Heartbreak for unlucky Colaiste Naomh Cormac in camogie final

Coláiste Naomh Cormac, Kilcormac came up four points short in Saturday’s All-Ireland Junior C Camogie Final as Galway’s St. Raphael’s Loughrea denied them a first ever national crown.

All-Ireland Post Primary Schools Junior C Camogie Final

St. Raphael’s, Loughrea 2-11

Coláiste Naomh Cormac, Kilcormac 3-4

Lucy Lowry, Chloe Hollywood and Aideen Quinn got the goals for Naomh Cormac but they also had two further green flags for Quinn and Karla Mannion ruled out when no advantage accrued for the Leinster champions.

Indeed, Naomh Cormac had reasons to be aggrieved with referee Mike Ryan who didn’t count an Áine Rigney free during the first half.  But while it would be unfair on St. Raphael’s to say the decisions dictated the result, it certainly felt like the big calls went against Naomh Cormac.

The team jointly managed by Honor Kinsella and Ruth Hennessy made the perfect start with a goal inside two minutes.  Sustained pressure led to a short clearance landing in front of Lowry and her ground stroke deflected into the net.

They added another point through Mannion on five minutes giving Naomh Cormac a 1-1 to 0-2 lead as St. Raphael’s had opened their account through Katie Murray and Leah O’Halloran.

However, the Galway side threatened to pull away with 2-2 unanswered.  An O’Halloran run on six minutes allowed Emily Lawless get their first goal.

And after Lawless added a point, the second St. Raphael’s goal came on 10 minutes when Amelie Grogan was allowed space to put power behind her shot.  Murray tapped over a free on 12 minutes leaving it 2-4 to 1-1.

But Naomh Cormac didn’t wilt and gradually played them back into the contest.  Hollywood’s run on 15 minutes forced a save from keeper Maedbh McClearn.  She won another free 60 seconds later which Rigney converted and then finished off the second goal.

Lowry applied the pressure with a dangerous ball which McClearn batted away.  Hollywood took possession and buried to the net on 17 minutes reducing arrears to two.  But moments later, Ryan dictated that Rigney’s score was wide and the deficit was 2-4 to 2-1.

That was the final score of the half though there were still some critical moments to come.  Quinn came in from the left on 26 minutes shaking off defenders before striking an equalising goal for Naomh Cormac.  But advantage wasn’t allowed after a Lauren Hoade high challenge.

But the Kilcormac School did win a penalty on 31 minutes but Rigney rolled the ball on her hurl resulting in a throw-in.  St. Raphael’s joint manager John Hardiman was sent to the line for his protest over the penalty call.  Mannion tallied inside 45 seconds but Murray replied four minutes later.

Quinn added another Naomh Cormac free on 37 minutes leaving them 2-5 to 2-3 behind but the next four scores went St. Raphael’s way.  Leah Behan pointed from play before Amy Morgan’s long ball allowed O’Halloran score.  Two Murray placed balls by the 53rd minute left it 2-9 to 2-3.

Naomh Cormac needed a goal and it duly arrived on their next attack.  Rigney showed vision to drop a ball behind the defence which Quinn got onto.  She needed a second go to get behind McClearn but stroked the ball home.

Another attack gained a ’45 which Rigney sent between the posts leaving just two between them.  However, St. Raphael’s converted key scores when required and the next two went their way.  Murray registered two placed balls for a 2-11 to 3-4 lead.

They were the last official scores but not the last time the net was breached.  A Naomh Cormac attack on 62 minutes resulted in Mannion scoring. But the Tipperary official already had the whistle blown for a previous infringement.

In the end, St. Raphael’s held on to win the school’s first All-Ireland camogie title since 1992.  The breaks didn’t go Naomh Cormac’s way it must be said but they struggled to create enough chances to rule out the three calls against them.

Scorers:

St. Raphael’s, Loughrea – Katie Murray 0-7 (5f, 1’45), Emily Lawless 1-1, Amelie Grogan 1-0, Leah O’Halloran 0-2, Leah Behan 0-1

Coláiste Naomh Cormac – Aideen Quinn 1-1 (1f), Lucy Lowry 1-0, Chloe Hollywood 1-0, Karla Mannion 0-2 (1f), Áine Rigney 0-1 (1’45).

Teams:

St. Raphael’s, Loughrea: Maedbh McClearn; Caoimhe McClearn, Amy Morgan, Lauren Hoade; Aoife O’Meara, Aoife Connaughton, Lana Shiel; Caoilinn Corban, Katie Murray; Anna Liston, Leah O’Halloran, Ruth Keogh; Emily Lawless, Leah Behan, Amelie Grogan.

Subs sued: 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; Issie Gleeson, Áine Rigney, Lucy Lowry; Chloe Hollywood, Aideen Quinn, Abby Hollywood.

Subs used: Emer Bracken for Murray (14 mins), Lily Hand for A Hollywood (48 mins).

Referee – Mike Ryan (Tipperary)