Antrim v Down Challenge match Saturday 25th January
Antrim 1-16 Dublin 2-21
Match report and photos from Antrim County Camogie PRO Michael Corcoran
Perched atop west Belfast, St. Mary’s pitch was an Éowyn survivor; dry underfoot and free from the debris scattered around the road leading up the hill. Dublin bravely travelled the road, keen for sliotar action and they got plenty. Antrim were missing several of the regulars but that gave managers McCormick and Coulter an opportunity to run out a squad from depth and plenty of opportunities came for game time across the bench.
Antrim fared well in the first half and after a goal from Orlaith McAllister, it looked like both squads would be level at 1-09 apiece going into the break, but a tricky daisy cutter from Dublin, that could’ve been the result of a mishit, left Antrim’s keeper, Becky Ellis, rooted to the ground as the sliotar shook the back of the net for their second goal.
The second half started with a period of play where Antrim held their own point for point, but fifteen minutes in, Dublin started to win their fair share of the puck outs and converted many of those into points. Orlaith McAllister would be back in the square, firing a short low shot to goal but an outstretched hurl deflected the sliotar wide for a 45. Antrim’s Nicole McAtamney, Katie Molloy and Annie Lynn continued to threaten, but Dublin had enough on the board to enjoy the full-time whistle, in the end leading by a margin of eight points.
Antrim’s management will be heartened by today’s game, where Erin Coulter, Maeve Kelly and Amy Boyle kept the inertia going around the midfield and fed clever sliotars in for scoring opportunities. Antrim’s Cassie McArthur was pivotal in being a physical presence and Janey McIntosh was a persistent concern for Dublin’s full back line, being omnipresent across a large portion of the field. For a winter Saturday friendly, you could argue, everyone walked off a winner.
Photos from today’s game can be found by following the link below…
All Ireland winner Ciaran Higgins, who has family connections with Glenravel, brought the Sam Maguire Cup to the Con Magees club on Sunday. It was a day that will live long in the memory of young and old as they queued to get their hands on the iconic trophy. 22 years since Sam last made an appearance in the parish but I’m not sure that it ever received such a warm welcome as it did on Sunday. The club was packed to capacity and the excitement on the children’s faces was a sight to behold. Family photos with Sam was the order of the day and memories that will be cherished for years to come. There were two signed Armagh jerseys up for grabs and these were won by young Callaí Mc Toal and by Paul Hughes. Thanks to Armagh for facilitating the event and to Ciaran Higgins for his time and patience throughout the day.
To see all the photos from this event click on the link below
Antrim got their National League campaign of to a blistering start when they travelled to Kilkenny on Sunday and over ran the ‘Cats’ in a one sided contest which will have gave the new management team of Mickey Devlin and Chris Scullion great satisfaction.
Lara Dahunsi got the Saffrons of to a great start with the game’s opening point after 30 seconds and the St. Paul’s girl added a second with three minutes on the clock.
Antrim continued to take the game to Kilkenny with the opening goal arriving after five minutes from the boot of Anna Mulholland and the impressive Dahunsi followed with a second to move the visitors 8 clear by the 9th minute.
Kilkenny had been under constant pressure from the throw in but Louisa Gilmore game them a glimmer of hope when she breeched the Antrim defence for a goal in the 10th minute but those hopes were quickly extinguished.
Lara Dahunsi, Nicole Jones and Maria O’Neill replied with three unanswered points before O’Neill struck with Antrim’s third goal at the end of the opening quarter and even at this stage it looked a long way back for the home side.
Lara Dahunsi continued to impress as she added two more points and goals from Aoife Turley and Nicole Jones put this one to bed by half time. Antrim finished as they had started with Maria O’ Neill, Lara Dahunsi and Aoife Kelly adding points to leave it 6-10 to 1-0 at the break.
The Saffron continued to dominate during the second half and Maria O’Neill hit two early points before bringing the Saffron goal tally to seven by the 12th minute after Louisa Gilmore had kicked two quick points for Kilkenny.
The girls in Green would add only one further point and while the Antrim goal scoring dried up at this stage they continued to kick some excellent points as they moved out of sight of their hosts.
Aldergrove’s Nicole Jones led the way as she notched up a further 0-5 and substitute Aine Lynch got her name on the scorecard to wrap up a thoroughly satisfactory win for the new look Saffrons which will have delighted the new management team.
Antrim are on the road again next Sunday when they travel to Sligo where they are likely to face a much stiffer test but will travel with confidence and a win there would set them up for a tilt at the league title.
