Camross dig deep to see off St Brigid’s and retain Laois Intermediate Camogie title

Camross have won the Laois Intermediate Camogie Championship for the second year in a row after they beat St Brigid’s by three points in Saturday’s final.

Camross came into the game as not only Laois champions, but Leinster and All-Ireland Intermediate Club champions. Saturday’s victory sees them progress into the Leinster Club Championship once again.

These sides are well used to facing one another on county final day. This was the third consecutive year they have met in the Intermediate final and, remarkably, they have contested five of the last six deciders. Only the 2023 final, when O’Moore’s faced Camross, broke up their run of meetings. They had won two titles apiece over that period heading into today’s final.

Kirsten Keenan got the reigning champions off the mark with a point after three minutes. Laura Dunne was then called into action as she saved from Lara Culleton. A free from Aiva Coss was St Brigid’s first scorer before the game took a bit of a lull. A 45 from Clodagh Tynan after 15 minutes put her side ahead for the first time. A well-worked team score saw Niamh Sweeney split the posts as St Brigid’s led by two points with 17 minutes on the clock. Culleton cut the gap to one with Camross’ second point of the afternoon.

The last 10 minutes of the half made up for the first 20 minutes as both sides began to find their feet and play some decent camogie. St Brigid’s were the first to raise a green flag as a Tynan free dropped short and fell to Aiva Coss, who blasted the sliotar past Niamh Dollard. A super score from Aisling O’Dea followed as St Brigid’s led 1-4 to 0-2 after 22 minutes.

That O’Dea would prove to be their last score of the first half, with Camross raising five white flags in a row to see the sides go in level at the break. All five points came from the hurl of Sarah-Anne Fitzgerald, four from frees and one from a 45. It was 0-7 to 1-4 at half-time.

Jessie Quinlan wasted little time in putting St Brigid’s back in front as she pointed within 30 seconds of the restart. Grainne Delaney replied for what was her only point of the final, with herself and Laois teammate Aoife Finlay having had a great battle. Aiva Coss put St Brigid’s ahead yet again before the game-defining score came through Fitzgerald. Aimee Collier’s ball across the square bypassed Erin Walsh to the awaiting Fitzgerald, who pulled on the ball first time.

Dunne made a crucial intervention a few minutes later to deny Keenan a certain goal after Delaney had played her through. 14 minutes passed before the next score and crucially it came for Camross as Fitzgerald slotted a free between the posts. Eimear Hassett and Tynan (free) cut Camross’ lead to a single point with three minuts plus injury time to play.

Four minutes were added on and it saw Camross increase their lead to three points in that time as Collier and Fitzgerald (free) added a point each. St Brigid’s had one last chance to force extra-time, but Gemma Hoare’s shot was blocked before the full-time whistle sounded.

FINAL SCORE

Camross 1-11

St Brigid’s 1-8

SCORERS — Camross: Sarah-Anne Fitzgerald 1-7 (0-6 frees), Kirsten Keenan, Lara Culleton, Grainne Delaney, and Aimee Collier 0-1 each. St Brigid’s: Aiva Coss 1-2, Clodagh Tynan 0-2 (0-1 free, 0-1 45’), Niamh Sweeney, Aisling O’Dea, Jessie Quinlan, and Eimear Hassett 0-1 each.

CAMROSS: Niamh Dollard; Mairead Burke, Aisling Burke, Fiona Scully; Aoife Collier, Donnagh Mortimer, Annabelle Ryan; Lusine Delaney, Aimee Collier; Lara Culleton, Grainne Delaney, Andrea Scully; Erin Walsh, Sarah Ann Fitzgerald, Kirsten Keenan. Subs: Leah Daly for L Delaney (41 mins), Ava Guilfoyle for M Burke (51 mins), Tara Lowry for Walsh (54 mins), Aoife Daly for Aimee Collier (63 mins)

ST BRIGID’S: Laura Dunne; Laura Finlay, Amy Quinlan, Danielle Healy; Roisin Kilmartin, Aoife Finlay, Sarah Creagh; Tiegan Reilly Bowe, Jessie Quinlan; Grainne Hyland, Aisling O’Dea, Clodagh Tynan; Gemma Hoare, Niamh Sweeney, Aiva Coss. Subs: Aoife Carroll for Reilly Bowe (44 mins), Eimear Hassett for O’Dea (48 mins)

Referee: JJ Gorman (Clough/Ballacolla)