Congratulations to Mag & Kate Kelly, Michelle Hearne & Katriona Parrock who were on the Division 1 winning Wexford team & Mag Kelly who was also on the Division 2 winning team.
Division 1 Final: Wexford 2-12, Tipperary 0-11: Reinvigorated and remorseless, Wexford terrorised a shellshocked Tipperary to win their first National Camogie League Division 1 title in 32 years at Parnell Park, on Saturday last.
Division 2 Final: Wexford 2-10, Antrim 0-11: Wexford’s Intermediate camogie team claimed their first-ever National League Division 2 title as they produced a purposeful team display to see off the challenge of an improving Antrim side in Parnell Park on Saturday last.
Division 1 Full match report
The arrival of Una Leacy’s two goals, carbon-copied rifled strikes into the roof of Rosie Kenneally’s net in the last five minutes of the first-half, could hardly have been more opportunely timed. Wexford were leading by one point at the time, in a contest that was ebbing and flowing, the quickfire double gave them an interval advantage that Tipperary never come close to overturning.
A foul on Michelle O’Leary led Free-taker Kate Kelly to convert the placed ball,getting the girls in purple and gold on their way. Tipperary quickly hit back with their own free-taker, Claire Grogan, bisecting the posts, before a Hearne handpass found O’Leary in enough space to knock over Wexford’s second point.
Again the lead lasted just a minute, and this time it was Geraldine Kinnane who produced the finish from the right. The back and forth action continued with a Kelly free, and a Leacy point firing Wexford into a two-point lead after an energetic opening ten minutes. Wexford failed to strike again until the 21st minute. A brace of Grogan placed balls brought the scores level for the third time. However, Kelly once again put her side ahead, which she easily did.
Leacy fired home her first goal in the 25th minute. Picking up a loose sliothar just outside the ’21, the defence backed off thinking she may pass or may even run at goal. However, she turned and unleashed an unstoppable shot into the roof of the net.
Both free-takers exchanged points two minutes later as Tipperary attempted to rebound from the goal and Wexford tried to add another. It was the latter that came to pass.
In first-half injury time, Ursula Jacob, managed to pick out Leacy cross-field. In almost the same position as five minutes earlier, she worked enough space to unleash another rocket-propelled effort into the top of the net. That goal on the stroke of half-time gave Wexford a hard-earned seven-point lead (2-6 to 0-5).
The third quarter followed a similar pattern to the first, with the sides trading points but struggling to grab back-to-back scores. This time Tipp. began scoring proceedings through Cora Hennessy before Kelly grabbed her fifth for Wexford.
Not to be outdone, Grogan also grabbed her fifth point just a minute later, but unlike Kelly she failed to score from play.
Jacob with a nice finish and Kelly with a free had both managed to reopen Wexford’s seven-point lead, only for Joanne Ryan and Emily Hayden to cut it to six again heading into the final ten minutes. Eimear McDonnell’s point from the right in the 51st minute cut the deficit to less than six (2-9 to 0-10) for the first time since Leacy’s second goal.
Once again both teams’ free-takers exchanged points but, with time running out, there was a clear sense that Wexford were almost there. Una Leacy fired over her final point from just inside the ’45 with two minutes left.
And Kelly rounded off a fabulous victory in injury time with her eighth point just before joyous, shrill screams emanated around Parnell Park on the final whistle.
Wexford: Mags D’Arcy; Claire O’Connor, Deirdre Codd, Bernie Holohan; Áine Codd, Mary Leacy, Aoife O’Connor (capt.); Caroline Murphy, Kate Kelly (0-8, 5 frees, 1 ’45); Josie Dwyer, Rose-Marie Breen, Michelle O’Leary (0-1); Una Leacy (2-2), Ursula Jacob ( 0-1), Michelle Hearne. Subs. – Lenny Holohan for Jacob, also Helena Jacob, Georgina Moore, Stacey Redmond, Mag Kelly, Ciara Storey, Louise Codd, Karen Atkinson, Evelyn Quigley, Colleen Atkinson, Síona Nolan, Katrina Parrock, Noeleen Lambert, Catherine O’Loughlin.
Tipperary: Rosie Kenneally; Suzanne Kelly, Mairéad Luttrell, Paula Bulfin; Michelle Shortt, Tishy O’Halloran, Mary Ryan; Julie McGrath, Jill Horan; Cora Hennessy (0-1), Claire Grogan (0-6, 5 frees, 1 ’45), Una O’Dwyer; Geraldine Kinane (capt., 0-1), Emily Hayden (0-1), Eimear McDonnell (0-1). Subs. – Joanne Ryan (0-1) for Bulfin, Jenny O’Halloran for Hayden, Cáit Devane for Kinane.
Referee: Frank McDonald (Armagh).