Cross and Passion College (CPC) faced an incredibly formidable opponent in Friday’s Clare Cup Camogie semi-final at Slemish Park, Ballymena, ultimately bowing out to a truly outstanding St Patrick’s Maghera side.
St Patrick’s produced an absolute master-class in the opening half, playing a brand of camogie that would be difficult for any team to contain. Operating with supreme efficiency across every blade of grass, they built a commanding 4-14 to 0-1 lead by the interval. Rachel McElhinney led the early charge with two clinical goals, supported by further strikes from Holly McErlean and Annie Kelly. Despite the relentless pressure from the Maghera girls, CPC kept their work rate high, with Elena McQuillan getting them on the scoreboard with a hard-earned point before the break.
Showing tremendous character and refusing to let their heads drop, CPC came out fighting in the early stages of the second half. Their persistence paid off when Kayleigh McFerran raised a green flag with a well-taken goal, and McQuillan confidently struck her second point of the afternoon to give the Ballycastle side a much-deserved lift.
However, they were simply up against a St Patrick’s team operating at the very peak of their powers. Moving seamlessly into another gear, Maghera showcased exactly why they are championship contenders. McElhinney completed a phenomenal personal performance by doubling her goal tally, while substitute Niamh Tumelty proved the depth of the squad by rattling the net with her very first possession. The undisputed highlight of the second half, though, was an awe-inspiring display of scoring from Catherine McCloskey, who fired home an incredible 2-9 to cap off a flawless team performance.
The result confirms a mouth-watering All-Derry final between two great rivals, as St Patrick’s Maghera will now face off against St Mary’s Magherafelt in an eagerly anticipated showdown in two weeks’ time.
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