The Antrim team to play London in Sunday’s Tailteann Cup Third Round group fixture has been announced and is the same side who lost to Limerick last time out at Corrigan Park
Dobbin and Lynn return to Antrim team to play Offaly in Portglenone
The Antrim team who face Offaly today at 2pm in Portglenone in the opening round of the All Ireland Intermediate Camogie Championship
The Antrim team to face Ofally today shows two changes from the team that beat Derry in the Ulster final. Katie Lynn returns to full-back while Caitrin Dobbin, who missed the Ulster final because of injury, returns to the Saffrons starting line-up today. Those are the only changes in personell from the Ulster win, which sees Dearbhail Dobbin and Eimear Johnston drop down to the bench to make way for the Loughgiel duo’s return. Maeve Kelly, who started at corner forward against Derry, moves out to take Johnston’s no 10 shirt while Dobbin wears the no 15 shirt this time out.
Cushendall secure semi-final place in Darragh Cup
Darragh Cup quarter final at Pairc Mhuir Cushendall
Cushendall 4-26 Ballycastle 2-15
A very impressive second half performance by Cushendall saw them secure a place in the semi-final of the Darragh Cup with a convincing win over Ballycastle at Pairc Mhuire on Friday evening. The home team were on top throughout the game but when Ballycastle hit 1-03 in a three minutes spell just before half time, they appeared to be back in the game. However the Ruairis finished the half strongly with a point from star of the show Fiontan Bradley and two from Conleth McNaughton to push their side six clear at half time. (1-15 to 1-09)
After the change of ends Cushendall pushed on and an early goal from Fiontan Bradley, plus points from Thomas McLaughlin, Orin McCambridge and Cahir McCambridge put the game beyond Ballycastle, but the boys in black and amber kept battling away and points from Niall McClean Conor Boylan and a Conor Donnelly goal kept them in contention. Donnelly was leading the line for the ‘Town’ with some great scores, but Cushendall always had an answer and Bradley and Cahir McCambridge added two more goals going down the home stretch to set up a semi-final meeting with neighbours Glenariffe-Glenravel, back in Cushendall next Friday evening.
Loughgiel had a big win over Tir na nOg in the other quarter final to set up a semi-final meeting with arch rivals Dunloy
Ruairi Og
Shane Coulter, Paddy Morgan, Conor McCann, Charlie McAllister, Alex McCambridge, Aidan Campbell, Dairmuid McManus, Callagh Mooney, Oran McCambridge, Ryan McAuley, Thomas McLaughlin, Nicholas McLaughlin, Cahir McCambridge, Fiontan Bradley, Conlaodh McNaughton
Ballycastle
Ruairi Laverty, Tiernan Staunton, Dara Donnelly, Dara Kinney, Conor Boylan, Niall McClean, Oran Baudant, Conor Donnelly, Oisin Donnelly, Thomas McKee, Conor Mooney, Peter Laverty, Ruairi McShane, Conor Anderson, Finn McGaughey.
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Big win necessary if Antrim are to progress
Tailteann Cup
London v Antrim
Pairc Esler Newry – Sunday 1-45
The trip to Newry to face London on Sunday in the final group game in the Tailteann Cup is one that not too many in the Saffron County seem to be talking about at present with spirits a little low following heavy defeats to Westmeath and Limerick in the opening two games.
A sterling performance against All Ireland champions, Armagh back in April the 12th at Corrigan Park suggested Andy McEntee’s Saffrons were on track for another serious Tailteann Cup challenge.
Despite losing that one eventually by 11 points the home side posted 1-23 and displayed some of the fighting spirit that had been missing during a mediocre league campaign that eventually saw them relegated to division 4.
London should provide the opportunity to get a win under their belts, but it’s not a given and even then a win might not be enough to earn them a quarter-final play-off place.
It’s been a difficult season for Antrim and since they overcame a Leitrim team who were in disarray, back in February we have struggled to put 70 minute performances together.
A narrow defeat away to Laois left them looking over their shoulder and defeats to Sligo and Kildare saw them relegated to the bottom tier.
That sterling 45 minute performance against Armagh had raised hopes going into the Tailteann Cup but they faced a difficult opener away to a Westmeath side that many felt were unfortunate to be relegated from division 2.
And so it proved to be as a Luke Loughlin inspired Westmeath ran out convincing winners against the Glens men, Loughlin posting 1-17 which matched Antrim’s total for the day.
A win over Limerick, who had defeated London in round 1, would have put Antrim right back into a potential qualification spot but again the Saffrons failed to deliver with the visitors pulling away to win comfortably despite a late Paddy McBride goal.
A win over the Exiles in Newry would salvage something from a disappointing season but a win might not be enough to secure that quarter-final play-off spot.
To achieve that they must beat London as a draw will result in their exit due to an inferior scoring difference and even with that, it may require a handsome win as only three of the third-placed teams advance with New York entering at the knockout stages.
As it stands, Antrim’s scoring difference could be their undoing as they will probably need to better what Tipperary achieve against Leitrim by six points to ensure they are not the lowest-ranked of those third-placed teams.
The sides last met at Corrigan last year with Antrim running out 3-11 to 2-10 winners and the Exiles will fancy their chances of taking a major scalp against an opponent who may be low in confidence.
At the time of writing the Antrim team for Sunday had not been announced. Will Antrim take the opportunity of giving players who have been in the panel all year but have seen little football, an opportunity?
I expect that Andy McEntee will go with his strongest available lineout and if Antrim can play to their potential over the 70 plus minutes then they are capable of posting a score that would keep their season alive.
Ballycastle battle hard but Cushendall were always in control
Antrim Hurling League – Division 1
Ballycastle 0-22 Cushendall 1-21
Ballycastle’s bid to salvage something from Wednesday evening’s league game against County Champions Cushendall came up just short after an entertaining contest at Pairc MacUilin. The Ruairis held the upper hand for most of the game and were eight to the good early in the second half, but Ballycastle fought their way back into contention, thanks mainly to the accurate free taking of full forward Neal McAuley, but two was as close as they got in the end.
Cushendall dominated the opening part of the game and were 0-07 to 0-02 ahead after ten minutes, their points coming from Joe McLaughlin (3), Fred McCurry, Ryan McCambridge and Thomas McLaughlin, while McAuley got the home sides two points, both from frees. The middle section of the first half was more evenly contested with McAuley (2), Cathair Donnelly and Darragh Kelly cancelling out scores by Padraig McKillop, Scott Walsh and Joseph McLaughlin, but Cushendall stretched their lead again with three points in two minutes, two of them from Joseph McLaughlin and one from Fred McCurry to pull eight clear once again. However Ballycastle produced a strong finish to the half and four in a row from, two from McAuley frees and one each from Cathair Donnelly and Darragh Kelly to cut the gap to four, before Thomas McLauglin grabbed the last score of the half to give the Ruairis a 0-15 to 0-10 lead at the interval.
Points by Austin Birt and Ciaran Neeson just after the restart strengthened Cushendall’s grip on the game, and though debutant Niall McKenna pulled a point back a goal from a Joseph McLaughlin penalty and a point by Joseph McNaughton put the visitors nine clear and firmly in control. Two more from Neal McAuley frees kept the Town’s faint hopes alive but they finished the half with a scoring burst, five of the last six points to get within two at the end.
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