Four periods of extra time were required to finally separate the Saffrons from the Saffron and Blues as Antrim narrowly defeated Clare in the All Ireland Junior Camogie Semi Final.
Clare and Antrim faced off in O’Connor Park Tullamore with the Banner ladies hoping to reach their first All-Ireland final at the grade since 2008.
Both sides donned their alternative kits to avoid the colour clash and it was Antrim who made the brighter start amassing a 1-02 to 0-01 lead after just seven minutes
However Clare produced an inspired fightback with Shauna Canny splitting the posts on no less than six occasions from frees before a long range effort from joint captain Kate O’Gorman saw the sides go in level at the interval at Antrim’s 1-04 to Clare’s 0-07.
The sides continued to trade scores in the second half and despite a late Aoife Anderson effort putting Clare a point in front, Antrim would equalize with the final strike of the game in additional time of the regulation period where it finished Clare 0-14 to Antrim’s 1-11.
Aoife Anderson and Shauna Canny provided the scores for Clare in the first of half of extra time , however the Ulster women were equal to anything the Banner could throw at them and ensured the sides went in level pegging at the break at 0-16 to 1-13.
Upon the restart Antrim edged their noses in front with two well taken scores however there was time for more twists in this dramatic tale as first Grace Carmody and then substitute Sarah Loughnanne stepped up in the final moment of additional time to send to the game to a further instalment of extra time to see if the teams may be separated. The sides were deadlocked at 1-15 to 0-18
As it happened lady luck was on Antrim’s side in this stage of double extra time as just one point would accumulate over the next two periods of five minutes, despite gallant efforts from Clare the equalizer did not materialise.
It finished in O’Connor Park Tullamore Antrim 1-16 to Clare’s 0-18
The All Ireland Junior Camogie final will now constitute an all Ulster Derby with Armagh taking on Antrim in Croke Park on August 7th.
