Hurling & Camogie

Upheaval and skill fire determined Antrim camogs to victory

Liberty Insurance All-Ireland Intermediate Championship: Antrim 5-10 Carlow 4-9

ANTRIM were more convincing winners of this Liberty Insurance All-Ireland Intermediate Championship tie than the final score-line suggests as the loss of home advantage at 40 hours’ notice and the upheaval it caused seemed to drive the Saffrons to victory in Inniskeen.

The game was supposed to be in Randalstown but Ardchomhairle directed Antrim to travel to the Monaghan venue late Thursday evening. Joint manager Jim McKernan would not be drawn on the change of venue.

“Our job, players and management, is to win the game and I was happy enough with the performance. It is good to be playing and winning games.

“I think there was a certain rustiness there but when you put all those things together we did pretty well and we won the game which was the whole point. And we can build on that performance for the next game.”

The Saffrons were quick out of the blocks with Nicole O’Neill scoring two of the first four points and was involved in the other two scored by Christine Laverty and Róisín McCormack.

Ciara Quirke eventually got Carlow off the mark with a point in the 10th minute, but immediately O’Neill found Orlagh O’Hara and her neat lay-off saw McCormack find the net.

Maeve Kelly then floated a great pass to put Orlagh O’Hara in for a second goal and a 2-4 to 0-2 lead at the water-break. O’Hara was in for a second goal as Antrim pulled clear at 3-7 to 0-2 before a late point and then a goal from Ciara Quirke gave Carlow a glimmer of hope.

Christine Laverty won a 34th minute penalty that Roisín McCormack netted and although Catherine Kavanagh hit back with a goal, the Loughgiel trio of Christine and Ciara Laverty and Caitrin Dobbin posted three excellent points in reply and the Saffrons entered the last quarter with a double scores lead of 4-10 to 2-5.

Ciara Quirke and Maeve Kelly swapped goals before late points from free-taker Eleanor Treacy and Even Sinnott followed by Kavanagh’s second goal finished the scoring.

Antrim: E Boyle, C McKillop, K Donnelly, C Drain, N Donnelly, M Connolly capt., A Boyle, E Laverty, Ciara Laverty (0-1), M Kelly (1-1), N O’Neill (0-2), Christine Laverty (0-2), R McCormack (2-2, 1-0 pen., 0-1 free), O O’Hara (2-0), Caitrin Dobbin (0-2).

Subs: NA Donnelly for K Donnelly (48), C Dobbin for Christine Laverty (48), Á Donnelly for O O’Hara (56).

Carlow: H Rapley, T Wilson, N Quirke, S Kavanagh, E Cody, K Nolan capt., M O'Shea, E Treacy (0-3 frees), E Sinnott (0-1), A Breen, C Quirke (2-1), A Cushen, R Sawyer, E Lawler (0-3), C Kavanagh (2-1)

Sub: K Collins for A Cushen (41)

Referee : EP Cassidy (Derry)