All Ireland Camogie Feile Division 2, 2024.
Ruairi Og under 15 camogs came agonisingly close to winning their second All Ireland Feile title in a row on Saturday 22nd of June in Blackwater Co. Wexford but ultimately lost out to an excellent Ballinderry Shamrocks side.
The young Ruairi’s started the group stages in fine style with a 3-5 to 0-3 win over Raharney of Westmeath. Early goals from Laoiseach McNaughton and Cliodhna Thompson set the tone for the game. Raharney did come back with a couple of pointed frees but points from Erin McNaughton, Laoiseach McNaughton and Cliodhna Thompson (0-3) had the Antrim champions in control at half time. An early goal in the second half from Cliodhna Thompson put the game beyond doubt and Cushendall introduced several subs. Raharney pushed hard trying to get back into the game but got no change from a stout Dall defence. Final score Cushendall 3-5 Raharney 0-3.
The second group game with Tullamore of Offaly proved a much tighter affair. With defences on top scores were proving hard to come by. However, the Offaly girls had their noses in front 0-3 to 0-1 at the break with Cushendall’ s point coming from a Cliodhna Thompson effort from out on the right wing. The Dall girls knew what they had to do in the second half, and they upped the tempo and outscored Tullamore 0-3 to 0-1 in the second half thanks to points from Erin McNaughton and Cliodhna Thompson(0-2) they snatched a draw from the jaws of defeat. Final score Tullamore 0-4 Cushendall 0-4.
The young Ruairi’s knew that a win in their final group game against Eire Og from Kildare would see them top their group. An early goal from Laoiseach McNaughton settled any nerves and points were picked off by Erin McNaughton and Cliodhna Thompson(0-2) for a 1-3 to 0-0 half time advantage. In the second half the Kildare champions pushed hard and did get a goal and a point but could not get the scores they needed to get back into the game. They found no way through a Dall defence well marshalled by the excellent Laoise McCollam who was well assisted by Aibrean Campbell and Emily Elliott. Up front the Dall girls kept the score board ticking over thanks to points from Tamara Black and Cliodhna Thompson (0-3) to leave the final score Cushendall 1-7 Eire Og 1-1.
That victory set up a semi-final clash with Waterford champions Gailltír. The Waterford girls played with the strengthening breeze at their backs in the first half and with half time approaching they had worked themselves into a 0-5 to 0-1 lead with Cushendall’s solitary point coming from a Cliodhna Thompson free. In truth the Dall were indebted to goalkeeper Ellen McAlister who made at least three-point blank saves and ensured her team were not further behind. However, Scarlett Kerr-McKillop threw her team a lifeline when she won a ball in a ruck, rounded two defenders and finished to the bottom corner of the net. Score at half time Gailltír 0-5 Cushendall 1-1. Space was at a premium in the second half and scores hard to come by, Gailltír did score two pointed frees to a point from play in response from Laoiseach McNaughton to give the Waterford girls a two point lead. The game was deep in injury time was The Dall down by two. Cliodhna Thompson lobbed a free into a congested Gailltír danger area and the mother of all goal mouth shemozzles ensued but in the chaos Erin McNaughton’s ricocheted shot fell to Laoiseach McNaughton who flicked the ball to the net. From the puc out the referee called time and Cushendall had secured the victory that just a minute ago looked beyond them.
In the final Cushendall faced Ballinderry Shamrocks who had qualified top of their group and it was fitting that the only two undefeated teams faced each other in the final. The first half was nip and tuc, physical around the middle with no quarter asked or given. Cushendall struck first with a point from Erin McNaughton. Ballinderry hit two points in a row but the Dall girls wrestled back the lead with two points from Cliodhna Thompson to reach the half time whistle 0-3 to 0-2 ahead. In the second half Ballinderry raced ahead thanks to some excellent free taking. Cliodhna Thompson got a pointed free for Cushendall to leave the score Ballinderry 0-7 Cushendall 0-4 heading down the home straight. The Dall girls were throwing everything at Ballinderry. Team captain Tamara Black who had led by example all day drove forward and she was pulled down 25 yards from goal. Cliodhna Thompson sent the resultant free to the roof of the Ballinderry net to leave the scores level. The next score would prove vital and it was Ballinderry who got it when a long range free deceived the Dall defence and finished to the net. Again, Cushendall piled forward but could not find the breakthrough they needed and it was Ballinderry who claimed The All Ireland Feile title on a scoreline of 1-7 to 1-4.
It was a heartbreaking end for the Dall girls who really did give it everything. It is hard to believe that four years ago Cushendall had never won a county Feile title. Three years on several players on this team have played in three All Ireland Finals in a row. Cushendall had excellent performances from Ellen McAlister, Laoise McCollam, Caragh McKinley, Erin McNaughton, Scarlet Kerr McKillop, Tamara Black, Cliodhna Thompson and Laoiseach McNaughton but in truth all 24 girls on the panel gave their all and played their part.
Cushendall panel:
Ellen McAlister, Olivia McAlister, Laoise McCollam, Emily Elliott, Caragh McKinley, Anna Birt, Niamh McCollam, Erin McNaughton, Scarlett Kerr McKillop, Mia McKeegan, Tamara Black, Laoiseach McNaughton, Aimee McAuley, Cliodhna Thompson, Alayna Madden, Sara Black, Aibreán Campbell, Aimee Hill, Cathryn McCormick, Gabriele McNeill, Elena McQuillan, Aoife Molloy, Saoirse Scullion, Lucia Trainor