by Sarah Gaughran, Galway Camogie
Salthill Knocknacarra 1-14 Craughwell 1-5
Salthill Knocknacarra booked their place in a third consecutive Windows and Rooflights Ltd Senior B Championship final with a nine-point victory over Craughwell in Killimor on Saturday. A dominant second-half display, during which they restricted Craughwell to just one point, proved decisive as the city side moved within a game of claiming the title.
Laura Kelly opened the scoring from a placed ball before Clodagh O’Meara levelled for Craughwell. Salthill Knocknacarra responded with 1-3 without reply, as two Kelly frees and a quickfire 1-1 from Aoibhe Donnellan established a six-point lead.
Katelyn Walsh converted a free for Craughwell, but Kelly added two more placed balls before U16 star Orna Dunne extended the advantage. Sinead Gaffney registered another point for Craughwell before Jade Welton found the net to reduce the deficit. Kelly replied with two more frees, but O’Meara’s second point left Craughwell trailing 1-9 to 1-4 at half-time.
Salthill Knocknacarra tightened their grip after the restart, with Kelly adding three further points and Emma Madden also getting on the scoresheet. Walsh converted Craughwell’s only point of the half from a free, but Kelly had the final say, landing her tenth point of the afternoon to seal a convincing 1-14 to 1-5 victory.
Craughwell will be disappointed with the result but will now regroup for the 2027 season. They were without several key players, including Leanne Freeney, Lauren Gilligan, Niamh Duffy and Vivian Blaine.
For Salthill Knocknacarra, attention now turns to next weekend’s final against St Thomas. Having suffered defeat in the previous two finals, they will hope to channel that disappointment into motivation as they bid to finally get over the line and claim the Senior B crown.
St Thomas 2-11 Kinvara 1-13
St Thomas are back in the Windows and Rooflights Ltd Senior B Championship final after edging past Kinvara by a point in Clarinbridge on Sunday. Second-half goals from Siobhán Mullins and Amy Caulfield proved decisive in a closely fought contest as the Peterwell side booked their place in next weekend’s decider. They will now have the opportunity to regain their place in the Senior A Championship for 2027, but face a difficult challenge against
Salthill Knocknacarra.
Caulfield and Ciara Costello exchanged scores in the opening four minutes before Kayla Burke and Caulfield edged St Thomas in front. Two Aoibheann Barry frees brought Kinvara level, but Caulfield’s third point of the afternoon restored the St Thomas advantage. Kinvara responded strongly, with Siofra Barry landing two points and Aoibheann Barry adding another free to give her side the lead for the first time. Abbie Massey and Caulfield, from a placed ball, replied for St Thomas, with Barry keeping Kinvara ticking over at the other end. Costello and Aoife Brennan exchanged late points as Kinvara went into the break holding a slender 0-8 to 0-7 advantage.
Barry opened the second half with a pair of frees, either side of a Caulfield score, to stretch Kinvara’s lead to two. However, St Thomas responded impressively, hitting 1-2 without reply to turn the contest in their favour. Caulfield pointed before Áine Keane converted a free, and Mullins then found the net to give St Thomas a 1-10 to 0-10 lead. Barry converted another free for Kinvara, but Caulfield delivered another crucial blow when she struck St Thomas’ second goal in the 51st minute. Her contribution proved vital as the Peterwell side looked to establish some breathing space heading into the closing stages. Kinvara refused to give up and mounted a late challenge, with Nina McKeown finding the net before Barry added two more frees to bring the sides closer together. Despite the late pressure, St Thomas held their nerve to secure a hard-fought 2-11 to 1-13 victory and advance to the final.
St Thomas will now turn their attention to a meeting with Salthill Knocknacarra next weekend, with a place in the Senior A Championship for 2027 at stake. The sides met during the group stages, when Salthill Knocknacarra came out on top, leaving St Thomas with added motivation to reverse that result on the biggest stage. The fitness of Caulfield will be a concern for St Thomas after their leading scorer was forced off injured during the second half. Her availability could prove significant as they prepare for the final, particularly after her influential performance against Kinvara.
Salthill Knocknacarra, meanwhile, will be eager to end their run of disappointment after losing the previous two Senior B finals. With both sides chasing promotion and county honours, next weekend’s meeting promises to be a compelling contest.
