Roisin McCormick receiving Player of the Match award
Antrim 2:17 Derry 1:11
AN injury time goal from Antrim’s Orlaith McAllister effectively shut Derry out of the game and handed the win to Antrim.
Level pegging at half time, Antrim pulled away in the second half but Derry were always in contention until that final act.
A minute’s silence as a mark of respect for the recent passing of Kitty O’Neill, mother of Ulster Camogie’s administrator, preceded the game and Antrim were first onto the scoreboard with a point from Lucia McNaughton after Roisin McCormick delivered a tidy short range hand pass from winning the sliotar in a ruck from a McAtamney free.
Derry weren’t fazed by the early score and when Orlaith Hull dropped over a free due to an Antrim over carry, Derry announced they were now in the game.
Antrim’s Lucia McNaughton wasinfluential in setting up Eimear Johnston for her point in under three minutes and when McCormick pointed from an in off the upright, Antrim were three up with no reply from Derry.
As eight minutes elapsed, Antrim dealt an early blow to Derry hopes when Nicole McAtamney dropped an awkward ball into the path of Derry goalkeeper, Niamh Gribben. Gribben, feeling under pressure from an advancing Maeve Kelly, misjudged the bounce and the sliotar rolled over the line to raise Antrim’s first green flag of the day.
Derry sensed the need to draw Antrim back and points from Orlaith Hull (2) and Aimee Lennon neutralised the early goal. For the last 15 minutes of the first half, both sides went toe to toe, trading scores until the short whistle froze the scores at Antrim 1-06 Derry 0-09.
Antrim returned to the attack on the restart, amassing five points compared to Derry’s point from a free taken by Orlaith Hull.
Derry hopes were then raised as a sideline ball caught Antrim off guard and Sinead McGill, at close quarters to the square, picked up the loose sliotar and tucked it neatly past Caitriona Graham. Antrim’s McCormick and McArthur replied with three points, two of those from McArthur, before Derry clawed a point back.
Derry’s reply would prove to be too little and too late as Antrim’s Janey McIntosh and Player of the Match Roisin McCormick, clipped a point and 45 respectively over Derry’s bar. And things were about to get even better for Antrim as an alert Orlaith McAllister stepped aside to allow Janey McIntosh a shot to goal, the rebound coming under McAllister’s powerful pull and as she returned a minute later for her point, ref McDonald blew for the end of play and Antrim had secured back to back Ulster Senior Championships.
Antrim panel and scorers: Caitriona Graham, Dearbhail Dobbin, Clare McKillop, Caoimhe McNaughton, Erin Coulter 0-01, Sarah O’Neill, Shannagh Heggarty, Amy Byle, Nicole McAtamney 1-00, Lucia McNaughton 0-02, Roisin McCormick 0-07 (2×45, 3f), Eimear Johnston 0-01, Cassie McArthur 0-03, Katie Molloy, Maeve Kelly 0-01, Becky Ellis, Katie Lynn, Katie Rose Bell, Sarah Fyffe, Niamh Neeson, Janey McIntosh 0-01, Eavanne Martin, Aisling O’Donnell, Annie Lynn, Orlaith McAllister 1-01, Fionnuala Kelly, Caitrin Dobbin, Dervla Cosgrove, Colleen Patterson
Derry Panel and scorers: Niamh Gribben, Eimear Doherty, Roisin Cassidy, Leah Lennon, Anna McDaid 0-01, Niamh Quinn, Rebecca Bradley, Aine McGill, Aoife Ni Chaside, Sinead McGill 1-01, Rachel McAllister, Eabha McElhinney, Jackie Donnelly 0-01, Aimee Lennon 0-01, Orlaith Hull 0-07 (6f), Caoimhe McCloskey, Conka Kerr, Cliodhna Ni Mhianain, Rachel Keenan, Caoimhe Higgins, Mary Doran, Laura Coyle, Meabh Boylan, Natalie McKenna, Cliodhna McElhinney, Shannon Scullion, Lauren McKenna
Ulster Chairperson, Karen McCormick, presents the Ulster Camogie Senior Championship trophy to Antrim captain Amy Boyle
Derry line-up
Report and photos from Antrim PRO Michael Corcoran
