Hurling & Camogie

Glass half full for McNaughton after Antrim's defeat to Kilkenny

Antrim's Lucia McNaughton believes the Saffrons will benefit from regular games against opposition like Kilkenny despite Saturday's defeat in Dunloy Picture: Margaret McLaughlin
Antrim's Lucia McNaughton believes the Saffrons will benefit from regular games against opposition like Kilkenny despite Saturday's defeat in Dunloy Picture: Margaret McLaughlin Antrim's Lucia McNaughton believes the Saffrons will benefit from regular games against opposition like Kilkenny despite Saturday's defeat in Dunloy Picture: Margaret McLaughlin

ANTRIM captain Lucia McNaughton definitely felt that the glass was half full as she left the Dunloy pitch following a 1-15 to 1-9 defeat to Kilkenny in the Glen Complex senior championship on Saturday.

“Going into the game, we probably would have accepted a scoreline like that. But when we went in at half-time just two points behind, I think that we started to believe it was there for the taking," she said.

“Unfortunately we just couldn’t push on and play the same way we had been playing coming into half-time to put a bit more pressure on them.

“Even their player getting the red card wasn’t a help to us. We didn’t use the extra player. That often happens in games. We kind of lost our shape a bit. But you have to give credit to Kilkenny because they used their experience well, especially after the red card and I don’t think there was a time when we felt we might win.

“Nevertheless we worked really hard and I am really proud of the girls. In many ways that was a super team performance without the win at the end.”

It was Antrim’s third game in the senior championship and the Loughgiel midfielder felt that it was their first real test of what to expect if they are to progress at that level.

“They are All-Ireland champions from two years ago. They are a top side and that is what you have to measure yourself against.

“To be honest I was expecting that it would be a far tougher game than it turned out to be. It was tough enough mind you. But we competed well and I would be happy enough that we learned a lot today.

“We got very little time on the ball. Then their experience there running off the shoulder of the player in possession all the time and the way they closed the space on us so that it was very hard to find a player in the forward line.

“Playing teams that do things like that is bound to sharpen you up. You have to be concentrating all the time. You just can’t switch off for a second. The more games we get against the top teams, the better we will become as players and as a team.”

Space in the forward line was at a premium in the second half and it was harder to get the inside forwards, Caitrin Dobbin and Róisín McCormick, on the ball.

“We took a while to get going in the first half. But when we did get moving, we managed to get ball into space to them.

“However Kilkenny obviously saw what we were trying to do and at halftime set up to counteract that. We have a lot of learning to do at this level. But I still think that we should be proud of our performance today.”

With Limerick beating Offaly 0-11 to 0-9 in Cappamore, Antrim are safe from a relegation play-off and could well be in line for a quarter-final spot if they beat Limerick in their final group game at the start of July.

Before that however the Saffrons will host All-Ireland champions Galway on June 25.