By Daragh Ó Conchúir
The Electric Ireland All-Ireland Minor Championships conclude with an action-packed finals’ weekend, the deciders of the Minor A, A Shield, B and C Championships ensuring a welter of excitement and top-class fare.
SUNDAY
ELECTRIC IRELAND ALL-IRELAND MINOR A FINAL
Cork v Waterford, UPMC Nowlan Park, 4.30pm
Referee: Aaron Hogg (Clare)
Live on https://www.electricireland.ie/camogie-minor-championships
Waterford camogie is riding the crest of a wave at present, the monumental work being carried out at schools’ and underage level paying rich dividends. In the past couple of weeks alone, the Déise have won the Very League Division 1B title and defeated Cork for the first time in competitive fare at senior level in the Munster Championship.
St Declan’s Kilmacthomas were crowned Allianz All-Ireland Post-Primary Schools’ Senior D champions earlier this year and now Waterford are an hour from further history reaching the Electric Ireland All-Ireland Minor A final for the first time, having enjoyed B glory in 2014.
It hasn’t been a straightforward progression but Mark English’s crew are clearly improving as he created the right blend. His charges lost to Galway in Athenry by seven points in their opening tie but got back on track with a seven-point win over Sunday’s rivals.
After losing to Kilkenny though, they were on their way out of the competition when trailing by eight points mid-way through the first half of the last group game against Tipperary. They were able to turn it around to win by two and advance to the last four where the Cats lay in wait and this time, it was Waterford that came out on top of the derby clash, goals from Maggie Gosti and the outstanding Eimear O’Neill edging them through by four points.
Cork won the All-Ireland last year and are in pursuit of a fourth title in five renewals since breaking their duck in 2018 (the 2020 championship was lost to Covid).
Jerry Wallace’s crew recovered from that early setback against Waterford to finish top of the table on score difference from Kilkenny, having shared the spoils with the Stripeywomen. They then had a point to spare over Galway in a humdinger of a semi-final, Emily O’Donoghue, Caoimhe O’Donoghue and Niamh McNabola the major scoring contributors.
It is clear that there was very little between a number of teams at this grade and so one suspects that the destination of the silverware will come down to which group of players settles best on the big occasion, a bit of fortune or one moment of magnificence. This will certainly be worth the price of admission.
ELECTRIC IRELAND ALL-IRELAND MINOR A SHIELD FINAL
Antrim v Limerick, UPMC Nowlan Park, 2.30pm
Referee: Gavin Donegan (Dublin)
Live on https://www.electricireland.ie/camogie-minor-championships
The second tier proved highly competitive also, with no team emerging unscathed including Antrim, who topped the table. They lost their opening tie to Clare but clearly learned plenty from that. After scoring just six points in that opener, they have registered 14-58 in their subsequent five outings, giving them an average return of 2-14 in those encounters. That includes getting the better of Limerick by 3-8 to 0-10 at NGDC Abbottstown five weeks ago.
A strong second-half performance saw John McArthur’s squad clear the penultimate hurdle, turning a one-point interval lead against Wexford to a 12-point triumph, Mary McArthur (two), Eobha McAllister and Orlaith McAlister the goal scorers.
Limerick drew with Clare in their final group game, a result that left them qualified in third and meant the Shannonside neighbours would go toe-to-toe once more with a berth in the decider at stake. Paul Neenan and Tony Dunne’s outfit were inspired by captain Lucy O’Brien and with Niamh Brennan contributing solidly from frees, prevailed by two points despite the concession of a late goal.
ELECTRIC IRELAND ALL-IRELAND MINOR B FINAL
Laois v Roscommon, St Brendan’s Park Birr, 3pm
Referee: Eamon Cassidy (Derry)
Live on https://www.electricireland.ie/camogie-minor-championships
It was a surprise to some when Roscommon claimed Laois’ scalp in the first round on a 2-8 to 1-8 scorelines in Rathdowney but the Connacht girls illustrated the merit of that success by navigating the entire group phase without suffering any blemish to their record.
Hazel Kelly, Mairéad Lohan and Ava Mulry are important contributors to the cause as the unit overseen by Colm Kelly and Seán O’Brien seeks a first title for the county in the B grade, last reaching the final in 2016, the year after being promoted as C champions.
Laois showed their qualities in their response, winning the subsequent four matches and finishing with a two-point superior score difference to their rivals. That adds to the evidence provided by the first outing that there is little to separate the sides and Niall Cuddy will be hoping the likes of Susie Delaney and Eimear Hassett can hit their stride from the throw-in as they aim to go one step further than last year, when agonising one-point losers to Offaly and add to the victory achieved in 2019.
TOMORROW
ELECTRIC IRELAND ALL-IRELAND MINOR C FINAL
Down v Kerry, Clane GAA, 2pm
Referee: John Burke (Galway)
Live on https://www.electricireland.ie/camogie-minor-championships
Kerry already have a win over Down under the belts, and a comfortable one at that, cantering to an 11-point success in the Banagher on March 19th. The Kingdom went on to record a 100 per cent record, the scrounginess of their defence extremely notable as they conceded only 1-25 in the five group outings.
They wouldn’t be over the moon about giving away 2-9 to Wicklow then in the All-Ireland semi-final but had the goods offensively to still win by seven points. Róisín Quinn, Emma Conway and Ciara O’Sullivan will be driving forces in the pursuit of a first title for the Kingdom in their third final appearance.
Down won a C title in 2012 but more recently garnered a second B triumph in 2016. They did enough to make sure of qualification to the last four before their final group tie against Armagh. They lost that by eight points but in the immediate rematch with a place in the decider at stake, it was the Mourne teenagers that edged a wonderfully contested affair, 0-11 to 0-10. Claire Morgan, Niamh McGrath and captain, Ceallagh Byrne are among the key operators.
