Sport

Antrim look to finally topple Down in Ulster senior camogie final

Down Niamh Mallon with Caoimhe Conlon of Antrim at Owenbeg during the National Camogie Leagues Division 2 Final on Saturday 19th June 2021. Picture Margaret McLaughlin.
Down Niamh Mallon with Caoimhe Conlon of Antrim at Owenbeg during the National Camogie Leagues Division 2 Final on Saturday 19th June 2021. Picture Margaret McLaughlin. Down Niamh Mallon with Caoimhe Conlon of Antrim at Owenbeg during the National Camogie Leagues Division 2 Final on Saturday 19th June 2021. Picture Margaret McLaughlin.

Ulster Senior Championship final: Down v Antrim (tomorrow, Edendork, 12.30pm)

IN the semi-final preview last week, I suggested that Down’s unbeaten run in Ulster stretching back to 2018 was in danger of coming to an end at the hands of a rejuvenated Derry side. That almost happened on Sunday.

However, Down drew on their experience to keep their shape and to stick to their game plan when things were not working out for them in front of the posts.

Eventually it did come right – but it took vital scores from a player that was not expected to see out a full game, never mind the extra 20 plus minutes.

Paula O’Hagan proved her value to the Down cause by grabbing the late goal and then stood up to the pressure in floating over the match-defining frees.

However, Down will want to look at how they got in trouble during the game. Yes, Derry were much improved and took some excellent scores, while setting in place a good defensive plan that worked.

But Down still had the majority of the play and created far more scoring opportunities. They just didn’t take those chances and the longer Derry stayed in the game, the more they fancied their chances of winning it.

Few defences have been able to restrict Niamh Mallon to just one point over 80 minutes – and it came from a free as well. If the same thing happens in Edendork, Antrim will win their first title since 2016.

But by pouring extra resources into building a defensive plan, Derry allowed Dearbhla Magee a free role and she bombed forward from inside her 45 to set up countless attacks.

Antrim have a number of pacey forwards but I doubt that they will sacrifice an attacking option to play a sweeper. They are more likely to play their midfield deeper and hope to keep Down’s midfield inside their own half of the pitch.

This is what they did with Wexford in the second half of the Division Two league final and it was very successful with the Saffron half-forwards attacking from deeper on solo runs. Unfortunately Antrim had already lost that game inside the opening 20 minutes. However their second half performance certainly reduced the damage to morale.

So both teams will come into their successive final with improvements needed from their last outing.

Down, however, are likely to be able to call on the services of Aoife Keown who missed Sunday’s semi-final as she was abroad at a family wedding. Will she pair up again with Paula O’Hagan or will O’Hagan move further forward as she did during the second half of the semi-final?

The absence of several of the more experienced Down players has seen younger players like Beth Fitzpatrick, Clara Cowan and Dearbhla Savage all step up to the mark and the trio put in strong performances last week.

Antrim are still without the talented Maeve Kelly, but Siobhán McKillop and Caoimhe Wright, two players not even on the panel last year, have proven their worth this season.

There remains a question over where best to locate Amy Boyle. The Loughgiel player has been shifted between midfield and centre-forward, but looked a more comfortable fit in defence after moving back there when they lost Chloe Drain to a red card in Croke Park.

Both teams will want to get their game right tomorrow, not only to collect the provincial title, but also in preparation for the opening game in the Glen Dimplex All-Ireland senior championship which starts in three weeks’ time. Of course before May is out, the pair meet again in the All-Ireland.

A victory then is a must for each team.

Last year in both the big games in high summer, Down used their experience to come out on the right end of the result. But in both games, Antrim were able to whittle away early Down dominance and draw level in the final few minutes.

Having won an All-Ireland title in Croke Park with some devastating camogie last September, one suspects that if a similar situation arises in this final Antrim will be able to handle it better.

Down has been a monkey on their back for the past couple of years. That burden may well be lifted this weekend.