Very Ireland Camogie League Division 1B round three
Offaly 2-8 Antrim 2-8
ANTRIM staged a dramatic comeback to earn themselves a share of the spoils against Offaly in Banagher. It took an injury-time free from distance from Niamh Cosgrove to rescue a draw for the Saffrons against an Offaly side that had lost both their opening games.
A goal from Áine Magill in the 11th minute put Antrim 1-1 to 0-3 ahead, but they didn’t score again until Caitrin Dobbin’s second free of the half in the 26th minute. By then Offaly were 2-6 to 1-2 ahead.
Sarah Harding hit the first goal in the 15th minute and she and Siobhán Flannery had added points before Mairéad Teehan also found the net, 24 minutes in.
Even after Dobbin’s second point, Rachel Brennan hit back with a point and Antrim trailed by eight at the break.
However the Saffrons were a different proposition after the break. Their defence was a lot tighter and conceded just one point, to Harding in the 42nd minute, while three points in the opening four minutes put them right back in contention.
Dobbin landed her fifth free to make it 1-6 to 2-7 after 38 minutes, but Harding’s point seemed to stall Antrim’s momentum. They didn’t score again until a goal from midfielder Siobhan McKillop in the 49th minute breathed new life into the challenge.
Dobbin cut the gap back to a point with five minutes still to play and Niamh Cosgrove landed a pressure point from a long-range free to secure the draw.
The performance was reminiscent of their opening game in Portglenone against Down. Then a poor first half was rescued by two goals from Dobbin and there wasn’t a gap to claw back after the break.
This time there was and Antrim did well to get a share of the spoils as they head into their big challenge next weekend when they take on table-toppers Waterford, who were 3-24 to 2-6 winners over Limerick.
Scorers
Offaly: S Harding 1-2; S Flannery 0-4 (0-3f); M Teehan 1-0; l Gorman & R Brennan 0-1 each
Antrim: C Dobbin 0-6f; Á Magill 1-1; S McKillop 1-0; N Cosgrove 0-1f
Wexford 2-17 Down 0-9
LOOKING at the final scoreline, it looks as if Down were well beaten in this game in Gorey. However had they taken their chances in the opening half, they would have been well in front at the break instead of trailing by three.
Goals early in the second half and the loss of captain Niamh Mallon to injury meant that Down’s scoring potential was limited, while Wexford moved Ciara O’Connor to full-forward where she caused a lot of problems.
Earlier in the game Down were competitive. Colleen McConnell should probably have goaled from their first attack, but in fairness goalie Laura Brennan quickly closed her down.
Lauren Clarke opened their account after two early frees from O’Connor and there was another goal opportunity for Down that came to nothing. Niamh Mallon then shot three points from frees to leave it 0-6 to 0-4 after 20 minutes, but the normally reliable Portaferry forward was wide from her next two efforts.
O’Connor shot her sixth point of the half, five from frees, and Wexford were 0-8 to 0-5 ahead at the change of ends. Sara Louise Graffin narrowed that gap with two points on the re-start before the Wexford goals put the game beyond the visitors.
Graffin did her best to lead the Mourne attack, but without Mallon to feed off her, there was little bite in their attack. They now face another tough challenge against Limerick next Saturday.
Scorers
Wexford: C O’Connor 0-13 (0-9f); L Bulger, K Kirwan & L Dempsey 0-1 each
Down N Mallon 0-4f; S L Graffin 0-2 (0-1f); L Clarke, C Fitzsimons & A McAleenan 0-1 each
VERY IRELAND CAMOGIE LEAGUE RESULTS
Division 1A round three: Dublin 0-11 Kilkenny 0-17; Galway 1-14 Clare 0-13; Tipperary 1-12 Cork 1-14
Division 2A round three: Kerry 1-11 Cavan 1-2; Meath 2-13 Westmeath 1-6;
Laois v Derry (postponed)
Division 2B round two: Tipperary 1-8 Kilkenny 3-10; Galway 1-9 Wexford 1-13
Division 3A Group One round one: Armagh 5-11 Mayo 2-5; Tyrone 1-9 Kildare 7-11
Division 3A Group Two round one: Louth 0-4 Carlow 2-17; Wicklow 0-4 Roscommon 5-16
Division 3B round two: Clare 0-17 Limerick 1-3; Offaly 0-3 Antrim 4-15
