Antrim U23 Camogie Team Advances to All-Ireland Final After Late Victory Over Limerick
Antrim's under-23 camogie team defeated Limerick 2-10 to 1-12 in the All-Ireland U23B Camogie Championship semi-final at Trim in Meath. The win secured their place in the final against Wexford in two weeks at Croke Park.
Éobha McAllister scored 1-7 for Antrim, including five points from play. Clíona Griffin added 1-0 and Ellen McIntosh scored the winning point in added time. Cara O’Boyle and Cara Burns each contributed 0-1.
Antrim took an early lead with points from Cara O’Boyle and two from Éobha McAllister. McAllister then scored the first goal. Clíona Griffin netted the second goal before half-time for a six-point advantage.
Limerick equalized early in the second half with scores from Carla Griffin, Donna Kenny, Sarah O’Brien and Laura Southern. Limerick took the lead in the 50th minute via a goal from substitute Amy Burke, followed by points from Kenny and Southern.
Antrim mounted a late comeback. Cara Burns scored a point, then McAllister added two more to level the score. McIntosh struck the decisive point just before the final whistle.
The Antrim squad included half its players who had played in the senior team's Ulster final win over Down in Toome two days earlier. Antrim's starting lineup was O. Johnston, E. Coulter, A. O’Donnell, D. Dobbin, S. O’Neill, K. Molloy (captain), C. Crawford, S. Heggarty, C. O’Boyle, A. Ferris, O. McAllister, É. McAllister, C. Griffin, E. McIntosh and J. McIntosh. Substitutes used were C. Burns and L. Black.
Limerick's scores came from Carla Griffin (0-3), Donna Kenny (0-2), Laura Southern (0-2), Amy Burke (1-0), E. O’Donovan (0-1), E. O’Halloran (0-1), C. Curtin (0-1), E. Hession (0-1) and Sarah O’Brien (0-1).