Offaly reach All-Ireland intermediate camogie final

by Daragh Ó Conchúir

Offaly will play in the Glen Dimplex All-Ireland intermediate camogie final after coming through a rip-roaring semi-final at Cedral St Conleth’s Park in Newbridge.

Offaly were beaten at this stage of last year’s championship and were up against it when attempting to clear the penultimate hurdle this time, playing Antrim relegated from the senior championship 12 months ago.

A 36th minute goal from Mairéad Teehan helped Offaly turn a half-time lead of two points to a seven-point advantage and that was critical as the Faithful held off Antrim to prevail by 1-16 to 2-12.

Goals have been the key to Offaly’s success this year but they showed they had other strings to their bow when outpointing Antrim in the battle of the Very League champions.

The Ulster crew were marginal favourites, given that they had beaten three senior sides to win the Division 1B title. But Offaly had impressed in garnering the Division 2 crown and were only two points in arrears when the teams met in the group stages.

Antrim scored their first goal in the 15th minute, starting with good defensive work to thwart a dangerous looking Offaly attack. They countered quickly and Róisín McCormick won the long delivery well, then popped the sliotar to the onrushing Annie Lynn.

Lynn didn’t have to break stride before in turn feeding Caitrin Dobbin, and while her shot was saved brilliantly by Emer Reynolds, the Loughgiel sniper managed to scramble the rebound over the line.

David Sullivan’s crew responded well with Grace Teehan leading the resistance. She took over freetaking duties and quickly brought her tally to four points, finishing with a wonderful score from play just before the break to send her side in leading 0-10 to 1-5.

Antrim had the wind in the second half however, and the hope that they could get Róisín McCormick into the play even more, the Loughgiel ace scoring all of her team’s points in that opening period.

The sides shared four points early on in the second half but after Grace Teehan converted another free from a tight angle, Offaly made the definitive burst thanks to a sublime goal by her cousin Mairéad.

The Moneygall maestro, denied by a tremendous Caitriona Graham save in the first half, executed a lightning quick pick-up and took the direct route, cutting back expertly inside to lose two defenders in a blink before blasting off her left to the roof of the net.

That put six between the teams and the margin quickly became seven with all the momentum in the Faithful’s direction.

It was McCormick who provided the fuel injection Antrim needed six minutes after Teehan’s major. Kate Molloy did the donkey work on this occasion, somehow emerging from a ruck with possession. She offloaded to McCormick and she did the rest, slaloming into space before unleashing an unstoppable shot from close range.

It was nip and tuck from there to the end, Offaly wasting a few chances to extend their advantage and Antrim chipping away to reduce the deficit to the minimum with points from McCormick (free) and Dobbin.

Offaly defended well in the last two minutes of injury time however and it was the midlanders progressing to HQ.

There they will meet Kerry who overcome Down in the other semi final on a 3-12 to 0-16 scoreline.