Ulster Senior Camogie Championship final

Down 0-15 Antrim 0-9

Photographs: Sean Paul McKillop

Ten points from team captain Niamh Mallon helped Down overcome the challenge of Antrim in this Ulster Championship final at a sunny Rossa Park on Saturday. Mallon was in splendid form as she struck points from placed balls and frees while the Saffrons struggled to find the target.

The Antrim attack had an off day as they hit nine wides over the hour as they struggled to break down a resolute Down defence for whom full-back Dearbhla Magee turned everything that came her way.

Both sides passed up early opportunities before Down’s Niamh Mallon broke the deadlock from a free on eight minutes.

Mallon doubled the Down lead from another free as Antrim struggled to make any impression in attack. They insisted in pumping aimless balls into the forwards who were outnumbered with Down full-back Dearbhla Magee dominating.

Amy Boyle finally got Antrim off the mark when she gathered a breaking ball and sent her shot between the posts, but the Mourne side replied immediately through a Mallon free to restore their advantage.

Caitrin Dobbin closed the gap once more but Mallon replied again, this time from play as she fired over from out near the sideline for an excellent score.

Roisin McCormick responded with a long range point for the home side but again Down found a reply and Sarah-Louise Graffin placed Lauren Clarke for a score before adding one herself.

Antrim responded once more with a point from Caitrin Dobbin but Down finished the half on top as Mallon cut inside and landed her fifth of the half before Graffin converted another from distance to help Down into a fully deserved 0-8 to 0-4 lead at the break.

The visitors extended their lead within 25 seconds of the restart when Mallon went on a run and fed Graffin to score, but Antrim hit a purple patch and threated to get themselves back into contention with Siobhan McKillop leading the way, rattling off three points in as many minutes to close the gap to two.

Indeed they might well have hit the front when Roisin McCormick broke clear following a turn over and found the unmarked Caitrin Dobbin but Down goalkeeper Catherine McGourty came off her line to deny her at the expense of a ‘45’ which Antrim wasted.

Shannon Graham found her range shortly after to make it a one-point game, but this was as close as Antrim got as their momentum was broken by a Niamh Mallon point from a free on 41 minutes and at this stage the momentum swung back in favour of the Down girls.

Indeed, the hosts had goalkeeper Caitriona Graham to thank for a great save from Dearbhla Coleman, but a pair of Mallon frees and another from play saw the gap pushed out to five.

Down were now calling the shots and Graham made another excellent save to deny Saoirse Sands whose frustration boiled over and she received Red for driving the ball at an Antrim player.

 Mallon converted the resulting ‘45’ to put six between the sides but Antrim were unable to take advantage of the extra player as they hit a series of poor wides from decent opportunities.

Caitrin Dobbin sent her shot from a free the wrong side of the crossbar when a goal was needed late on, but a point from Down’s Anna Mulholland in stoppage time sealed their win.

Down received a second Red card with Gerra McGrattan was dismissed with time almost up but it came too late to have any effect on the result and it is Paul Donnelly’s side who are deserving Ulster champions.

ANTRIM: C Graham; L McKenna, K Laverty, M Lynn; M McGarry, C Conlon, C Patterson; A Boyle (0-1), M McKillen; S McKillop (0-3), S Graham (0-1), K McKillop; C McArthur, R McCormick (0-1), C Dobbin (0-3, 2f)
Subs: A Connolly for L McKenna (42), A Magill for C McArthur (42), N Cosgrove for M McGarry (50), F Kelly for K McKillop (52)

DOWN: C McGourty; A Savage, D Magee, R Smyth; B Savage, B Fitzpatrick, A Mallon; I O’Hare, C McGilligan; L Clarke (0-1), D Savage, S Sands; D Coleman, SL Graffin (0-3), N Mallon (0-10, 6f, 1 45)
Subs: O Boyle for A Mallon (48), A Mulholland (0-1) for C McGilligan (57), G McGrattan for R Smyth (57)

REFEREE: Sean Curran (Derry)

Electric Ireland All-Ireland Minor A Shield Camogie Championship Final

Antrim 2-15 Limerick 1-13

By Daragh Ó Conchúir  

A 50^th minute goal by player of the match Orlaith McAlister and some outstanding saves by sterling goalkeeper Eimear McGivern were among the key factors as Antrim edged Limerick by 2-15 to 1-13 in a thrilling Electric Ireland All-Ireland minor A Shield final at UPMC Nowlan Park. 

Antrim appeared to be cruising when they led by 1-09 to 0-6 in the lead up to half time but Limerick hit back with a goal and a point just before half time to trail by just two at the interval. The Treaty girls pushed on after the break and four points in succession had them two clear, Brennan (three) and Róisín O’Brien (45) hitting the target to turn the game on its head. 

However a superb point from Cushendall’s Orlaith McAlister, was followed by a goal from the same player as John McArthur’s charges wrestled back control.

Mary McArthur got the scoring under way for Antrim and Poppy Giltenane levelled but Kadi McNeill hit a purple patch with three points and then McArthur goaled in the 22^nd minute, pouncing on some indecision with a clever finish off the ground. 

