Hurling & Camogie

Antrim minor camogie boss Carl McCormick pleased with titleholders' form

All-Ireland Minor B Camogie Championship semi-final: Saturday 2.30pm at Inniskeen: Antrim v Carlow

Antrim minor manager Carl McCormick has been “fairly pleased” with how the team has gone about retaining the All-Ireland Minor B title they won last year in Inniskeen, the venue for today's 2018 semi-final against Carlow.

McCormick has been involved at this level for three years now, initially as part of a management team headed by Sean Paul McKillop and now this season he has put together his own team in an attempt to retain the title.

“Over the past two years ago Antrim minors only lost one game, and won five trophies. So that was a very good team and they set the bar high for teams coming after them,” the Loughgiel man stated during the week.

“Most of last year’s team moved on, but there was a good number left for us to build another team around and we have managed to keep that unbeaten run going.”

Captain Ellen Hynds, defender Méabh O’Neill, midfielder Amy Boyle and forward Charley McCarry all started last year’s final while Maeve Kelly and Roisin McCormick both came in as subs when the team trailed Kildare at half-time by seven points.

The pair turned the game significantly in Antrim’s favour, Roisin hitting four points and Maeve the all-important goal as they held the opposition scoreless.

Roisin is the manager’s daughter and recognised as one of the hottest under-age talents in the province at the moment.

“As it happens all the management team are parents of players, so I am not alone in that context, but the girls have had a heavy schedule at present between school and club senior teams.

In fact while we trained weekly through the winter months, we have had to tailor it significantly once the club leagues started at the beginning of April.”

Over half the minor panel was involved as Cross and Passion Ballycastle blazed a trail to the All-Ireland schools’ final in March and that experience should help with the minors.

“Overall we have a very experienced group of girls but we needed the hard game against Westmeath to let us know how we really stood.”

In that last group game Westmeath got through for three first half goals to lead 3-2 to 1-6 at the break and didn’t surrender the lead until the three-quarter mark when Antrim eventually wore them down for a 1-18 to 3-6 score-line. The manager was pleased on several counts.

“Up until then, we had won games easily and it was good to see us come from behind without panicking. We scored 19 times and they scored nine and we had six different scorers – that was all good. We showed that we didn’t overly rely on a couple of individuals to pull us through.”

However the game came at a cost with both defender Kathryn Mullan and centre-forward Maura Downey picking up injuries that will keep them on the side-lines for a while yet.

McCormick knows he is going to Inniskeen without any information on the opposition other than that they finished runners up in the other group.

“We couldn’t plan for Westmeath and we found a few things we had to work on. Defensively we have been quite strong all year, while there is a good mix in attack. As long as we fire up front like we can, we should keep the run going. But we also know not to underestimate any team.”

CAMOGIE MATCHBOX

Littlewoods Ireland Camogie Leagues Div 2 semi-finals

Sunday, 2pm:

Walsh Park: Cork v Kilkenny

Clane: Dublin v Westmeath

Cork had already secured a spot in the semi-final ahead of their last game against Westmeath – but it was still a shock that the midlanders went south and took the points home as the Rebels had by far the better score cards against the other teams.

Cork won the title last year and looked to be in good shape to retain it until the Westmeath game. Perhaps that will get rid of any complacency.

Group B winners Kilkenny had only one slip up – a draw against second placed Dublin. Their last Division 2 title was in 2006. It will be a mild surprise however if Cork are beaten.

That draw that Dublin got against Kilkenny wasn’t their only one, as they also tied with Derry in the group stage while opponents Westmeath drew away to Antrim.

Westmeath, who have yet to win a League title, looked impressive at times with real pace in the midfield and half-forward area. However it is questionable whether they have the strength in depth to go all the way.

They will probably reach the final however

Littlewoods Ireland Camogie Leagues Div 2 Relegation play-off

Sunday 2pm in Meath GAA Games Development Centre, Dunganny: Down v Kildare

Two teams with plenty of potential meet in the relegation play-off to remain in Division 2, while their minors will contest an All-Ireland Shield final next week-end.

From Down’s viewpoint, they failed to get a management structure in place until a week before the leagues started and that was always going to put them on a severe learning curve.

During the last couple of games against Cork and Antrim, both at home, there looked to be progress made, and that gives them a good chance of winning this game particularly with Niamh Mallon and Sarah Louise Graffin up front.

But after a campaign without a win, confidence is not very high in either camp. Whoever gets up a head of steam at any point could power on to a win.

All-Ireland Minor B Camogie Championship semi-finals

Saturday 2.30pm

Inniskeen: Antrim v Carlow

Baconstown, Co Meath: Laois v Westmeath

The general opinion seems to be that Antrim and Westmeath are the two strongest teams in the Minor B championship this season; that the other section was of a more average standard.

The validity of that opinion will be challenged today, but Antrim as group winners should have an advantage over Carlow who finished in second place in the other group.

Antrim have a good core of experienced performers and the north Antrim schools all contested provincial finals at this age-group over the winter. Consequently they have big game know-how and demonstrated that by coming back to win against Westmeath in the last league game.

Maura Downey was one of their top forwards in the league, and Kathryn Mullan a strong half-back.

Their absence through injury will test the Saffrons, but again there is back-up on the bench.

Westmeath’s pace was impressive in the Antrim game and that will cause problems for any defence.

Laois could be a threat – but it should still be a Westmeath v Antrim decider.