Gailltir are Queens of Munster

In doing up a preview of this year’s Munster Intermediate Club Camogie Final between Gailltir and Nenagh Eire Óg on Friday evening, I began by saying that the Gailltir club was formed in 1958, the club was 58 years old and would it not be ironic if a score in the 58 minute would capture for them a first ever Munster Club Championship.

I only wish I had gone to a bookies shop and to ask what odds I would be given on such an event happening, maybe with a minute either side given as a little leeway.

Gailltir did win a first Provincial title on Saturday afternoon in Cahir but the winning score came in the 59 minute and it was fitting that it was their Captain and star player Patricia Jackman that got the winning score.

The last few years have seen a growth in Camogie within the county. We have seen underage titles come to the county. We have seen the counties highest placed team win a Division two National League and All-Ireland Intermediate Championship double and in their first season we have seen the team more than hold their own against the strongest sides in the country.

On the Club scene we have seen Lismore compete in three Munster Finals in a row, winning two, and winning One All-Ireland along the way.

We have seen the likes of Gailltir and De La Salle perform remarkably well at Féile na Gael in the past few years.

And each time success comes to the county it gives encouragement to all that play the game of camogie or who is involved in the game in one way or another.

New clubs have sprung up across the county. De La Salle after a few good years on the underage front competed in the adult championships for the first time last year in the Junior grades and next year will play in the senior ranks. A club has also being formed for example in Modeligo and this year they have had a great year winning underage titles and hopefully it won’t be long before we see them compete in the adult grades.

Gailltir’s win in Cahir on Saturday afternoon will I have no doubt give the game a further boost in the county. They will have seen what Lismore did in recent years and their players will have wanted to repeat what they saw happen in Lismore. Gailltir have now matched part of that success and will want to go and achieve more of what Lismore have and it will also encourage other clubs, maybe newly formed clubs to do the same.

All who follow the game of camogie knew going into the Munster Final that a close game between two good and evenly matched sides was going to be fought out. But I am sure not many expected it to be as close.

Both sides enjoyed purple patches in this game where one would take the lead and then the other, but at the end of the hour, few if any could say that the better team on the day won the game.

Both sides knew going into this game that the other were strong opposition. Gailltir were able to call on the likes of Patricia Jackman and Áine Lyng, players that have done it all in the past at club and county level. They also had youth on their side, being able to call on some outstanding young players that have come through successful underage teams at club and county level.

Nenagh Eire Óg are a much younger club than Gailltir. They were reformed a few years back, and had enjoyed great success, winning the Junior ‘B’ and Junior ‘A’ titles in Tipperary in 2013 and 2015 before winning the Intermediate Championship in recent weeks against Drom & Inch.

They had first use of the wind at Cahir and made good use of it, turning around leading 2-4 to 0-7.

They were first to score in the game, the dangerous Grace O’Brien putting over after she was set up by Ciara McGrath.

The Barony Ladies soon hit back with a point from Patricia Jackman from a free, the first of her ten scores in this game.

Gailltir had many goal chances in this game, the first coming on six minutes when Eilís Cullinane drew an excellent save from Sarah Quigley in the Nenagh goal on six minutes. Three minutes later, they took the lead when Róisín Flood put over from play.

But it was a short lived lead as on thirteen minutes, the Tipperary side hit the first goal of the game, Grace O’Brien finishing to the net at the second attempt after her first attempt after she was picked out by Eimear Ryan came crashing back off Ciara Jackman’s crossbar.

Patricia Jackman and Grace O’Brien swapped scores to keep the scoreboard operator busy and when Áine Lyng and Patricia Jackman with her third of the game landed scores by the eighteenth minute the sides were locked 1-2 to 0-5.

The North Tipperary outfit went back in front when Grace O’Brien split the post on twenty one minutes, but by the twenty eight minute Gailltir were back in front as Annie Glavey and Áine Lyng landed scores.

With the wind at their backs Nenagh Eire Óg pressed on in the time that remained and drew level with a Michelle Collins point on twenty nine minutes and three minutes into stoppage time they hit a second goal when Caroline Browne and Grace O’Brien played a good one-two which saw Brown give Ciara Jackman no chance giving her side a 2-4 to 0-7 lead at the break.

Gailltir had a brilliant start to the second half.

Áine Lyng reduced the Nenagh Éire Óg lead with an early point, and the lead was wiped out on thirty three minutes when Patricia Jackman crashed a penalty to the net to give her side a 1-8 to 2-4 lead.

The eventual winners after this never trailed.

Points from Áine Lyng and a brace from Patricia Jackman gave Gailltir a deserved 1-11 to 2-4 lead with fifteen minutes of normal time still to play.

Patricia Jackman edged her side even further in front, but the North Tipperary side came back with a purple patch of their own.

Maeve Coffey set up Grace O’Brien for her second green flag of the game on forty six minutes.  At the other of the field Sarah Quigley pulled off another good save again from Eilís Cullinane. Patricia Jackman pointed with seven minutes to play to give her side a 1-13 to 3-4 lead, but a minute later the umpires at the under end of the field were again reaching for a green flag, Grace O’Brien hitting her hat-trick of goal after she was set up by Ciara McGrath.

Points from Patricia Jackman and Grace O’Brien followed to keep the scores locked (1-14 to 4-5) with three minutes to go and it was beginning to look as if more than the allotted hour would be needed to separate these two fine sides.

But no game is over till the final whistle is sounded. The side that would show the most hunger would now win, and in the time that remained it was Gailltir that showed that greater hunger.

With time almost up, Player of the Match Patricia Jackman showed all her experience and kept her nerve as with the most crucial puck of a sliotar she split the posts to give her side a one point victory and a place in the All-Ireland semi-finals in the New Year. 

Gailltír: Ciara Jackman; Áine O’Keeffe, Ciara Hogan, Claire Dunne; Sinéad Cunningham, Sally O’Grady, Aileen Cummins; Emma Roche, Shauna Fitzgerald; Annie Glavey, Áine Lyng, Róisín Flood; Eilís Cullinane, Patricia Jackman, Kate Lynch. Subs: Emer Walshe for Róisín Flood (42), Jenny O’Grady for Eilís Cullinane (56).

Scorers: Patricia Jackman 1-9 (1-0 pen, 0-2f), Áine Lyng 0-4 (1f), Annie Glavey, Róisín Flood 0-1 each.

Nenagh Éire Óg: Sarah Quigley; Ruth Hassett, Aileen Duggan, Rachel Maher; Zoey Grattan, Hazel McAuliffe, Alanna Morris; Rachel O’Connor, Michelle Collins; Aisling O’Brien, Ciara McGrath, Eimear Ryan; Caroline Browne, Grace O’Brien, Louise Hickey. Subs: Maeve Coffey for Aisling O’Brien (37), Kristin Howard for Rachel O’Connor (42), Hazel Coffey for Louise Hickey (48).

Scorers: Grace O’Brien 3-4 (0-2f), Caroline Browne 1-0, Michelle Collins 0-1.

Referee: Cathal Egan (Cork).