FINAL
JUNIOR C
St. Raphael’s College, Loughrea v Naomh Cormac (Co. Armagh)
Date: 4 Mar, 1pm
Venue: Pearses GAA
Referee: Mike Ryan (Tipperary)
FT: St Raphael’s College, Loughrea 2-11, Naomh Cormac 3-04
MATCH REPORT
By Sarah Gaughran, Galway Camogie PRO
St Raphael’s Loughrea have clinched their 9 th All Ireland Camogie title and their first title since they won 8 Senior A titles in a row 31 years ago when they overcame Coláiste Naomh Cormac from Offaly in padraig Pearses GAA in Ballinasloe on Saturday in the Allianz Post Primary Schools Junior C All Ireland Final. First half goals from Emily Lawless and Ameile Grogan helped in laying the benchmark for the victory. The side must be also credited for their composure from the outset as they conceded a goal inside the opening two minutes. They never dropped their heads pushed on to grind out the victory.
Coláiste Naomh Cormac did get the dream start when a poor clearance out of the Raphael’s defence landed to the oncoming Lucy Lowry and Lowry pulled on the ball on the ground into the back of the Raphael’s net. The Raphael’s response was good when player of the match Katie Murray and Leah O’Halloran replied with a points from play to reduce to defect to one. Karla Mannion replied with a point for the Coláiste on the 5th minute, but Raphael’s replied with 2-2 without reply to put them in the driving seat. O’Halloran made a great run to set Lawless up for their first major. Lawless then added another point to their tally before Grogan got their second goal of the day on the 10th minute. Murray replied with her second score of the day on the 12th minute to leave it 2-4 to 1-1 in favour of Raphael’s. Naomh Cormac looked like they were in for their second goal of the day on the 15th minute but credit must to go Maedbh McClearn in the Raphael’s net. Áine Rigney got her first score of the day a minute later for Naomh Cormac. McClearn batted a high ball into the square away from her on the 17th minute, but the ball only ended up in the path of Chloe Hollywood and Hollywood blasted it past McClearn. However, referee Mike Ryan indicated a few moments later that Rigney’s free before the goal was wide which meant the deficit was down to three rather then two points after the goal. This was the last score of the half while both sides did have their chances. Naomh Cormac were awarded a penalty on the 31 st minute but Rigney fouled the ball resulting a throw in on the 21. Raphaels went in 2-4 to 2-1 ahead at the break.
Aideen Quinn got the first score of the game in 20 minutes on the 37 th minute of the second half when she slotted over her first free of the game for Naomh Cormac. But again, like the first half, St Raphael’s went on another scoring spree scoring the next four points to extend their lead to six. Leah Behan and O’Halloran pointed from play while two Murray frees left it 2-9 to 2-3 with 7 minutes of normal time left on the clock. Naomh Cormac did not give up hope and on the 54 th minute a long ball in from Rigney found Quinn and Quinn stepped around McClearn to put the ball in the back of the net. Rigney scored a 45’ for the Coláiste to reduce the deficit to the dreaded 2 point lead for Raphael’s but Murray stepped up with two more frees for her side to help in sealing the victory for Raphael’s as it finished St Raphael’s 2-11 Coláiste Naomh Cormac 3-4.
It was a game with plenty of drama with Quinn and Mannion had goals disallowed for Naomh Cormac as they got their strikes off just after the referee’s whistle while the disallowed free in the opening half for Rigley could have meant that the game could have gone a different way if the referee awarded the scores. But credit must go to St Raphael’s who held their composure during all these big moments in the game and they got the scores when they were needed.
St. Raphael’s, Loughrea: Maedbh McClearn; Caoimhe McClearn, Amy Morgan, Lauren Hoade; Aoife O’Meara, Aoife Connaughton, Lana Shiel; Caoilinn Corban, Katie Murray (0-7, 0-5f, 0-1 45m); Anna Liston, Leah O’Halloran (0-2), Ruth Keogh; Emily Lawless (1-1), Leah Behan (0-1), Amelie Grogan (1-0).
Subs: Alison Morrissey for Hoade (33 mins), Zara Spellman for Grogan (54 mins).
Coláiste Naomh Cormac: Caoimhe Spain; Eva Bracken, Ellen Gleeson, Kate Feighery; Mary Carroll, Elizabeth Kilmartin, Makalya Murray; Lucy Fitzgerald, Karla Mannion (0-2, 0-1F); Issie Gleeson, Áine Rigney (0-1, 0-1 45m), Lucy Lowry 1-0; Chloe Hollywood (1-0), Aideen Quinn (1-1, 1f), Abby Hollywood.
Subs: Emer Bracken for Murray (14 mins), Lily Hand for A Hollywood (48 mins).
ADDITIONAL:
- St. Raphael’s Loughrea 2-11 Coláiste Naomh Cormac 3-4 (All-Ireland PPS Junior C Final) – Galway Bay FM
- St Raphael’s back at the top – Galway Advertiser
SEMI FINALS
JUNIOR A
Gort Community School v St. Patricks, Maghera
Date: 11/02/2023, 12:00 pm
Venue: Kilbeacanty
Referee: TBC
FT:
Gort Community School 3-09 (18)
St. Patrick’s Maghera: 4-12 (24)
Scorers (GCS): Aisling Dolphin 0-8 (0-5f), Siobhan Mullins 2-0, Katie Flaherty (0-1), Cora Gantly 1-0,
A fantastic effort by Gort Community School but losing out to a strong St. Pats team.
JUNIOR C
St. Raphael’s College, Loughrea v St. Patrick’s Keady (Co. Armagh)
Date: 11/02/2023, 2:00 pm
Venue: Duggan Park, Ballinasloe
Referee: Mike Ryan
FT:
St Raphael’s College, Loughrea 5-13
St. Patrick’s Keady 1-06
Goals from Leah Behan and Amelie Grogan in the second half . A fantastic win for St. Raphael’s College who have booked their place in the final.
