Glen Dimplex All Ireland Intermediate Championship
Antrim 2-12 Offaly 1-16
Cedral St Conleth’s Park
Antrim saw their All-Ireland camogie campaign come to an abrupt end on Saturday afternoon as they fell to a single-point defeat to Offaly.
The camogs travelled to Kildare on a hot-streak after previously beating their opponents in the group phase of the competition which saw Antrim finish top of Group One when they proved too strong for Meath, Westmeath and Saturday's opponents Offaly.
The Saffrons winning streak came abruptly to an end in blistering heat that matched the intensity of the game as both sides went hell-for-leather in the sunshine at St Conleth's Park.
Offaly went into the break leading by two scores after Antrim had led for the majority of the opening period before the tie swung in favour of the Faithful County.
The crucial moment came from a free taken by Clodagh Leahy that allowed Offaly to draw up beside Antrim for the first time in the game with three minutes remaining on the opening half.
Antrim were firmly on top after a goal from Caitrín Dobbin sent her side into the lead. The pacy forward showed relentless persistence, finally netting her strike on the third attempt during a goalmouth scramble.
Temperatures soared past 30 degrees in Kildare and the Saffrons suffered in the summer heatwave. Offaly, however, kept their composure in the sweltering heat and struck two additional points from play to enjoy a lead.
BRAVE: Antrim Battled until the end but just fell short of Offaly
The second half witnessed Offaly up the pace just five minutes into the restart as their ace forward, Mairéad Teehan, drove the sliotar at pace past Caitriona Graham in the Antrim net. After that, Offaly slowly drifted away, extending their lead by six points.
Antrim were not done yet and the white flag was far from being flown in this keenly contested fixture.
The Saffrons replied with a rallying goal from Roísín McCormick as Katie Molloy managed to come away with the sliotar from a gruelling scrum before laying the pass into her teammate's pathway, allowing McCormick's strike at the Offaly net.
Antrim clawed their way back up the scoreboard and a blistering solo run from substitute Erin Coulter hauled Antrim back into the game with just two points the difference. But a simple point from Offaly’s Teehan pushed the gap back to three.
Offaly went into survival mode when Antrim made recurrent visits to float the sliotar over twice more courtesy of McCormick and Dobbin with the latter managing to strike her effort between the uprights despite being held in the box.
Full time Antrim 2-12 Offaly 1-16, hard luck girls, so agonisingly close to getting that elusive final point to force extra time. Blistering performance by everyone. Good luck to Offaly.
— Antrim Camogie (@CamogieAontroim) July 12, 2025
As the final whistle drew nearer, the Antrim faithful made their voices heard as they drove on the girls late in the game.
Unfortunately the Saffrons could not muster up the very much-needed equalising point in order to force extra-time in Kildare.
The ladies fought bravely in the sunny southeast but the unforgiving heat and Offaly's determination for revenge proved too strong.
The only consolation for the Antrim camp is that the camogs have enjoyed a fantastic season which saw them clinch a league and Ulster double before their group-tapping All-Ireland campaign.
Next season Antrim will eat at the top table with camogie's elite after their promotion to Division 1A, and no doubt will use this painful loss as a means to further success.
