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Antrim Take Home Intermediate Camogie Title After 8-Point Win Over Cats

JoeNa Connacht — Mon, 13 Sep 2021 09:55:36 +0000

Antrim 2-21 – 2-13 Kilkenny

The tandem of Róisín McCormick and Maeve Kelly have long been slated for superstardom through the schools and underage structures in Antrim and they delivered on the biggest stage at Croke Park to propel the Saffron County to victory in the All-Ireland Intermediate Camogie final on Sunday afternoon.

The deadly duo scored a goal and 14 points between them, and with Catrine Dobbin also weighing in with 1-2, Antrim racked up a remarkable return that no side could match.

This was a fantastic exhibition of the increasing depth of camogie, and on this evidence, Antrim will be a welcome new addition to the senior ranks.

The game was decided in a matter of minutes just before the second-half water break, a period that actually began with a goal from a 20m free by Sophie O’Dwyer in the 43^rd minute.

That gave Kilkenny hope as they closed to within four points, but McCormick and Kelly responded immediately with points before McCormick set up Catrine Dobbin, who finished with the coldness of an assassin, the shot to the far corner worthy of the move that had led up to it.

It was only two minutes after O’Dwyer’s major and the hopes they had harboured had been ruthlessly extinguished.

Both sets of attacks showing good economy in the first half, finishing ruthlessly and with no overtly defensive systems, which meant excitement for supporters.

It was 1-11 to 0-9 at half-time and only three of those scores came from placed balls as the teams revelled in the open spaces.

Kilkenny started very well and their three half-forwards had pointed inside five minutes after Kelly had opened the scoring in 58 seconds.

In the blink of an eye, the Cats were leading by three, Sarah Walsh, Eva Hynes, Walsh again and Ciara O’Keeffe splitting the posts.

Antrim have a nice mix of youth and experience, with the likes of Chloe Drain and Maeve Connolly on the panel that won the Premier Junior title in 2010, while McCormick and Kelly have built up a lot of game time over the past four years.

Beaten finalists by Down last year, they stayed calm though they were extremely fortunate in the eighth minute when Danielle Quigley struck the butt of their post and the normally deadly Hannah Scott fresh-aired from the rebound.

Kilkenny will wonder what a goal would have done then, particularly as Antrim went straight up the field for McCormick to point after a run in from the.

The Loughgiel prodigy followed up with another couple of scores, supplemented by a Lucia McNaughton point for the Saffrons to hit the front, a lead they held at the water break.

O’Dwyer equalised from a free but Kelly lit up Croke Park with a brilliant individual goal in the 21^st minute, picking up possession around 30m out, side-stepping wonderfully and then showing good strength to bear down on Sinéad Farrell.

Thereafter it was all about composure, the Ballycastle star regathering after an initial hook to fire low to the net from a rapidly tightening angle. The gap opened to five and that’s how it was at the change of ends.

Kelly had a glorious point after 38 seconds of the restart and the lead was seven when O’Dwyer stunned everyone with her deadly strike.

The reply told you all you needed to know about the mentality of the Paul McKillen- and Jim McKernan-managed outfit and the streaked clear, with a flurry of outstanding points after Dobbin’s goal.

Sarah Crowley found the net in injury time for Kilkenny but by then, the verdict was in no doubt.

SCORERS FOR ANTRIM: R McCormick 0-9(4fs); M Kelly 1-5; C Dobbin 1-2; N O’Neill 0-3; L McNaughton, A Magill 0-1 each

SCORERS FOR KILKENNY: S O’Dwyer 1-5(0-4fs); S Crowley 1-0; S Walsh, E Hynes 0-2 each; C Phelan, C O’Keeffe, D Quigley, T Donnelly 0-1 each

ANTRIM: C Graham; C Drain, N Donnelly, M Lynn; C Patterson, C Conlon, M Connolly; L McNaughton, N O’Neill; M Kelly, A Boyle, A Magill; R McCormick, C Laverty, C Dobbin. Subs: A Connolly for Laverty (38), K Carey McAleese for Magill (50), S Devlin for Patterson (60), L McKenna for Boyle (60+1), K McKillop for M Connolly (60+1)

KILKENNY: S Farrell; N Leahy, R Phelan, C Murphy; S Crowley, L Fennelly, T Fitzgerald; L Hegarty, C Phelan; E Hynes, S Walsh, C O’Keeffe; S O’Dwyer, H Scott, D Quigley. Subs: J Leahy for Hegarty (36), T Donnelly for Quigley inj (43), S O’Keeffe for Fitzgerald (46), C Dowling for Scott (55), R O’Keeffe for C O’Keeffe (57)

REFEREE: Conor Quinlan (Galway)

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Lucia McNaughton On Family Success And Growth of Antrim Camogie

JoeNa Connacht — Thu, 09 Sep 2021 12:11:03 +0000

Lucia McNaughton will captain Antrim on the day of her 26^th birthday, in the All-Ireland Intermediate Camogie Final against Kilkenny (2 pm).

