Littlewood's Ireland Camogie League Division Two Group One: Derry 2-7 Antrim 2-15
ACCORDING to Antrim joint-manager Paul McKillen, Saturday’s 2-15 to 2-7 victory over Derry at Owenbeg was “the best performance since we took over last year.” The Saffrons were the sharper team throughout and could have won by more. Their goals came within a 60-second spell just before the water break, but they also created three other one-on-ones with the Derry goalkeeper Niamh Gribbin, all in the opening half.
Gribbin moved quickly to deny Maeve Kelly, but was helpless when Caitrín Dobbin fired inches wide and then flashed another shot off base of the upright to safety.
Derry also had hard luck when Dervla O’Kane shot narrowly wide just before the break and there were periods of the game, especially in that opening half, when the home side matched their visitors.
Derry took an early lead through Jackie Donnelly and were level at 0-3 each after 13 minutes when Dobbin in the clear shot wide. However, within a minute or two Maeve Kelly had sent Róisín McCormick through for the opening goal and then McCormick turned provider, profiting from a defensive error to put Dobbin in the open for the second goal.
Two goal chances were spurned and Derry began to push closer with points from Aoife Shaw and Dervla O’Kane and they could have been much closer than 2-4 to 0-5 at the break.
Antrim looked like romping home when they fired over six of the first seven points after half-time. Áine McAllister’s free was the only response.
Dervla O’Kane and Máiréad McNicholl hit the net to narrow the gap to 2-10 to 2-6 at the second water break, but Antrim pressed on with points from Maeve Kelly (0-2), Anna Connolly, Caitrín Dobbin and Róisín McCormick (0-3) to top the qualification group and confirm a spot in next weekend’s quarter-finals. Derry will be in a relegation fight – but there were signs that they are much too good for the drop to Division Three.
“When we started off the group, we were hoping to top it and that is what we achieved,” said McKillen.
“But it was a really tough group. Ulster camogie is in a strong position with the two teams today and Down.
“We played brilliantly at times. We created five clear goal chances in the first half and I was delighted, even though we only scored two of them.
“Our intensity was good and our movement and team-play was brilliant at times. The strength and conditioning they have been doing during lockdown is also beginning to show.”
Antrim: C Graham; K McKillop, C Drain, M Lynn; N Donnelly, C Conlon, M Connolly; L McNaughton, A Boyle; M Kelly (0-4), A Connolly (0-1), C Patterson; C Dobbin (1-2), N O'Neill (0-3, 0-2 frees), R McCormick (1-5, 0-1 free).
Subs: Ciara Laverty for N O’Neill (43), C McKillop for M Connolly (48), Christine Laverty for A Boyle (53), NA Donnelly for M Lynn (56), R Kelly for K McKillop (57).
Derry: N Gribben; S Magill, O McGuigan, R Cassidy; M Kerr, A Ní Chaiside, C Ní Mhianáin; Á McAllister (0-2, 0-1 free), D OKane (1-1); M McNicholl (1-1), A Shaw (0-1), C Glass; S Mellon (0-1), K Kielt, J Donnelly 0-1.
Subs: E McGuigan for J Donnelly (h-t), C Gunning for C Glass (39), K Burke for S Mellon (44), Á Magill for C Ní Mhianáin (47).
Littlewood's Ireland Camogie League
Division One
Limerick 0-7 Galway 3-13
Waterford 1-13 Cork 3-15
Offaly 0-8 Kilkenny 4-21
Division Two
Derry 2-7 Antrim 2-15
Galway 0-16 Cork 1-9
Tipperary 0-11 Kerry 3-10
Laois 1-9 Wexford 7-19
Kildare 3-10 Westmeath 0-17
Dublin 0-8 Meath 0-12
Division Three
Wexford 1-14 Armagh 0-16
Carlow 2-17 Clare 2-8
Limerick 1-10 Waterford 0-5
Division Four
Wicklow 1-17 Antrim 5-8
Tyrone 0-8 Cavan 0-12
Mayo 7-14 Louth 1-1
Kildare 0-4 Roscommon 2-17
WEEKEND ROUND-UP
Division One
Cork won 3-15 to 1-13 against Waterford at Walsh Park, starting with an early goal from Amy O’Connor. O’Connor later added a second to repeat her two-goal show of the previous round and Orla Cronin shot seven points while Chloe Sigerson relished a more advanced role and contributed 1-3. All-Ireland champions Kilkenny trounced Offaly by 4-24 to 0-8 at St Brendan’s Bark to secure top seeding from Group Three. Denise Gaule scored 1-7 and Mary O’Connell 0-5 while Davina Tobin was outstanding in defence.
League title holders Galway impressed in dispensing with Limerick by 3-13 to 0-7 in Kilmallock after leading by 2-4 to 0-6 at half-time, Ailish and Siobhán O’Reilly with their first two goals and a third from Niamh Kilkenny.
Cork and Galway go straight into the semi-finals on Saturday week. Although Kilkenny topped their group, they have a quarter-final game on Saturday, drawn against Limerick while Offaly will have a huge task lifting themselves from that defeat by Kilkenny before facing Tipperary.
Division Two
WEXFORD made a huge statement of intent in Group Three with a comprehensive 7-19 to 1-9 win over Laois. Despite Kerry’s excellent 3-10 to 0-11 win over Tipperary in Group Two, the Kingdom miss out on a quarter-final place on scoring difference after their heavy defeat to Cork last week. Although Cork lost to Galway, both teams qualified.
In Group Four, Kildare caused a shock with a 3-10 to 0-17 win over Westmeath who haVe just come down from Division One. However, it wasn’t enough to get Kildare into the quarter-finals. Meath and Westmeath claim those spots.
Derry will have Tipperary, Laois and Dublin for company in the relegation battle. The draw for the quarter-finals has paired Antrim with Galway, while Down will play Cork.
In the other games Wexford will face Westmeath and Kilkenny take on Meath. All games will be played on Saturday June 5.
Division Three
ARMAGH’S slow start against Wexford meant they were always chasing the game. The introduction of second half substitutes Michelle McArdle and Colette McSorley helped stabilise the Orchard challenge after they had conceded a goal just before the break. The Donnelly sisters, Leanne and Ciara, accounted for early points for Armagh, but the visitors went into a 0-8 to 0-3 lead before Orlagh Murray hit back with two points and set up another for Leanne Donnelly.
The Wexford goal put them 1-8 to 0-9 ahead at the break and they added two quick points on the restart.
Eventually Collette McSorley finished a great move to put Armagh ahead for the first time, but Wexford finished strongly with three of the last four points to win by the narrowest of margins.
Wins for Carlow and Limerick in Group Two mean that both finish on five league points and Carlow’s better score-difference lines them up for a tilt at Armagh in the semi-final, while Wexford will face Limerick. Those semi-finals are scheduled for Saturday, June 12.
Division Four
Cavan were made to fight all the way for their win over Tyrone in Carrickmore. The game itself was quite scrappy and Tyrone were able to close out the Cavan but they still led by 0-7 to 0-5 at the break with the Keenaghan sisters from placed balls and Shanise Fitzsimons from open play doing enough to see them over the line. Antrim got their first win beating Wicklow in Arklow by 1-17 to 5-8 in a very entertaining game, with goals from Riana McBride and Fionnuala Kelly (2), Orlagh Laverty and Eimear Byrne. The semi-final pairings for Saturday, June 12 are Cavan v Mayo and Roscommon v Tyrone.
