Brilliant St Brogans crowned Munster camogie champions

St Brogan’s College 3-11

Waterpark College 0-9

JJ HURLEY REPORTS

A POWERFUL display saw St Brogan's College outclass Waterpark College in the Munster U18½ intermediate camogie final at Piltown, Co Kilkenny.

While the three goals over the hour proved critical, so did Bandon's defensive unit, who were simply outstanding from one to seven. Indeed, the Waterford side, led by Abbie Mullane – daughter of Waterford legend John – found their early sorties blocked by the determined trio of Crowley, Dineen and O'Leary. While the Déise girls did eventually open the scoring, Brogan's response came from the trusty stick of Fiona Twohig, with a difficult free on nine minutes. Sixty seconds later, the Cork team opened a four-point lead when Meadbh O’Callaghan finished the ball to the Waterford net.

Now dominating proceedings, Aoife O'Mahony and Ciara Haverin were stamping their authority on the midfield as the tireless Twohig added another free on 12 minutes.

Again, the Valley Rovers ace added to her first-half tally following a superb pass from Emma Eady, but their opponents responded, leaving the score at 1-3 to 0-2 after 15 minutes.

An additional point from Haverin had the Bandon girls beginning to put daylight between the sides. Two more points on 27 and 28 minutes from Twohig and O’Mahony, with a single reply from the Waterford team, left the score at 1-6 to 0-4 at the interval.

Securing the all-important score at the second half's opening, another Brogan's goal followed Fionna Twohig's point as Rebecca Sheehan latched onto a rebounded effort from Aoife O’Mahony in the opening minutes. Waterpark's response was a point on 34 minutes, cancelled out by Twohig's unwavering accuracy. However, sensing the game slipping away, the Waterford outfit began to fight back with four points in the space of ten minutes, as Twohig landed an all-important point to give some breathing space to leave the score at 2-8 to 0-9.

It could have been far closer, but Bandon's inside line of Buttimer, Doyle and Long, marshalled by the netminder Lisa Nields, had twice heroically prevented goal opportunities for their opponents.

Entering the final ten minutes, relief for the considerable travelling support came from Aoife O’Mahony's goal as the Bandon girls added two more points from Fionna Twohig and Rebecca Sheehan to clinch a famous victory, on a day when many remembered the school's legendary staff member, the late Paudie Palmer.

Scorers - St Brogan’s College: F Twohig 0-9 (6f); R Sheehan 1-1; M O’Callaghan, A O’Mahony 1-0 each; C Haverin 0-1. Waterpark College: A O’Sullivan 0-6 (3f); A Mullane 0-2, S Cawley 0-1.

St Brogan’s College: L Nields (Courcey Rovers); L Buttimer (Enniskeane), M Doyle (Bandon), L Nolan (Enniskeane); K O’Leary (Bandon), R Dineen (Enniskeane), E Crowley (Newcestown); A O’Mahony (Kilbrittain), C Haverin (Ballinhassig); E Eady (Enniskeane), F Twohig (Valley Rovers), R O’Donovan (Newcestown, captain); M O’Callaghan (Enniskeane), R Sheehan (Newcestown), M Slyne (Ballinhassig). Subs: E Long (Enniskeane) for L Nolan (injured), T Lane (Newcestown) for M O’Callaghan.

Waterpark: N Brady; A Hutchinson, R O’Neill, E McHugh; O Power, I Boland, A Rohan; A Mullane, S Monaghan; C O’Brien, A O’Sullivan, H Cheasty; C Brennan, S Cawley, R Russell. Subs: C O’Shea for C O’Brien, M Phelan for C Brennan, K McGrath for E McHugh, S Ryan for H Cheasty.

Referee: L Dempsey (Thomastown).