Antrim’s season of progress comes to a close

TG4 All-Ireland Intermediate Championship

Clare 2-14 Antrim 1-13

By Deniese O’Flaherty

ANTRIM’S season of progress came to an end as Clare advanced to the TG4 All-Ireland Intermediate final for the first time since 2016 when they overcame the stiff Saffron challenge at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park in Longford.

In what was a fantastic game of football Clare made a whirlwind start to the game but credit to Antrim they came back at them. The Banner put in a fine performance in the second half despite losing substitute Ciara McCarthy to a sin bin.

Straight from throw-in Antrim had a chance to open the scoring but kicked a wide. Clare went up the field and six attacks yielded six scores. Chloe Moloney got their first point in the second minute.

Moloney passed the ball to Aisling Reidy one minute later and she found the back of the net with a superb strike. Moloney and Laura Griffey and Fidelma Marrinan tagged on points as Clare opened up an eight point lead after seven minutes of play.

Antrim though didn’t panic and got off the mark with a neat point from Orlaith Prenter in the ninth minute. They added two more points before Marrinan and Reidy put Clare in front by seven in the 16th minute.

But then the game swung in Antrim’s favour. They overturned the ball in the 19th minute, Cathy Carey went on a run before finding Maria O’Neill and she fisted the ball to the net. In the 28th minute a good point from Carey levelled the game.

Just before the break a free from Marrinan and a fine score from Reidy gave the Banner County a two point lead at 1-9 to 1-7 at the interval.

An excellent point from Marrinan and another free from Moloney extended Clare’s lead to four points in the 36th minute. The lead was seven in the 44th minute when sub McCarthy played a high ball into Moloney, she turned before she found the top corner of the net with a stunning shot.

One minute later McCarthy was sin binned and Antrim got a score through Lara Dahunsi. Clare tried to manage the clock while McCarthy was off but Antrim got points through Prenter and Dahunsi to close the gap to three in the 52nd minute.

It was end to end stuff. Clare substitute Megan Downes got a much needed point in the 54th minute to stem Antrim’s comeback. Marrinan followed with a free for her fifth point of the game to extend the lead to five points in the 56th minute as they advanced to the final.

Scorers

Clare: C Moloney 1-4 (2fs) F Marrinan 0-5 (2fs), A Reidy 1-2, L Griffey 0-1, C McCarthy 0-1, M Downes 0-1.

Antrim: O Prenter 0-5 (1f), M O’Neill 1-1, G McLaughlin 0-3 (1f), L Dahunsi 0-2, C Carey 0-1, T Mellon 0-1.

CLARE: A Lenihan; A Keane, S Ní Chonaill, G Harvey; L Griffin, C Harvey, O Devitt; A Reidy, C Moloney; L Ryan, F Marrinan, A Sexton; L Griffey, C Blake, C Cahill. Subs: S Considine for Cahill (25), C McCormack for Griffey (ht), M Downes for Griffin (33).

ANTRIM: A McCann; D Coleman, E Ferran, M Mulholland; O Corr, C Brown, S O’Neill; L Dahunsi, A Tubridy; G McLaughlin, C Carey, T Mellon; B Devlin, O Prenter, M O’Neill. Subs: L Agnew for Devlin (53), C McKenna for Coleman (57).

Referee: Anthony Marron (Monaghan).