Above – Moya Forde (Third from right) on the Antrim team who beat Dublin by 3-9 to 4-02 in the 1967 All Ireland final in Croke Park.
By Seamus McAleenan
An Antrim camogie legend, described once by a Dublin journalist after an All-Ireland semi-final as “the best camogie player I have ever seen”, has died early on Thursday in Massereene Manor Nursing Home.
Moya Forde played in her first All-Ireland senior camogie final in 1950 and her last in 1969. Over that period of time Antrim featured in 11 All-Ireland finals and apart from the first half of the 1950 game, Moya was at full-back in all of those.
Dublin were the dominant force during her two decades playing at the top level, winning 19 titles 1948-1966. They defeated Antrim in eight finals and a number of semi-finals as well. But Antrim overcame them in the 1956 semi-final and went on to beat Cork in the final.
Eleven years later the final went to a replay that was also played in Croke Park and Moya picked up her second national medal as well as anchoring the Ulster team to its only Gael Linn interprovincial title up to 2006.
She first began playing on a senior team in The Braid as a goalkeeper when she was 12 years old “because they were afraid I would get hurt outfield” and progressed to St Louis Ballymena where she featured on three Ulster senior winning teams.
The numbers were not there to sustain a team in The Braid and she and her sister Fionnula joined Ahoghill where Moya played on their only two Antrim senior championship winning sides, 21 years apart. Ahoghill went on to claim the Ulster club title in 1969, beaten by a Limerick side in the All-Ireland semi-final.
A teacher, Moya coached St Mary’s Clady to the secondary schools’ Ulster championship title and Fr Cavlan Cup on a number of occasions in the 1960s and 1970s before moving on to her alma mater St Louis Ballymena where she remained for the rest of teaching career.
Predeceased by her siblings, Cáitlín, Liam, Donough and Fionnuala, all of whom played sport at a high level, Moya died following a short illness. Her funeral will take place SATURDAY 15th November to St Patrick’s Church, The Braid for Requiem Mass at midday and burial afterwards in the adjoining cemetery.
A Mhuire na nGael, guigh ar a son.