All-Ireland schools’ senior camogie final
St Louis Ballymena 3-8 Gorey Community School 1-10
St Louis Ballymena clinched the All Ireland Senior B Colleges title at Blanchardstown on Saturday when they came from behind to beat Leinster champions Gorey Community School in a hard fought final.
The Wexford school appeared to be in a strong position when they led by 0-6 to 0-2 with just five minutes of the first half remaining, but two goals before half time by full forward Ciara O’Boyle turned the game on its head and sent the Antrim girls in at the break with a 2-3 to 0-7 advantage. Gorey came close to retaking the lead soon after the restart but a great save from Eimear McGivern in the St Louis goal denied them, a save that was to prove vital as the game progressed.
The opening twenty minutes belonged to Gorey and with the impressive Katie Bolger picking off points from frees they held the upper hand. They seemed set to carry their advantage into half time but when their keeper blocked a shot from team captain Sarah Fyfe, Rasharkin’s Ciara O’Boyle batted the rebound home to cut the gap to a single point. Gorey came back with a point but O’Boyle struck again a minute later as she finished to an open net when Maria Gately sent her clear, despite being dragged back by the Gorey goalkeeper.
McGivern’s sharp save early in the second half kept the momentum with st Louis and with Player of the Match Katie Molloy dominant in the middle of field they maintained the upper hand.
During the third quarter the sides swapped points on two occasions but then a gap began to open. Anna McKillop and Ciara O’Boyle each pointed before a great run and delivery from Erin Coulter fell invitingly for captain Sarah Fyfe to lift the net. Suddenly St Louis were seven points up with seven minutes left.
Bulger hit back with a point from a free, but McKillop responded with one from a 45 as the game edged into four minutes of added time.
There were a few more anxious moments for the large St Louis following when Gorey’s right half forward Siún Murdiff fired the ball to the net, but the Ulster champions held their nerve to seal the title and spark scenes of great celebration.
Player of the Match Katie Molloy receives her trophy after a fantastic display, the Dunloy player was a tower of strenght in the middle of the field for the Ballymena school.
St Louis: C O’Boyle 2-1, S Fyfe 1-1, A McKillop 0-3 frees, E Kohnston 0-2, K Molloy 0-1
Gorey CS: S Murdiff 1-0, K Bulger 0-7, 6 frees, M Davy 0-2, R McGonigle 0-1.
St Louis: E McGivern, S Shannon, A McKillen, L McGarry, D Dobbin, A O’Donnell, E Coulter, C Griffin, K Molloy, C Crawford, S Fyfe capt, A McKillop, M Gately, C O’Boyle, E Johnstone.
Subs: A Cosgrove for C O’Boyle (52).
Gorey: K Steadmond; M Doran, E Casey, M Bairéad; A Hughes, B McDonald, T O’Connor capt.; R Kinsella, S Murdiff; K Bolger, M Davy, R McGonigle; R Hughes, U Daly-O’Toole, C Browne.
Referee: J Dermody (Westmeath)
