Teamkit Antrim Senior Camogie Championship final
Loughgiel v Dunloy (Sunday, Cushendall, 3pm)
LOUGHGIEL have faced a host of challengers to their supremacy in Antrim over the past decade, but none have managed to beat them when it really mattered.
Dunloy have taken them down on a few occasions during the group stages of championships, while at the end of August this year, a draw with Cushendall and then a less-than-convincing performance against Ballycastle, when the sea-siders led them for a decent part of the game, left them looking more vulnerable than at any other stage of their run to 10 successive titles.
Could Dunloy put down another marker in their next group game? The answer was emphatic from the Shamrocks. Although Dunloy got a good start with the opening three points, by the time their fourth point arrived in the 29th minute, Cáitrín Dobbin, Róisín McCormick and Annie Lynn had all hit the net and the Shamrocks were in control.
They went on to a very comfortable victory, accumulating six goals from six different players.
Dunloy’s response has been to change their goalkeeper. Veteran outfield player Aileen McManus didn’t have a huge amount of work to do against firstly Ballycastle and then, a fortnight ago, Cushendall in the semi-final. However she is still really untested. There is little doubt that Loughgiel will put her under scrutiny early and often in the final.
Bronach Magill has been moved to full-back this year and been doing very well in the position, but again you would expect the Loughgiel management to use someone with pace on the edge of the square to drag her out of position for the likes of Annie Lynn or Caitrin Dobbin to hit the space.
The experienced Caoimhe Conlon looks very unlikely to overcome the injury she picked up less than five minutes into the semi-final. Conlon, a physio, will have done her level best to make the line-up for the final, where her experience will be vital.
At the other end of the field there has been plenty of pace, and consequently width, in the Dunloy attack and the likes of Áine Magill, young Eobha McAllister, Cassie McArthur and Katie Molloy are pulling teams apart.
However, there is a difference between pulling Ballycastle and Cushendall apart to accumulate 4-19 and 2-17 respectively and taking as experienced a team as Loughgiel to task often enough to accumulate a winning score.
Two years ago, weather and underfoot conditions in the final in Glenravel kept the scoreline down to manageable levels – but Dunloy couldn’t take advantage to seal victory and the Shamrocks went on to reach their first All-Ireland final.
The problem for any team challenging perennial champions like Loughgiel is that they have to take each and every opportunity they get, while at the same time box in the scoring threat.
You have to say that Dunloy have a young squad and are building towards that breakthrough when Loughgiel’s sequence of victories are broken. But the Shamrocks so far have had too much experience and game management skills to allow themselves to be caught.
The intermdiate final today also features Loughgiel, who face an emerging Ahoghill side in Portglenone (3pm), while last year’s beaten finalists St Paul’s take on Ballycastle in the junior decider at 1pm.
