Very Ireland national camogie league Division 3B final: Antrim 1-5 Clare 0-9
A gutsy second-half performance saw Clare chisel out a 0-9 to 1-5 victory over Antrim to win the Very Camogie League Division 3B final at Conneff Park in Clane on Saturday.
Antrim were in the driving seat at the break, leading by 0-5 to 0-3, with their defence very much in control of the game.
However, a five-point scoring burst from Clare without reply during the third quarter saw them take control on the score-board.
A splendid Orlagh Laverty goal in the 47th minute, when she reacted first to a save from Lauran Solon to pull first time to the net, brought Antrim back level. But they failed to add to that score.
Half-time sub Aisling Cooney slotted the third of her three points from a free immediately after the goal and that was to prove the winner, with no more scores in the final quarter.
Clare had four points in hand in the group stages of the league on St Patrick’s Day, but this was a much tighter encounter and scores were harder to register.
Dervla Cosgrove shot the first four Antrim points with player of the match, Laoise O’Donnell, Niamh Carmody and Katie Twomey responding for Clare.
Brid Magill raised another white flag and it was 0-5 to 0-3 for the Saffrons at half-time.
However, Clare had the wind behind them in the second half and they made it count with Aisling Cooney coming off the bench to add the extra dimension. She started the fight-back with a brilliant score from a free on the 45m line tight to the left sideline.
O’Donnell struck with a stunning score straight after and Kate O’Gorman followed up almost immediately to put the Munster side ahead with 38 minutes gone.
An outstanding point from Twomey and Cooney’s second score made it a three-point game but Laverty’s goal momentarily breathed life into Antrim.
Although Cooney put Clare ahead soon after, there were chances that went astray for both sides in a frenetic ending that saw Clare gain revenge for last summer’s defeat in the All-Ireland Junior semi-final.
Scorers
Clare: A Cooney (0-3 frees), K O'Gorman (0-2), K Twomey (0-2), L McDonnell (0-1), G Carmody (0-1).
Antrim: D Cosgrove (0-4 frees), O Laverty (1-0), Bríd Magill (0-1)
