By Daragh Ó Conchúir
Kildare are Electric Ireland All-Ireland Minor B camogie champions thanks a barnstorming finish that saw them deny Armagh by 3-12 to 3-7 in Kinnegad.
Two goals in nine minutes gave the Lilywhites a dream start. Hannah Finnerty did some tremendous work before Anna Coburn grasped the first at the second attempt, after Sarah Connolly had made a brilliant save from her first shot.
Rebecca McDermott showed tremendous skill to goal soon after, flicking the sliotar in front of her and then slipping it off the sod past the advancing Connolly.
Armagh’s riposte was magnificent, the girls from the Orchard County raising three green flags of their own to go in at half-time leading by 3-4 to 2-4.
The first was a resounding finish to the roof of the net by Naoise Hughes, after she had raced onto a Molly Fegan ball. The influential Hughes then provided the assist for an Aoibhin Donohue major, seconds after the Derrymacash sharpshooter had pointed.
And Donohue was at it again just on the half-hour, netting following further excellent work by Hughes and a pass by Rionagh Leneghan.
But Kildare were clearly galvanised by whatever was said at half-time and with McDermott accurate from placed balls, had drawn level by the three-quarter mark.
It was nip and tuck from there to the end but another pointed free by McDermott gave Kildare the lead in the 58th minute and as the clock ticked into injury time, Ciara Ryan goaled after good work by captain, Róise Hennessy, to seal a famous win.
Tyrone are Electric Ireland All-Ireland Minor C champions, after they overcame a resolute Mayo by 3-13 to 1-11 in Drumlane.
Hannah Hauttman and Ava Dooley shot some lovely scores for Mayo as they led by 0-7 to 0-6 at half-time but inspired by Emer Cunningham, Tyrone hit them for 3-5 in ten minutes to turn the decider on its head.
Kate Daly’s delivery caused problems in the Mayo defence in 39th minute and it looked like it was Rhianne McLoughlin that got the final touch for the goal. McLoughlin pounced on a defensive error to add another in definitive fashion five minutes later and when Gemma Daly’s shot ended in the net, there was no way back for Tyrone.
Laura Flanagan did get an injury time goal for Mayo but it was too late for the westerners.
The Tyrone team celebrate (INPHO/Leah Scholes)
Westmeath won the local bragging rights, and most importantly the silverware, as they accounted for Meath by 4-11 to 2-7 in a sensational Electric Ireland All-Ireland Minor B Shield final in Kinnegad.
The Lakesiders began with serious intent and a fantastic goal by Caoimhe McCormack put them six points in front early on. It was a stunning finish by McCormack to the roof of the net, after a good catch.
Ciara Finnegam blasted a free for a Meath goal seven minutes before the interval but McCormack bagged her second major in response, grabbing the sliotar among a flurry of bodies and hurleys, and finishing this time with a low shot.
Finnegan then turned provider and Sian Weir Hall finished smartly for another goal to make it 3-6 to 1-4 at the change of ends.
Meath fought hard in the second half but McCormack secured her hat-trick late on to cement a day to remember for Westmeath.
On Saturday, Wexford finished strongly to snatch a second bite of the cherry in the Electric Ireland All-Ireland Minor A Shield final at UPMC Nowlan Park.
The Yellowbellies trailed Dublin by four points, 1-9 to 1-5, with 22 minutes elapsed when Kayla Reddy took a pass from the hugely influential Katie Bolger and from the right corner of the large square, drilled a stunning low shot to beat the diving Mia Farrell.
Bolger followed up with the equaliser to make it 1-9 to 2-6 and the sides get to do it all again next week.
Wexford had started well and a 15th minute goal by Shauna McSweeney, who finished smartly after Farrell had been forced to bat out Bolger’s shot from distance, enabled them to establish a four-point advantage of their own.
The Dublin response was notable, however and when Emma Moran slipped in behind the defensive cover, she made no mistake to goal.
An Abbie Doyle point gave Wexford a 1-4 to 1-3 lead at half-time and they extended that soon after the resumption but six points in a row, with the outstanding Beth Maguire racking up her fourth point from play, opened up what seemed like a match-winning margin.
That was to reckon without super sub Reddy, however, and Bolger had the final say, shooting across her body from about 30m out to secure a replay.
