Waterford’s proud Camogie record at Feile

This weekend promises to be a big one when it comes the G.A.A.in Waterford. Last weekend it could be argued it was also a big weekend for the G.A.A. in Waterford with some good results achieved at venues up and down the country.

For one club, last weekend proved to be very special. It was a weekend that will be long remembered, one that will be spoken of for a long time to come, and hopefully in time, maybe sooner rather than later, will be recorded on print by someone that is well in the know.

I’m sure some if not all will know what I am referring to. It is Gaill Tír winning this years Feile Na Gael Camogie Division two final, one that to this point is Waterford’s best finish in the competition which was first played for back in the early 70’s.

Down the years, Waterford clubs in the Competition had recorded some excellent results. A number of clubs reached different finals, some were won, but these wins happened to be in the lower grades of Competition.

Waterford’s early successes in the Camogie Feile Competition came in Division four.

Lismore over the years, have visited Feile on many occasions. In 1989, they reached their first final, (Division 4), where they took on Glenarriffe from Antrim and the West Waterford side ran out winners on a 1-1 to 0-1 score line.

Twelve months on, Butlerstown were Waterford’s representatives at Feile. Just like Lismore, they reached the Division 4 final, where they took on Tipperary side Toomevara, but had to settle for second best loosing 3-5 to 1-1.

Waterford made it a three in a row in 1991, when Saint Saviours who were representing Waterford again reached the final, but like Butlerstown twelve months earlier, they had to settle for second best going under to another Tipperary side, this time Roscrea who ran out winners on a 2-2 to 1-2 score line.

A Waterford side failed to reach any final in 1992, but in 1993, Waterford were back in the Division Four final, this time against Teemore from Fermanagh but Dunhill had to settle for second best just like Butlerstown and Saint Saviours, going under 4-3 to no score.

Dunhill were Waterford’s representatives in Feile over the following two years, but because Waterford sides were doing so well in the competition in the previous number of years, the Waterford representatives were put graded in Division three.

This made no difference to Dunhill as in both 1994 and 1995 they reached the final. In 1994, the Division three final was a repeat of the Division four final twelve months earlier and the result was the same, a win for Teemore from Fermanagh, this time on a 2-4 to 0-1 score line.

In 1995, it was again Northern opposition for Dunhill as they played O’Donovan Rossa from Antrim, but as was the case in their two previous finals, they had to settle for second best, loosing 1-6 to 1-2.

In 1996 and 1997, the Competition was staged by Waterford and every club in the county took part.

Waterford’s best result on both years was recorded by Butlerstown who reached the Division two finals.

In 1996, Granagh Ballingarry from Limerick proved too strong winning 2-6 to 1-2, and twelve months later it was Saint Lachtain’s from Kilkenny that emerged as winners on an identical score to which Butlerstown lost in 1996.

Butlerstown represented the County in 1998 in Wexford. They reached the Division four final and made up for some disappointments in previous years, as they became only the second Waterford side to win a trophy when they beat Monaghan side Castleblayney on a 3-8 to 0-1 score line.

Over the next number of years Lismore represented the county at Feile over a long number of years.

In 2000, the girls from the Heritage town reached the Division three final but were beaten by Saint Lachtain’s from Kilkenny on a 1-2 to 0-2 score line.

The girls from the heritage town had to wait until 2005 before they would be back in a final where they took on East Cork side Killeagh. This proved to be a high scoring game, but again Lismore had to settle for second best as the East Cork side ran out 6-8 to 4-2 winners.

The Division three final of 2006 was again a Waterford and Cork affair. This time Lismore were pitted with North Cork side Newtownshandrum in the final and it was the West Waterford girls that ran out winners on a 5-9 to 0-2 score line.

Lismore were back in a final in 2008. This time it was in Division two where they took on Michael Davitt’s from Swatragh in Derry, but the side from the North proved to be too strong for Lismore, winning out on a 7-3 to 0-1 score line.

In 2012, it was the relatively new city side, De La Salle that represented Waterford. They reached the division two final, where they put up a very good performance but on the day lost out 5-5 to 2-3.

Over the Feile Weekend in 2013, Gaill Tír proved to be head and shoulders above everyone else in Division two.

The girls from the Barony played their first game on Friday afternoon where they beat their hosts for the weekend, Kilmallock on a score of 8-8 to 0-2.

On Saturday morning, Gaill Tír had two games. The two games were played at Bruff, the first of which was against the host club. Gaill Tír on the morning were clinical in front of goal and ran out easy 11-4 to no score winners.

With Ballycastle from Antrim also winning their first two games against the Limerick game, the last game in the group was going to be a winner takes all game, the winner of which would advance to the semi finals later in the evening.

The Antrim side did prove to be more difficult opponents to the two Limerick sides but Galltir just as in their two earlier games proved to be the stronger and hungrier team, winning 3-5 to 1-7.

In the semi finals it was Offaly side Birr that were paired with Gaill Tír. Again, Gaill Tír proved to be the hungrier of the two sides and ran out comfortable 3-6 to 1-3 winners.

After a good nights sleep behind them, Galltir were at the Gaelic Grounds on the Ennis Road in good time for the scheduled 1pm throw in against Portaferry.

With so many games scheduled for the one day, it was no surprise that the final was delayed. This delay however could not derail the attention of the Barony Girls from the task that they faced.

Two goals from Emer Walsh and one from Aoife Fitzgerald in the first half helped the side in Sky blue and navy to a 3-1 to 0-2 lead at the break, and even with a comfortable lead at the break, there was no letting up from Galltir in the second half, as Ann Corcoran and Emer Edwards stuck a goal each in the second half to run out 5-5 to 0-3 winners.

The Gaill Tír panel that achieved Waterford’s best ever Camogie finish in Feile na Gael is as follows: Ciara Jackman, Ailis Doyle, Sinead Cunningham, Emma Flynn, Niamh Denn, Lucy Bradley, Ciara O’Sullivan, Jane O’Connell, Shauna Fitzgerald, Annie Fitzgerald, Anne Corcoran, Kate Lynch, Emer Walshe, Aoife Fitzgerald, Emer Edwards, Ella Quinlan, Katie Judge, Clodagh Carroll, Leah O’Donoghue, Leah Sheridan, Hannah Flynn, Clodagh McGuire and Hannah McGuire.