeake

Referee: Paul O’Neill (Creggan)