Team Kit Antrim Senior Camogie Championship Final
Loughgiel 3-11 Dunloy 2-9
A strong second half and a player of the match performance from Caitrin Dobbin laid the foundations for Loughgeil Shamrocks as they sealed an 11th county title in a row.
They had to show plenty of determination and character alongside their undoubted skills to see off the challenge of Dunloy, however. The Cuchullains threw everything they could at Loughgiel and held a six point lead after just 10 minutes but it was a dominant second half from the Shamrocks as they turned the screw and when Dobbin fired in their third goal, it all but sealed their victory.
The twin attacking threat of Roisin McCormick and Caitrin Dobbin that did the majority of the damage for the Shamrocks but the driving force of Lucie McNaughton and work rate of Christine McCloskey were vital in the middle third. McCormick finished with a final tally of 1-7 as she caused plenty of problems in an overworked Dunloy defence.
Dunloy’s early attacking threat and goals came from the brilliance of Katie Molloy and the determination of Eobha McAllister while Cassie McArthur was never far away but once the Shamrocks came to terms with the Dunloy attack, they were able to capitalise at the other end of the pitch. Katie Lynn, Emma McFadden and Finvola McVeigh were excellent while Megan McGarry proved to be a more than capable replacement for McVeigh when she had to leave the field injured.
Dunloy’s defence didn’t give anything easy to the Shamrocks as Loughgiel really had to work for their scores. The three goals came from sheer determination more than brilliant passages of play with Sarah McIlhatton, Kathryn Boyle and Brid Magill giving their all for the Cuchullains shirt but with McCormick and in particular Dobbin in sensational form, Loughgiel were not to be denied.
Electing to play into any wind that was blowing in Páirc Mhuire, Dunloy got off to the dream start with Cassie McArthur finding the back of the net in the third minute. It was Katie Molloy who broke the line and as the Loughgiel defence swarmed to nullify her threat, she unselfishly found McArthur and she made no mistake.
Nicole McAtamney split the uprights for her first of three first half points and five overall before Annie Lynn opened the Shamrocks account in the eighth minute.
With the clock ticking into 10th minute Dunloy found the back of the Loughgiel net again. Eobha McAllister contested a restart on the 21 yard line and managed to break the sliotar into her own path. She went through on goal with a dash of pure determination and while Eimear Boyle stopped her initial shot, McAllister was first to the rebound and made no mistake.
It was the best possible start for the Cuchullains but McAllister’s goal would be their last score for 15 minutes as Loughgiel began to find their game. Three pointed frees from McCormick in a five minute spell lifted the Shamrocks confidence while the Cuchullains went close to a third goal in the same period of time. Katie Molloy once again showing great strength to hold off challenges before finding McAllister. The angle wasn’t kind for the young Dunloy flier and her effort fizzed across the goals and wide.
Caitrin Dobbin split the uprights in the 25th minute to leave two between the sides while Annie Lynn went close for the Shamrock’s first goal moments later. She evaded the Cuchullains challenges and showed plenty of grit and determination to find the half yard she needed but her drilled effort was well saved by Aileen McManus in goals for the Cuchullains.
Roisin McCormick pointed the resulting ’45 and another free either side of a Nicole McAtamney free for the Cuchullains.
A free from McAtamney in the 28th minute edged Dunloy two clear once again before Loughgiel found the back of the Dunloy net. McNaughton with the finish despite the best efforts of the Dunloy defence. It gave Loughgiel the lead for the first time in the game but the Dunloy response was excellent. Points from McArthur and Katie Molloy in injury time gave them a half time lead of 2-5 to 1-7.
The goal came at the perfect time for Loughgiel. Given the Cuchullains efforts in that opening 30 minutes and despite not scoring for 15, they posed a serious threat to the Shamrocks defence and probably deserved to be leading by more at half time. The short whistle came at a good time for Loughgiel with Dunloy in the ascendancy and the Shamrocks upped their tempo after the restart.
Points from Christine McCloskey and McCormick (free) were answered to by an excellent free from Nicole McAtamney. Wide on the right and maybe 25 yards from the end line, McAtamney split the uprights to restore parity to the score line. It would be the Cuchullains last score for almost 20 minutes however with the second Loughgiel goal pivotal.
It was McCormick who applied the finish but it was owed much to the work of Lucia McNaughton as she broke from a ruck and found McCormick running from deep off her shoulder. The Dunloy defence tried to suffocate her space but McCormick found the back of the net.
The Shamrocks were well on top but weren’t finding their accuracy. A couple of wides and efforts dropping short kept Dunloy within touching distance but it was the third Loughgiel major in the 50th minute that proved to be match winning. Lucia McNaughton again providing the assist as she played the sliotar cross field towards a heavily marked Dobbin. She managed to break the sliotar into her path and made no mistake from close range when given the opportunity.
Annie Lynn’s second of the game stretched the Loughgiel lead to seven and while Dunloy added three unanswered scores from McAtamney (free), Aine Magill and Casey Crawford, Loughgiel and McCormick had the final say when she split the uprights in the fourth minute of injury time.
It was a brilliant second half from the Shamrocks as they proved yet again they are the team to beat. Dunloy will be disappointed not to have met the challenge in the second half having played so well in the first but the O’Duffy Cup remains in Fr Healy Park for an 11th year in succession.
Loughgiel: Eimear Boyle; Clare McKillop, Katie Lynn, Finvola McVeigh; Maria O’Hara, Emma McFadden, Shauna Doran; Amy Boyle, Anna Connolly; Christine McCloskey, Lucia McNaughton, Annie Lynn; Anna McKillop, Roisin McCormick, Caitrin Dobbin. Subs: Ciara Laverty for S Doran (26); Megan McGarry for F McVeigh (30+3); Katie McKillop for A McKillop (47)
Scorers: R McCormick 1-7 (6fs 1’45); C Dobbin 1-1; L McNaughton 1-00; A Lynn 0-2; C McCloskey 0-1
Dunloy: Aileen Martin; Sarah McIlhatton, Katie Laverty, Kathryn Boyle; Casey Crawford, Brid Magill, Caoimhe Molloy; Eimear Johnston, Katherine Mullan; Bronach Magill, Aine Magill, Nicole McAtamney; Eobha McAllister, Katie Molloy, Cassie McArthur. Subs: Caitlin Crawford for K Mullan (43); Erin McMullan for C McArthur (47)
Scorers: N McAtamney 0-5 (5fs); C McArthur 1-1; C McAllister 1-00; K Molloy 0-1; A Magill 0-1; Casey Crawford 0-1
Referee: Shane McDonnell (Glenariffe)
