A fantastic performance summed up in great detail along with superb overall context from Leo McGough
ALL-IRELAND U-16 B CAMOGIE FINAL
Carlow 4-7, Down 1-10
By Leo McGough
FIRSTLY, let’s put this All-Ireland title – just Carlow’s ninth on the national inter-county Camogie stage – in perspective. It is, arguably, second only to the 2016 Premier Junior triumph in Croke Park and it is most certainly the highest ranked of the under-age titles won by the camógs in red, yellow and green, our first ‘B’ Cup triumph.
And while a win of any description would have ensured ‘Ceatharlach’ was etched on the U-16 ‘B’ Cup the very impressive manner in which Sunday’s final was won adds considerable merit to the fantastic achievement, the Carlow girls, much to the delight of their vociferous followers, producing a real de force on Abbotstown’s lovely lawn.
Google what does tour de force mean and you will learn “a feat or display of strength, skill or ingenuity,” Well the Carlow ladies ticked all those boxes. Strength? Strength of will, strength of character when battling Down applied severe pressure early in the second half (of which more anon).
Strength of body, strength of limb for these lassies with unbelievable bravery, especially the backs, put their bodies on the line, literally in one case when a mighty goalmouth schemozzle which might have yielded a Down goal was conducted like a rugby ruck as one Carlow defender, injured in action, lay prone on the goal-line. The referee didn’t stop play and there would have been guaranteed controversy if the prone player had prevented the ball crossing the line but her colleagues solved that potential problem as emerging from that ruck, ball in hand, was a girl in red, yellow and green.
Skill? Time was you’d go to a camogie game and maybe half-the-team were real hurlers, the rest earnest triers. Now? Now every single player has every skill in the book, lifting, catching, striking, soloing, the glamour skills but also contained in their arsenal are those crucial twins, hooking and blocking. Once the preserve of the more diligent defenders, hooking and blocking is now an essential all over the field and in Carlow’s case on Sunday it was two forwards who exhibited the benefit of those ‘negative’ skills.
Amy Doyle getting in a first half block in front of the stand that brought a ‘Carlow Roar’ echoing from the stand while on the change-over on the far wing from the stand Rachel Kennedy got in crucial hook on a Down player, crucial in that it came not long after one of those goalmouth schemozzles and the Carlow backs in need of a small ‘breather’. That hook and subsequent turn-over brought play to the other end for a while.
Ingenuity? Well now, on a day when the referee was a real stickler for ’steps’, consistently so, blowing both teams on several occasions for over-carrying, one suspects the same referee may well have been equally vigilant on policing illegal hand-passes. The Carlow girls solved that potential problem too. On a number of occasions a Carlow player in possession when bottled up cleverly executed a one-handed stick pass into space or in the direction of a colleague. Whether coached or an example of the ’Tcup’ – thinking clearly under pressure – or maybe a combination of both that ingenuity was yet another useful tool in the new All-Ireland champions considerable armoury.
Now, back to that strength of character and when it was seen at its zenith. Come back with me to the 6th minute of the second half…
Carlow, having led 1-7 to 0-2 at half-time but also having hurled with the benefit of a strong wind and (maybe my imagination) a slight fall of ground, were now fighting those elements (and maybe also uphill against that slight fall of ground!). Rat-tat-tat, three Down points in three minutes, another tat, another point, a point that might have been a goal, a rising shot clearing the crossbar. 1-7 to 0-6 worried glances were exchanged by a couple of us Carlow supporters gathered on the side opposite the stand.
Oh ye of little faith! Doubting Thomas’ (literally in one case!)
Carlow lifted the siege, got the ball passed the half-way line, respite for the defenders if nothing else. Better again they win a free in, maybe 40 yards (sorry 35 metres, showing my age!) from the Down posts, straight in front of the goal. A point here would be huge, Down had only managed two into the wind. Kate Burke takes aim, it’s on its way. ‘Feck it’, it mightn’t; have the ‘legs’. It didn’t. Thank Christ it didn’t! It dipped at the last second and came to a glorious halt in the back of the Mourne County net.
