Double league delight
Memorable day for camogie teams in Thurles
WEXFORD’S STANDING at the very top of the camogie world was reflected in emphatic fashion in Semple Stadium, Thurles, on April 24, 2010.
Winning was becoming a very welcome habit at the time, and there was no stopping the county Senior and Intermediate teams as they both retained their respective National League titles.
The Intermediates got the day off to a perfect start, with Ciara O’Connor captaining the side to the silverware as they defeated Offaly by 2-9 to 1-9.
And, not to be outdone, the Seniors followed suit with the first major piece of silverware attained under the guidance of manager J.J. Doyle, with a point from substitute Ursula Jacob seven and a half minutes into added time pipping Kilkenny to Division 1 honours by 1-7 to 1-6.
Both of the Division 2 finalists were undefeated beforehand, so something had to give. And one of the key elements in keeping Offaly at bay was the superb performance of centre-back Ciara Storey on a key player, Elaine Dermody, who was restricted to just one point from play.
A long-range Lisa Bolger shot gave Wexford a first-half goal, but they trailed by 1-6 to 1-5 at the interval.
Gradually the Slaneysiders took over on the re-start, and it was Lisa’s twin sister, Linda, who wrapped up the title in the last minute when Bríd Gordon provided the necessary distraction as her delivery from outfield ended up in the net.
Wexford: Helena Jacob (Oulart-The Ballagh); Jean Hayden (Rathnure), Louise O’Leary (Rathnure), Colleen Atkinson (Oulart-The Ballagh); Frances Doran (Buffers Alley), Ciara Storey (Oulart-The Ballagh, 0-1), Shelley Kehoe (Oulart-The Ballagh); Emma Moran (Oulart-The Ballagh, 0-1), Evelyn Quigley (Rathnure); Bríd Gordon (Blackwater, 0-1), Síona Nolan (Monageer-Boolavogue, 0-1), Ciara O’Connor (Rathnure, capt., 0-1); Stacey Kehoe (Oulart-The Ballagh, 0-2), Eimear O’Connor (Rathnure), Lisa Bolger (St. Martin’s, 1-2). Subs. - Linda Bolger (St. Martin’s, 1-0) for E. O’Connor (41), Stacey Redmond (Oulart-The Ballagh) for Lisa Bolger (56), also Nicola Murphy (Faythe Harriers), Lorraine O’Connor (Oylegate-Glenbrien), Niamh O’Connor (Rathnure), Bridget Curran (St. Ibar’s/Shelmalier), Fiona Rochford (St. Anne’s), Ellen Kelly (Marshalstown), Louise Codd (Duffry Rovers). The Senior final was a tight contest, with Wexford trailing Kilkenny by 0-4 to 0-3 at half-time before a sensational piece of fielding by Mary Leacy led to a Kate Kelly goal on the re-start.
The character of the team was put to the ultimate test, though, when rival forward Marie Dargan forced the ball over the goal-line after a scramble some 90 seconds into added time.
That left Kilkenny ahead by 1-6 to 1-5, but the response was superb.
Only half a minute later, team captain Una Leacy fired over the equaliser, and a flick on by Lenny Holohan then paved the way for a coolly-taken point off the right wing from Ursula Jacob.
Wexford: Mags D’Arcy (St. Martin’s); Claire O’Connor (Rathnure), Catherine O’Loughlin (Monageer-Boolavogue), Karen Atkinson (Oulart-The Ballagh); Noeleen Lambert (St. Martin’s), Mary Leacy (Oulart-The Ballagh), Deirdre Codd (Duffry Rovers); Josie Dwyer (Ferns St. Aidan’s), Caroline Murphy (Ferns St. Aidan’s, 0-1); Katrina Parrock (St. Ibar’s/Shelmalier), Michelle O’Leary (Rathnure), Kate Kelly (St. Ibar’s/Shelmalier, 1-3, 0-3 frees); Lenny Holohan (Rathnure), Una Leacy (Oulart-The Ballagh, capt., 0-1), Fiona Kavanagh (Bunclody). Subs. - Ursula Jacob (Oulart-The Ballagh, 0-2) for Parrock (45), also Helena Jacob (Oulart-The Ballagh), Aoife O’Connor (Rathnure), Evelyn Quigley (Rathnure), Shelley Kehoe (Oulart-The Ballagh), Ciara Storey (Oulart-The Ballagh), Ciara O’Connor (Rathnure), Stacey Kehoe (Oulart-The Ballagh), Colleen Atkinson (Oulart-The Ballagh), Louise O’Leary (Rathnure), Eimear O’Connor (Rathnure), Jean Hayden (Rathnure).