Glen Dimplex All-Ireland Senior Camogie championship
Group 3, round one
Antrim 1-15 Limerick 0-14
Offaly 1-9 Waterford 2-27
A GOOD start and a strong finish were the hallmarks of Antrim’s opening-day victory in this senior championship game in Dunloy on Saturday.
After seven minutes, Antrim had taken a 0-3 to 0-2 lead with points from Caitrín Dobbin (two) and Katie McKillop. A minute later the only goal of the game arrived from a move down the left wing. Siobhán McKillop wandered into position in front of the Limerick goal, took the pass and confidently slotted home.
From there the home team were able to build an interval lead of 1-8 to 0-4 that was very useful as they turned to face the breeze.
The visitors whittled that lead down to two points with around 10 minutes to go, but Róisín McCormick’s huge free into the breeze put a goal between them with seven minutes left and she and Áine Magill added points in added time to secure a 1-15 to 0-14 victory.
It was an improved performance on their two outings in the Ulster championship and the goal certainly gave them the platform to strike for victory.
With the other game in the group ending in a trouncing for Offaly, Antrim could clinch a quarter-final next day out when they host the midlanders.
Antrim were the dominant team in that first half, playing with wind assistance. They pulled away after the goal with points from Caitrín Dobbin, Aine Magill, Róisín McCormick and two from Katie McKillop.
While Limerick only managed two points in reply, the one in the 19th minute from Caoimhe Costelloe could well have ended up a goal except for a brilliant reaction save from Catriona Graham.
Although Amy Boyle fired over within seconds of the re-start, the rest of the third quarter belonged to Limerick and they shot seven points with only a long free from Róisín McCormick in reply. At 1-10 to 0-11 the momentum was with the visitors.
However, points in the 47th and 48th minutes from Áine Magill and Caitrín Dobbin stalled that momentum for a while, before it appeared to build again with points from Orlaith Kelleher and Sophie O’Callaghan.
McCormick’s free-taking, however, put them into a good place and Magill was accurate in injury-time to provide the insurance score.
Scorers
Antrim C Dobbin (0-2f) & R McCormick (0-3f) 0-4 each; S McKillop 1-0; K McKillop & Á Magill 0-3 each; A Boyle 0-1
Limerick C Keating 0-6 0-5f); Á Reynolds & M Ryan 0-2; C Costelloe, L Fennelly, O Kelleher & S O’Callaghan 0-1 each
