Stunning second half performance see Ballycastle retain Antrim Shield
Thursday, 11 September 2008
Catherine O’Hara presents the Antrim Senior Shield to Ballycastle captain Kerry Maybin after her team’s win over St John’s.
Ballycastle.......0-13
St John's............2-5
BALLYCASTLE produced a storming second half fightback to beat St John's and retain the Antrim Senior Camogie Shield final at Randalstown.
Their fighting spirit was epitomized throughout the game by team captain, Kelly Maybin, who probably had the best of a real battle with her county colleague, Rhona Torney, throughout the game.
Ballycastle started very well in the early stages of the match, firing over three unanswered points in the opening minutes and they seemed to be in control of the game in the first quarter. But they were rocked by an injury to their influential midfielder, Rebecca Walsh, who had to retire from the game midway through the first half.
This injury unsettled Ballycastle for a period of time and St John's capitalized by popping over two fine points to narrow the gap to the minimum. In the latter stages of the half St John's penetrated the rearguard of the defending champions and full-forward, Niamh Cunningham, poached two goals to give her side a five-point lead at the interval.
In spite of a rousing half-time team talk, Ballycastle still looked out-of-sorts in the early stages of the second half and appeared to be in big trouble when St John's went six points clear and Claire Dallat had to retire with a thigh injury. Ballycastle's management team went for broke and made a few positional switches, which saw Emma Connor move from central defense to the forward line. This move seemed to be the catalyst to an amazing recovery by the defending champions who displayed great character and a real fighting spirit to produce a frenetic and gutsy finish to the game.
Samantha McKillen, who was brilliant throughout, popped over several breathtaking points from play which gave her side hope. Marie McLoughlin scored a fine point after bursting through from her centre-forward berth and Caoimhe McShane hit a great point from a seemingly impossible angle on the left wing. Interspersed between all of these scores were three immaculately pointed frees from teenager, Niamh Donnelly, who drew her team level in the closing stages of the match.
Back on level terms with just minutes remaining it appeared to be anybody's game, but Niamh Donnelly was presented with two more opportunities from the dead ball and kept her cool under considerable pressure to score two fine points to give Ballycastle the lead for the first time since the early stages of the match.
But the drama did not end there, as Ballycastle had to endure a few heart-stopping moments in the five minutes of injury time as St John's came searching for the goal that would rescue the game. A last gasp free gave the Johnnies the chance to grab a late winner, but Ballycastle goalkeeper, Selina McKillen, and her defence held firm to bring the Shield back to Ballycastle for the second year in succession.
Ballycastle scorers: Niamh Donnelly 0-5, Rebecca Walsh 0-2, Marie McLaughlin 0-2, Samantha McKillen 0-2, Claire McLernon 0-1, Caoimhe McShane 0-1.
St John's scorers: Niamh Cunningham 2-4, Rhona Torney 0-1.
Ballycastle - Selina McKillen, Cathy Christie, Ciara Donnelly, Aoifa Laverty, Catherine McAuley, Emma Connor, Clare Neill, Kelly Maybin (capt), Rebecca Walsh, Samantha McKillen, Clare Dallat, Niamh Donnelly, Claire McLernon, Marie McLoughlin, Caoimhe McShane.
Subs - Michaela Beattie, Ciara McShane, Marie Donnelly, Louise Watt
