U16A Shield All Ireland Championship Round 1
Antrim 4-10 Clare 0-08 (Trim)
Pictures by Antrim County PRO Michael Corcoran
STAR performances from four-goal Cliodhna Thompson and keeper Maeve Scullion spurred Antrim to an opening Championship win over Clare in Trim.
The game was not without anxious moments for Antrim as Clare mounted a comeback into the wind in the second half but they had no answer to the combined brilliance of Thompson and Scullion.
Cliodhna was first on the board with two frees over the bar in quick succession to have Antrim two points up after four minutes.
Clare’s Sheena Bernie then dropped a 45 between the uprights before Antrim’s Eimear Ward found the stick of a running Cliodhna Thompson for Antrim’s first goal after 14 minutes.
Clare’s Rachel Kerin replied with a point from a free and, four minutes later, returned with a shot on goal but Maeve Scullion defused the danger and Kerin looped back for a point to make amends.
Both sides went point for point as Clare’s Katie Conlon and Sheena Bernie brought their score to 0-04 as Antrim’s Tamara Black reaped the benefits from a long solo run ending in her point and centre half forward Eimear Ward added another from a fine pass from Black up the centre of the pitch making it Antrim 1-04 Clare 0-04 at the interval.
The second half started with a similar intensity to the first, with Cliodhna Thompson adding her second goal after only two minutes. Tenacious Thompson pressed the Clare keeper after a short puck out and, after forcing a wide, took her 45 to make it Antrim 2-05 Clare 0-04, a Tegan Cassidy point as she caught a high ball to solo and score.
Clare were edging their way back, though, point by point, and Antrim needed Thompson to intervene a scorching hat trick shot to the back of the net.
in response to another Clare point, Antrim floated three more points over the bar from Eimear Ward and Caoimhe McErlain.
Thompson then delivered the final blow, not on her first attempt as Clare’s goalkeeper, Lily Fitzgibbon pushed that away, but a determined Cliodhna saw it over the line to finish the game at Antrim 4-10 Clare 0-08.
Antrim starting panel and scorers: Maeve Scullion, Kiera McLaughlin, Laoise McCollam, Isabelle Martin, Hannah Mead, Fiadh Sands, Amy Gault, Caoimhe McErlain 0-01, Tamara Black 0-01, Sorchá Carey, Eimear Ward 0-04, Orla Munce, Bronagh Doherty, Caela Cassey, Cliodhna Thompson 4-03, Tegan Cassidy 0-01
