Laois outgunned by Antrim in All-Ireland Intermediate Camogie final in Croke Park
Antrim were an unstoppable force in GAA HQ on Sunday afternoon as they won by 14 points
The Laois Camogie team have suffered All-Ireland final heartache for the second time in three years after the 2025 Premier Junior champions were outclassed by Antrim in Sunday’s Intermediate All-Ireland decider played at Croke Park.
It’s an amazing achievement for Laois to be playing in their third All-Ireland final in a row, especially considering they only won Premier Junior in 2025.
There was just no stopping Antrim as their centre-forward Roisin McCormick finished with 1-11, while Eobha McAllister also chipped in with five points.
Antrim wasted little time in getting their first score as midfielder Lucia McNaughton split the posts after just 20 seconds. Antrim made it two points to nil when Aobha McAllister raised a white flag. Laois’ first point was a great score from under the Cusack Stand as Grainne Delaney got Laois off the mark. Clodagh Tynan then pointed a free from the middle of the field to level the sides after seven minutes.
The Saffrons hit the front for the next 15 minutes or so as they went four points up. Roisin McCormick scored all four of those points, two from frees, one 45 and one from play. The 45 came after Clodagh Tynan had made a great block to deny a goal-bound shot from McAllister.
Laois had a goal chance of their own when Grainne Delaney played the ball to Catherine Kirby, but her shot flew over the bar rather than under it. McAllister and Grainne Delaney traded scores to take both their tallies to two points. The half ended with Antrim raising two white flags from McCormick and Maeve Kelly, while Laois raised one through their captain Aimee Collier from a free. Antrim led by four points at half-time, 0-9 to 0-5.
Laois started the second half well and got the first two scores courtesy of frees from Tynan and Collier. Antrim always seemed to have an answer and they went back into a three-point lead from a McCormick free. Grainne Delaney’s third point of the All-Ireland final got Laois back to within two points, but Antrim stepped it up a notch and scored 1-4 without reply.
Janey McIntosh, McCormick, Shannagh Heggarty and McAllister all raised white flags, with their green flag coming from the Player of the Match, McCormick. Antrim now led 1-14 to 0-8 with 20 minutes to play and it looked to be game over at this stage. Kaylee O’Keeffe ended Antrim’s spell of dominance with her only point, but Antrim kept getting scores as Kelly (two) and McAllister pointed for Antrim.
Laois went in search of goals as Collier played a free short to Tynan, but her effort went over the bar. There was no letting up from Antrim as they added four more points to their tally. McCormick scored three and McAllister took her total to five points. Substitute Amy Lacey also denied Antrim a second goal, which is where one of McCormick’s scores came from.
Clodagh Tynan ended the game with four points to her name and was Laois’ top-scorer. However, the day belonged to Antrim as McCormick finished the game with a point to end with 1-11 to her name in an All-Ireland final.
FINAL SCORE
ANTRIM 1-22
LAOIS 0-11
SCORERS- Antrim: Roisin McCormick 1-11 (0-5 frees, 0-2 45s), Eabha McAllister 0-5, Maeve Kelly 0-3, Janey McIntosh, Shannagh Heggarty and Lucia McNaughton 0-1 each. Laois: Clodagh Tynan 0-4 (0-2 frees), Grainne Delaney 0-3, Aimee Collier 0-2 (frees), Kaylee O’Keeffe and Catherine Kirby 0-1 each
LAOIS: Aedin Lowry (Camross); Laura Finlay (St Brigid's), Aoife Finlay (St Brigid's), Karla Whelan (Naomh Eamonn); Lucy Conroy (O'Moore's), Clodagh Tynan (St Brigid's), Rachael Deegan (The Harps); Sarah Creagh (St Brigid's), Jade Bergin (The Harps); Kaylee O'Keeffe (St Lazarian's), Grainne Delaney (Camross), Catherine Kirby (The Harps); Kristen Keenan (Camross), Aimee Collier (Camross), Susie Delaney (Boherlahan-Dualla). Subs: Eimear Hassett (St Brigid’s) for Kirby (36 mins), Aisling O’Dea (St Brigid’s) for Keenan (45 mins), Amy Lacey (St Brigid’s) for Deegan (52 mins), Aoife Carroll (St Brigid’s) for Whelan and Sarah Fleming (Portlaoise) for O’Keeffe (both 57 mins)
Antrim: Caitríona Graham; Colleen Patterson, Caoimhe Conlon, Caoimhe McNaughton; Clare McKillop, Katie Molloy, Shannagh Heggarty; Amy Boyle, Lucia McNaughton; Maeve Kelly, Róisín McCormick, Nicole McAtamney; Janey McIntosh, Cliona Griffin, Eobha McAllister. Subs: Sarah O’Neill for Molly (HT), Orlaith McAllister for McAtamney and Elen McIntosh for J McIntosh (Both 48 mins), Aimee Ferris for McNaughton and Dearbhail Dobbin for Patterson (56 mins)
Referee: Joe Mullins (Clare)