The NHS physio works in a profession that gives her real satisfaction, either in the rehab hospital she is based in or around the community as well – easing discomfort and pain is a rare and wonderful gift.

Antrim have had their share of that in camogie terms since reaching the intermediate decider in 2011 – their most recent success was in 2003, though they claimed the premier junior title in 2010 – but the signs of growth have been evident through schools and underage advances in recent years.

The panel that reached last year’s final was young and that experience, where they wilted in the second half against Down, will be sure to stand to them this time around.

This was in evidence as they beat the Mournewomen in the group stages of the National League, though they went down to their long-time rivals by a very late goal in the Division 2 final.

Down went on to ruffle a lot of feathers in the senior grade and will be competing at the highest grade again next year – McNaughton and co want to join them.

The Loughgiel Shamrocks dynamo has heard stories of triumph on big days at Croke Park, but isn’t anxious to emphasise them, because she knows, of course, that they have no influence on what unfolds on Sunday. And anyway, she wants to write her own story.

But the pride is evident. Especially in her late grandmother, Mary McGarry, who made her debut as a teenager when Antrim went on to complete the All-Ireland three-in-a-row at senior level in 1947.

Mary’s husband John, a member of the famous Shamrocks county championship-winning team of 1956, has told his granddaughter about his wife’s exploits as the Saffrons’ primary free-taker for a decade, lining out at midfield, just like McNaughton herself does.

“She would be our corner-back, Maria Lynn’s granny as well. Unfortunately, she died when I was only one. So I never really knew her. But I would be talking to Grandad and he would always have been to her matches and things. My grandad would obviously have played hurling too.

“You find out different things as you go along. Obviously back then there wasn’t any photos or footage. Whenever you come across a few photos of them playing it’s really nice to see. You are obviously looking to follow in their footsteps as well.

“She was 18 when she won it, so she was very young, a lot younger than I am at the minute. Anna Connolly’s mother (Mary) won the All-Ireland as well (at intermediate). So there is a lot of links. Maybe it’s a good omen.”

Then there is McNaughton’s father, Seamus, or ‘Crow’ as he is known.

Seamus McNaughton is an All-Ireland champion at club level with Loughgiel Shamrocks, winning the title in 1983.

Lucia called the Loughgiel side of 1983 legends and noted that her father has brought up the victory on several occasions.

Meanwhile, Lucia’s brother James enjoyed Joe McDonagh Cup glory in the saffron and white at the end of last year.

But she has to pack all that family history into its appropriate compartment, wary of bringing too much emotion to the table, of making the final into a behemoth that could overpower her.

“As much as that’s lovely and you always have it in the back of your head, you try not to think about it too much as well. At the end of the day, it’s just another match that you try to win. I try not to put too much pressure on.

“Obviously, it’s a lovely thing to think about and all and hopefully if we win it will be great but it’s just another thing that you are trying not to be distracted by.”

Hurling and camogie permeated every fibre of her household in her youth and continues to do so in the present.

McNaughton remembers training with her siblings in the garden and tackling her brothers, who were bigger and stronger than her.

For as long as she can remember, her family have always been playing camogie and hurling.

“…In our parish, there’s not a lot else to do. It’s kind of play hurling and camogie, and go to mass really. They’re the two main things we are doing.”

Once the fixtures were published, she noted the date of the All-Ireland final. Naturally.

“I was like, ‘Oh, the All-Ireland is on my birthday.’ Then as it got closer and closer, I thought, ‘Cool that would be great. Going out into Croke Park on your birthday.’ To be honest with you, it would be great. Imagine winning that on your birthday?

“Imagine winning that on any day.”

There she is again, bringing it back to brass tacks. This is about winning for Antrim, and this group of players, though she does think of those who shared many of the darkest hours with her but will not be involved on Sunday.

There were teams when Antrim were trying to get teams and playing matches to fill a fixture.