They were sitting pretty at that juncture, particularly having played into the wind but in the 32^nd minute, Laura Southern capitalised on the Antrim defenders not reacting when McGivern saved Giltenane’s penalty. The Monaleen markswoman had time to lift and strike before drilling to the net. Niamh Brennan converted a 45 and the game was really on. 

It was more of the same in terms of attacking intent after the restart and Leah Quinlan and McGivern were forced into saves at either end of the pitch early on. But Limerick were clearly buoyed by events just before the change of ends and four points in succession had them two clear.

The Antrim response was telling though as they scored a goal and four without reply. Anna McKillop’s point moved the Saffrons ahead at the beginning of the final quarter and within seconds of doubling the advantage with a superb solo score, McAllister drilled a low shot to the corner of Limerick net to put daylight between the sides

Limerick battled to the last and had the gap down to just three points, but Antrim held on and finished with a flurry with points from McKillop and O’Boyle and the final whistle heralded scenes of great celebration.

Antrim : O McAlister (1-3), M McArthur (1-1), K McNeill (0-3), A McKillop (0-6, 4 frees), E McAllister (0-1), C O’Boyle (0-1)

Limerick: L Southern (1-1), N Brennan (0-7, 6 frees), P Giltenane (0-2), R O’Brien (0-2, 1 free), C Dunne (0-1)

Antrim: E McGivern, A Donnelly capt., A McNeill, C Crawford, S Heggarty, D Dobbin, E Coulter, J McIntosh, C O’Boyle, E McAllister, O McAlister, C Connolly, A McKillop, M McArthur, K McNeill.

Subs: A Ferris for C Connolly (42), S Deery for A McKillop (59)

Limerick: L Quinlan, A Mullins, O Ryan, C Buckley, A Russell, L O’Brien, E Meehan, K Foley, C Dunne, P Giltenane, R O’Brien, N Brennan, D Kenny, C Power, L Southern.

Subs: Kate Feasy for R O’Brien (50), C Meenan for P Giltenane (52), A O’Halloran for D Kenny (52)

Referee: G Donegan (Dublin)

Electric Ireland All-Ireland minor shield final

Sunday 2.30pm in UPMC Nolan Park: Antrim v Limerick

 Antrim Minor Camogs have benefitted from the change in structure to this year’s championship and playing teams of similar stature to themselves had done them the world of good as they go into Sunday’s All Ireland final against Limerick at Nowlan Park.  

Their last game against Meath in Armoy, was a bit one sided at times and the Saffron’s dominant start which blew the opposition out of the water in the first half. However Meath had a spell of dominance in the second period and for a spell had Antrim worried as they closed the gap dramatically and it will act as a lesson for Saffrons that nothing can be taken for granted.

Antrim manager John McArthur puts his team through their paces as they prepare for Sunday’s All Ireland final against Limerick

In fact each of their group games have been competitive in this campaign, and the progress they have made as the championship progressed had been clear to see.

They struggled to beat Derry in the Ulster final and when they lost the opening round to Clare by five points, things did look too bright.  However they quickly got back on track with a 1-10 to 0-4 away victory to Offaly in Banagher, and they followed that up with wins against Wexford, Limerick and Meath to secure a semi-final place.

Two weeks ago they booked their place in the final when they beat Wexford when a dominant second half saw them win well with goals from Mary McArthur (two), Eobha McAllister and Orlaith McAlister.

The selection of Nowlan Park as a venue did not go down too well with a lot of Antrim fans, but team manager John McArthur doesn’t want to allow the negatives to impact on the preparations.

“The game is on a good pitch and we will go there to win,” he said earlier this week after a training session in Dunloy.

“We beat Limerick in the group stages and I felt then that they were the best team we had met. I wasn’t surprised that they beat Clare. I felt that they would. We produced a good performance to beat them, but I think we will have to be even better in the final.”

The team line out on Sunday should be along the same lines as the tone that beat Meath a few weeks ago. The team is packed with talent, especially in the forward line and McArthur feels they have the power to overcome Limerick for a second time. However nothing can be taken for granted and it would be wrong to assume that because they have already beaten them already this season, that it should happen again.

With just six teams graded for the minor A Cup final, victory for Antrim in this Shield final would place the county at its highest standing in under age Camogie for quite some time. They will travel with confidence but it will not be easy.

Earlier this week the Saffron Gael dropped in on one of the Saffron’s training session in Dunloy to grab a few pics of the teams’ final preparations.

Glenann Primary School retained their North Antrim Cumann na mBunscol Camogie title when they beat St Brigid’s & St Patricks Ballycastle in Friday’s final at Fr Healy Park, Loughgiel.

Two teams shared the Plate with St Joseph’s 2nds Dunloy sharing top spot with St Patrick’s 2nds Loughgiel. St Patrick’s A took the Shield competition after a great day’s Camogie.  

Henry Duffin of Cumann na mBunscol presents the winners trophy to Glenann captain

Action from Friday’s final between Glenann and St Patrick’s and St Brigid’s Ballycastle

St Patrick’s Loughgiel