The Antrim county camogie team achieved a historic victory over Cork, last year's All-Ireland finalist. The Division 1A national league match, played on Saturday at MTU Cork's facility, ended with a score of 2-10 to 1-11 for the visitors. This was Antrim's first win of the season, while Cork has still not won a single match.

Historic Antrim triumph

Antrim, a team promoted from Division 1B, defeated last year's All-Ireland finalist in their first season in the top tier, which is considered a huge sensation.

Decisive match finale

The visitors secured victory thanks to two goals scored in the second half by Nicola McAtamney and Aimee Ferris, allowing them to recover from deficits.

Poor performance by the hosts

Cork paid a high price for fielding only three players from last year's final starting lineup, losing in points from the beginning.

Match weather conditions

The match was played in difficult, wet weather conditions, which affected the quality of play but did not prevent Antrim from executing an impressive counterattack.

The Antrim county camogie team pulled off a surprise in the national league competition on Saturday, defeating the favored Cork team away from home with a score of 2-10 to 1-11. The match in the Division 1A Centra Camogie League was played in difficult weather conditions at the MTU Cork campus. For the Antrim team, which earned promotion from Division 1B last season, this was their first victory in the current competition. Meanwhile, Cork, last year's All-Ireland finalist, has still not recorded a win this league season.

Camogie is the female version of hurling, a traditional Irish team sport with roots dating back several hundred years. Matches are played on a grass pitch by two fifteen-player teams, and players use wooden sticks (hurleys) to strike a small ball (sliotar). This sport is extremely popular in Ireland, especially in counties traditionally associated with hurling, such as Cork, Kilkenny, and Tipperary. Antrim's victory has historic significance, as teams from Ulster have rarely achieved success against southern powerhouses like Cork for many years. The visitors started the match excellently, leading 0-6 to 0-1 early on after two successful free shots from Nicola McAtamney. However, the hosts, despite a significantly weakened lineup – only three players from the starting eleven of the 2025 All-Ireland final took to the pitch – managed to recover and even take the lead. The turning point came in the second half when Antrim scored two crucial goals.

„„Very, very proud”” — unknown This part of the match was dominated by goals from Nicola McAtamney and Aimee Ferris, which gave the visitors a two-point lead and the eventual victory. Antrim's coaches emphasize that the success is the result of the team's hard work after promotion and proof of the growing ambitions of camogie in the northern part of the country. For Cork, the defeat at home is a serious blow and a warning signal ahead of upcoming important matches. Post-match analyses suggest that the hosts' poor performance may be related to squad rotation and testing of young players, which could bring benefits in the future.

Match result Antrim vs Cork: Antrim 2:1 Cork Antrim's triumph could have far-reaching consequences for the Division 1A table and the relegation battle. Other rivals must now reckon with the fighting spirit of the Ulster team, which has proven it can beat any opponent. In the coming week, both teams face further matches that will verify whether Antrim's victory was a one-time sensation or the beginning of a lasting change in the national hierarchy. Upcoming matches will also show whether Cork can learn lessons from this defeat and return to a winning path.

Mentioned People

  • Nicola McAtamney — Antrim player who scored one of the goals in the match against Cork.
  • Aimee Ferris — Antrim player who scored a goal in the second half of the match against Cork.
  • Eobha McAlliste — Antrim player who scored points from free shots at the beginning of the match.