Limerick lose out to Antrim in Very Camogie League

“WE were outstanding in the first half but we need to soul-search where it went wrong after the break,” was manager John Lillis's analysis of Limerick's second round Division 1B Very National Camogie League which saw his side fall to a disappointing 2-17 to 1-11 defeat to Antrim in Rathkeale's Mick Neville Park on Saturday.

Failure to make enough use of the wind saw Limerick trail at the break by a point and then falling well behind as the visitors shot 1-6 without reply inside eight minutes going into the final quarter.

The big difference between the sides was in finishing. Before a late flourish eased the pain on the scoreboard, all but two of Limerick's ten scores up to then had come from Claire Keating, seven of them from placed balls.

Down at the other end of the field, Caitrín Dobbin and Áine Magill whacked up 2-11 between them, with all but three points of the haul coming from open play.

Without the injured Caoimhe Costello and Rebecca Delee, their two leading players of recent seasons, Limerick struggled to find consistency down the middle where Antrim's solid presence gave them the buffer to ride out those periods where they were under pressure and then gave them the platform to launch their attacks.

Maybe the game might have taken a different course had the hosts not shot four early wides from distance rather than building the scoring space closer to the posts.

Antrim led 1-8 to 0-8 at half-time.

SCORERS, ANTRIM: Caitrin Dobbin 1-7 (0-2 frees, 0-1 '45'), Áine Magill 1-4, Shannon Graham 0-2, Fionnuala Kelly, Cassie McArthur, Siobhán McKillop, Mary McKillen 0-1 each; LIMERICK: Claire Keating 0-8 (6 frees, 1 '45'), Caoimhe Lyons 1-0, Áine Reynolds, Sarah O'Brien, Lizzie Boylan 0-1 each.

ANTRIM: Cairíona Graham (Ahogghill); Colleen Patterson (Cushendall), Caoimhe Conlon (Dunloy), Maria Lynn (Loughgiel); Amy Boyle (Loughgiel), Shannon Graham (Ballycastle), Niamh Cosgrave (Ballycastle); Lucia McNaughton (Loughgiel), Siobhán McKillop (Cushendall); Katie McKillop (Loughgiel), Mary Ann McKillen (Loughgiel), Áine Magill (Dunloy); Fionnuala Kelly (Ballycastle), Cassie McArthur (Dunloy), Caitrin Dobbin (Loughgiel). SUBS: Nuala Devlin (Ballycastle) for Cassie McArthur (41 minutes), Niamh Anne Donnelly (Ballycastle) for Fionnuala Kelly (46 minutes).

LIMERICK: Laura O’Neill (Na Piarsaigh); Marian Quaid (Bruff), Muireann Creamer (Cappamore), Teresa Dore l(Charleville); Emma Kennedy (Doon), Ailbhe Larkin (Mungret St Paul’s), Stephanie Woulfe (Templeglantine); Noirin Lenihan (Croagh-Kilfinny), Mairead Ryan (Bruff); Caoimhe Lyons (Monaleen), Aine Reynolds (Ahane), Orlaith Kelleher (Croagh-Kilfinny); Sarah O’Brien (Templeglantine), Claire Keating (Cappamore), Cliodhna Ryan (Doon). SUBS: Lizzie Boylan (Na Piarsaigh) for Sarah O'Brien (52 minutes), Sophie O'Callaghan (Adare) for Mairéad Ryan (55 minutes), Ciara O'Riordan (Blackrock-Effin) for Orlaith Kelleher (56 minutes), Éle Madigan (Ahane) for Nóirín Lenihan (57 minutes), Amy Bourke (Monaleen) for Áine Reynolds (59 minutes), Emily O'Halloran (Monaleen) for Emma Kennedy (59 minutes),

REFEREE: Cathal McAllister (Cork).