McNaughton says it’s great now to be part of a team – being set up with everything they could need and doing quite well.

She credits the side that pieced together teams for fixtures at the start of the last decade as the players that kept Antrim camogie going.

“If it was a few years earlier maybe they would have been there celebrating with us. I’m sure they are delighted for us at the minute. Definitely, it did take them, a few years ago to keep Antrim afloat as well.”

So there’s a lot in the mix as Antrim renew rivalries with Kilkenny, who they beat by four points at the beginning of the championship.

“I don’t think that match was even videoed so we couldn’t even go back and watch it. But it will be a completely different story I think going out.

“First of all, it’s an All-Ireland final so it’s completely different and it’s Croke Park which brings a different element to it as well – a lot of our girls haven’t played in Croke Park before.

“Maybe some of the Kilkenny ones have more experience with that, especially if they’re involved with their senior team at one stage.

“It’s going to be really tough. They’re very skilful and a very fast team as well. Hopefully we’ll do okay.”

Antrim play Kilkenny in the All-Ireland Intermediate Camogie Championship final on Sunday, September 12 at 2 pm in Croke Park.

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Mayo Win Nancy Murray Cup After Two-Point Victory Over Tyrone

JoeNa Connacht — Mon, 30 Aug 2021 13:05:03 +0000

Mayo camogie marked their first season of adult camogie after a lengthy absence with a 3-8 to 1-12 victory over Tyrone to claim the Nancy Murray Cup at Páirc Seán Mac Diarmada.

Tyrone’s camogie team missed out on silverware for the county while their Men’s football side went one step closer to the Sam Maguire.

The goals were crucial with two of them coming from Ciara Delaney, having been set up by player of the match Áine Charlton. Captain Helen O’Malley also raised a green flag but Tyrone almost pulled off a spectacular comeback, getting to within one of the westerners having trailed by 11 but they just could not get over the line.

Mayo led by 2-6 to 0-4 at half-time thanks to Delaney and O’Malley’s majors, the latter part of a run of 1-5 without reply as Tyrone failed to score in the second quarter. When Delaney finished after another strong run by Charlton 15 seconds after the restart, it seemed like curtains.

But with Reagan Fay in inspired form and bringing her tally to eight points, the Red Hand women rallied. Niamh McNulty’s goal after an excellent catch was a real boost but when it seemed like momentum was in their favour, Mayo dug deep and Orla Hession pointed to leave Tyrone needing a goal that they couldn’t get.

Meanwhile, champions Armagh, who beat Clare in their semi-final by 2-13 to 1-6 on Saturday, will play Wexford in the All-Ireland premier junior final at Croke Park on September 12, as a result of the Yellowbellies’ 3-18 to 0-8 victory over Roscommon.

Roscommon had two early chances but two wides resulted and once Wexford got to grips with the excellent opposition sweeper, Rachel Fitzmaurice by playing the wings, they began to make hay.

Megan Cullen got an eighth-minute goal and it was 1-2 to 0-0 at the water break. On the resumption, all the Wexford inside forwards, Emma Tompkins, Emma Codd and Lisa Firman registered points and Ailis Neville scored to make it 2-7 to 0-1 at half-time.

The Roscommon point came from a long-distance free by Shauna Fallon just before the short whistle.

The Connacht side were awarded a penalty early in the second half but Fallon’s shot was too central and goalkeeper Lara O’Shea was able to make the stop.

With that, any hope of a spectacular comeback dissipated.

When Roscommon removed Fitzmaurice from her sweeping role as they needed to chase the game, it opened space and Wexford profited. Chloe Cashe, who had been kept to a point in the first half, got a goal at the end of an excellent move on 41 minutes and finished with 1-8.

Fitzmaurice and Niamh Watson tried hard for Roscommon but it was all about Wexford, Clodagh Jackman, Aideen Brennan, Cashe, Neville and Cullen among those to shine.

Elsewhere, the talented Áine Magill completed 24 hours she won’t forget in a hurry as she played for Antrim in the intermediate semi-final against Galway and then against Laois in the Tesco All-Ireland B semi final.

She up a star outing for Antrim in their win over Galway by scoring 1-3 from midfield as the Saffrons’ minors as they came out on top of a thriller against Laois by 3-19 to 3-12 to reach the Tesco All-Ireland B final.

Antrim will face Offaly in the final, who defeated Derry by 4-12 to 1-8 in the other semi-final.

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