Fitzgerald Excels In All-Ireland Final

Saint Angela’s Ursuline School in Waterford and Saint Mary’s from New Ross will have to do it all over again in the All-Ireland Junior ‘A’ Colleges Camogie Final after the two sides finished all square at the WIT Arena on Saturday afternoon.

When it comes to local monthly awards presented to sports people be it at a local, regional or national level it is often very hard for women in sport to get a nomination let alone win the overall award, but be a monthly or yearly winner, but when it comes to this month’s awards one player that will have to come into serious contention is Gailltir Club player Aoife Fitzgerald who got all of her sides scores in this game, all but two points of which came from placed balls, but it must never be forgotten how the scores come so long as they go up on the scoreboard and none more so than in games like this.

The most import of her ten scores in this game came three minutes from time when she dipped a free under the New Ross crossbar, a score which Paul Flynn a player she may well remember from his latter days as a Club hurler with Club and County and if she can’t she will certainly have heard all about what he could do when presented with a chance be it from open play or a placed ball.

The Wexford side were possibly the better of the two sides for much of this game, but they were left cursing their luck at the end of the hour as they missed late chances through Kate Foley and Ciara Walsh which if taken could well have won the title for their side. It should also be pointed out that the Wexford side hit a wides tally in the double digits on the day while the umpires at the end that Saint Angela’s were playing into didn’t have to cross wave their arms over the course of the game.

The visiting side to the WIT Arena would have been the happier of the two sides at the break in this contest as they held a 2-1 to 0-4 advantage by this stage.

Katie Murphy was the scorer of her sides two first half goals, the first coming on eight minutes when she cut in from the right hand side of the field and blasted high into Elena Gallagher’s net.

By strange coincidence her second goal game eight minutes from the break when Katie Murphy again finished past Elana Gallagher after she engaged in some good work with Kate Foley in the build up.

At the other end three frees from the Gailltir player and one from play which was set up by Clodagh Hoctor meant that the Waterford side were still in touch with the whole of the second half still to come.

The brilliant Gailltir full forward opened the second half with a brace of scores to leave just one between the sides, meaning it was very much so a case of game on.

Kate Foley edged her side 2-2 to 0-6 in front, which was followed with an exchange of scores between Aoife Fitzgerald from a free on Abby Flynn and Katie Murphy.

Ciara Walsh and Katie Murphy would miss chances for the Wexford side when it looked as if scores were on and when Kate Foley missed again soon afterwards the Waterford side could be forgiven for thinking it might just be their day.

At the other end of the field Aoife Fitzgerald with the chances she had for her side was not missing and she put over a brace of scores to tie up matters 2-3 to 0-9 on the score board.

The side now that showed the greater hunger would surly win this final. Clodagh Curham had a chance for goal blocked down and Mullinavat club player Hannah Dunphy in the New Ross goal did brilliant to keep an effort from Aoife Fitzgerald out.

On fifty six minutes it looked as if it was curtains for Saint Angela’s as Ciara Walsh fed in Faye Codd and the Cloughbawn player made no mistake from close range in beating Elena Gallagher.

The premature celebrations from the New Ross supporters watching this game however was short lived as within sixty seconds Aoife Fitzgerald hit one of the most important goals she will have stuck in her career to date when she dipped a free under Hannah Dunphy’s crossbar.

St Angela’s Ursuline: Elena Gallagher; Hannah Leamy, Lucy Hogan, Sorcha Cantwell; Shauna Farrell, Sarah Maher, Jodie Tuohy (Gailltir); Clodagh Carroll, Holly Ryan; Rachael Walsh, Abby Flynn, Clodagh Hoctor; Alisha Flynn, Aoife Fitzgerald, Clodagh Curham. Sub: Laoise McLoughlin for Hannah Leamy.

Scorers: Aoife Fitzgerald 1-9 (1-7fs).  

St Mary’s New Ross: Hannah Dunphy; Niamh Ogilvie, Katie Kehoe, Brid Walsh; Elaine Quigley, Amy Cahill, Áine Galavan; Aisling Prendergast, Tara Doyle; Niamh O’Shea, Ciara Walsh, Cria Langton; Katie Murphy, Kate Foley, Faye Codd.

Scorers: Katie Murphy 2-1, Faye Codd 1-0, Kate Foley 0-2 (2fs).

Referee: Cathal Egan (Cork)