Teamkit Antrim Senior Camogie Championship final
Loughgiel 3-11 Dunloy 2-9
LOUGHGIEL extended their run in the Teamkit Antrim senior camogie championship to 11 straight title wins, coming from six points down to see off a determined Dunloy challenge in Cushendall on Sunday.
The Dunloy youngsters put it up to them with goals in the second and ninth minutes along with some ferocious tackling and closing down of players. But Loughgiel weathered the storm, Róisín McCormick frees reeling in the early Dunloy lead, and then they hit the killer goals to put them in control of the game.
It was a good advertisement for Antrim camogie with Loughgiel’s game management, orchestrated by their more senior players, eventually seeing off their enthusiastic challengers. But they got an early fright!
Brónach Magill and Katie Molloy combined for Cassie McArthur to hit the net in the second minute and, after Nicole McAtamney and Annie Lynn had exchanged points, Éobha McAllister chased down her half-shot at goal and forced the sliotar over the line. At 2-1 to 0-1, Dunloy had made the perfect start.
However the holders refused to bend and they worked their way back into the game with four frees from McCormick and an excellent point from Caitrín Dobbin before Dunloy added their next score.
McAtamney hit back with two frees before Christine McCloskey sent Lucia McNaughton through on goal. Off balance, McNaughton managed to sweep the sliotar one-handed to the net. Dunloy replied with points from McArthur and Molloy and that meant that the Shamrocks were still a point behind at the break, 2-5 to 1-7, but in a much better position than they found themselves in the early stages.
Points on the re-start from McCloskey and McCormick (free) edged them ahead. Although McAtamney levelled from a difficult free, the next score swung the tie in Loughgiel’s favour. McNaughton off-loaded to McCormick running off her shoulder and, although the county star still had work to do, she beat Aileen McManus from close range.
A goal was a big score and nine minutes later, before Dunloy could reply, it was followed by another, this time Cáitrín Dobbin re-acting quickest to a breaking ball to find the net from six metres.
There were still ten minutes to play, but Loughgiel were home and dry, despite three late points from McAtamney (free), Áine Magill and Casey Crawford.
Loughgiel E Boyle, C McKillop, K Lynn, F McVeigh, M O’Hara, E McFadden, S Doran, A Boyle, A Connolly, C McCloskey capt (0-1), L McNaughton (1-0), A Lynn (0-2), A McKillop, R McCormick (1-7, 0-7 frees), C Dobbin (1-1).
Subs C Laverty for M O’Hara (26), M McGarry for F McVeigh (30), K McKillop for A McKillop (46)
Dunloy A McManus, S McIlhatton, K Laverty cpat., K Boyle, Casey Crawford (0-1), Bríd Magill, K Mullan, E Johnston, Á Magill (0-1), C Molloy, É McAllister (1-0), N McAtamney (0-6 frees), Brónach Magill, K Molloy (0-1), C McArthur (1-1).
Subs Caitlin Crawford for K Mullan (41), E McMullan for C McArthur (58)
Referee S McDonnell