Kilkenny: Katie Fitzpatrick, 2 Riona Crawley, 3 Ailbhe Galwey, 4Kerie Hennesy, 5 Rebecca Roche, 6 Sarah Smith, 7 Sarah Dunne, 8 Amy King, 9 Ruby Roche, 10 Louisa Gilmore, 11 Ellen Lawlor, 12 Jennifer O’Keeffe, 13 Kate Purcell, 14 Laura McDowell, 15 Aoibhe Ryan
Antrim: 1 Aine Devlin, 2Caoimhe Finucane, 3 MNiamh Blaney, 4 Niamh McIntosh, 5 Sarah O’Neill, 6 Ciara Brown, 7 Orla Ni Corra, 8 Aoife Turley, 9 Ana Mulholland, 10 Aoife Kelly, 11 Lara Dahunsi, 12 Maria O’Neill, 13 Bronagh Devlin, 14 Nicole Jones, 15 Luisne Adams. 17 Aine Lynch
TO VIEW ELAINE KELLY’S PICS FROM THE GAME CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW
Feastured Image: Mickey Devlin new Antrim senior ladies manager
As Antrim Ladies Footballers kick off their National League Division 4 campaign this weekend with an away trip to Kilkenny, the Saffron Gael speaks to their new joint manager, Mickey Devlin.
Saffron Gael: Mickey you have been appointed as new Antrim Ladies manager. Tell me a bit about your previous experience in management and how your appointment with Antrim came about?
Mickey Devlin: My-self and Chris Scullion were appointed joint managers back in October. I have been managing senior men and senior ladies teams for the past 25 years both in Antrim and Armagh. I have been lucky enough to have won club championships in both codes, the most recent one was with my own club Glena where along with Chris and Neil Markey we won the ladies intermediate championship and agonisingly lost the Ulster final in extra time. We are only 7 weeks into the job and of course we have our own vision and plan, but like everything in life you have to lay a foundation, enjoyment, togetherness and belief are part of the foundation, developing the players to a top standard and creating a pathway with our minors as well are key.
Saffron Gael: Who are your backroom staff for the coming season?
Mickey D: Backroom staff is Shane O’Neill our goalkeeping coach from aldergrove, Sean Duggan originally from Tipperary is our physic, current St John’s and Down hurler Oisin Mc Manus is sports psychologist, Michaela Monaghan from Glenavy is our statistician and she does an unbelievable job,
Neil Markey is one of our leading coaches and comes to us with great experience, Tierna Kennedy is our female liaison officer and Colette Ward is team administrator along with anything else that needs doing and she works tirelessly within this group. Chris and myself coach and manage the team.
Though to be honest we all chip in and do what needs done.
Chris Scullion joint senior managerCollete Ward
Saffron Gael: Tell me about this year’s panel. Who have left from last year and who are the new players coming in and what you think they will bring to the panel?
Mickey D: This is a new panel based solely on the girls that came to the trials. We have 36 in our panel which we picked from the 58 who attended the trials. As regarding last year we asked no questions on that as this is a different year and a completely new approach for a new Antrim.
Listen every panel has some great players. Experienced players like Theresa Mellon, Sarah and Maria O’Neill, Maeve Mulholland, Duane Coleman and Aoife Kelly will always bring quality to any group.
The likes of Nicole Jones and a few of our younger players like Carla McKenna Luisne Adams, Aine Kelly, Blaithin Ni Cahill and one of our minors Aiobheann Monaghan certainly bring added quality to the group.
Our captain Bronagh Devlin from Moneyglass is an exceptional talent and always leads from the front and works tirelessly at every aspect of her game but is also always encouraging everyone else and giving encouragement to all the other girls. She has unbelievable leadership qualities.
She is assisted by Ana Mulholland and Ciara Brown who are vice captains and both these girls like Bronagh play with their heart on their sleeve and this filters right through the group.
Saffron Gael: You travel to Kilkenny this weekend for the opening game in division 4. What do you know about Kilkenny and how do you see this one going?
Mickey D: what we know about Kilkenny we will keep to ourselves at this stage but obviously like them we will be looking to get off to a good start. The hungrier team on the day and the team that makes the least mistakes plus the team that takes their scoring chances will come out on top.
Antrim captain, Bronagh Devlin
Saffron Gael: Antrim were relegated from division 3 last year following a couple of very successful years. I assume the priority will be getting out of division 4 this season?
Mickey D: As I said earlier we are in our infancy and at the minute are working on creating a group that enjoy playing for the flagship team in Antrim ladies football. Again we are in the process of building a foundation so over the course of the national league we will see where things take us. It’s important that our full group get experience of playing in this league and enjoy every minute of being part of it.
Just to sum things up this group are all working hard to develop as individuals and as a group in order to take Antrim senior ladies to where we would all aspire to be. They give up so much of their time for their county and are all really looking forward to Sunday and wearing the Saffron jersey with pride.
We at the Saffron Gael wish Mickey Devlin and his Antrim team all the best as they begin their National League campaign away to Kilkenny this weekend and we hope to bring you a report and photographs from the game.