Now these girls had a ’cushion’ albeit not a very comfortable one as the Ulster women resumed attack after attack. When the backs didn’t halt their attempts, Carlow’s eagle-eyed goalkeeper Kayla Holden did, cooly catching and clearing on a few occasions and the value of her puck-outs both with and against the wind were vital to the Carlow cause.
Carlow weren’t getting the ball passed the half-way line very often and when they did it was through carrying it into the elements (and up my possibly imaginary fall of ground!). Not that long after Kate’s goal, Amy Doyle gains possession just about on half-way. She rounds her player. Ball on stick she races towards goal (she’s just slightly to the left of them). If the late lamented Micheal O Muircheartaigh, recently deceased, was on commentary he’d have enthused “she’s on the ’70’, she’s on the ’50’, she’s on the ’21’, she’s on the small square’, GOAL. Amy Doyle goal for Carlow, cúl den scoth’. And Amy’s grandfather, the late lamented Jim Treacy, recently deceased, surely danced a jig of delight on the level lawns of God.
He’d have reason to dance again shortly afterwards as after Down struck back with a goal of their own Amy, now over in front of the stand, won possession again, embarked on another run solo-run, not quite as far this time, scorer of a fine point in the first half she attempted to tack on another … the sliotar was dipping, dipping … dipping into the net.
‘Game Over’
Well not quite but the converted Doubting Thomas’ knew that such was the Carlow resolve on display that even with a quarter of an hour to go Carlow’s name was on the Cup. Easy say that from the sideline, the girls out on the field, their management team, they had no such luxury, every ball had to be fought for until the final whistle and fought for it was, fresh legs from the bench adding renewed life to the vibrant Carlow cause.
The final whistle, cue for joy unconfined, a glorious day for the girls, their mentors, their families, their clubs, their friends, a great, great day for Carlow camogie.
Our emphasis has been on the second half, the ‘championship half’, All-Ireland medals aren’t handed out at half-time, but All-Ireland’s can be lost in a first half when maybe nerves impact on performance but Carlow laid the foundations in the first half and the nerves were settled when alert full forward Gráinne Grennan pounced on a rebound and swept the sliotar to the top goal end as early as the 4th minute.
Points from Kate Burke (2), Rachel Kennedy (2), Amy Doyle, Sarah Murphy (free) and Alice Dalton brought Carlow’s tally to 1-7 by half-time. Down the other end Caitlin Fay and Therese Cowan posted Down points in their infrequent attacks with No 14 Fay in particular looking like she would take watching when possession was more plentiful on the change-over.
Fay was well watched too and while the red and black ace did raise a green flag her influence was curbed by Carlow’s defiant defending, a rearguard action augmented by the arrival of half-time substitute Amy Farrell who manager Anthony O’Brien revealed held in reserve to act as ‘a dynamic sub’. Add tactical awareness to the list of reasons 24 Carlow girls this week have coveted Celtic Crosses among their treasured possessions.
MEET THE ALL-IRELAND CHAMPIONS
KAYLA HOLDEN (Setanta): Eagle-eyed net guardian, caught and cleared to effect, great puck-out.
EADAOIN DOOGUE-DEMPSEY (Carlow Town): Tenacious, tigerish defender,
AILBHE STEGER (Mount Leinster Rangers): Assured on the edge of the square, cleared well.
AVA O’DWYER (Mount Leinster Rangers): Resilient and reliant,
KATELYN SHEPPARD (Kildavin-Clonegal): ‘Thou shalt not pass’ the motto. They didn’t..
SARAH MURPHY (Ballinkillen) A real leader, stood strong and defiant, landed a point from a free for good measure. Joint Captain.
EIMEAR O’TOOLE (Naomh Bríd): Battled, battled, battled and then battled some more,
SIOBHAN SINNOT (Setanta): A Trojan worker, skilful too, shoulder to the defensive wheel in the second half.
ALICE DALTON (Mount Leinster Rangers): Warrior Woman. Joint Captain, covered every blade of grass at some stage, sweet point.
AMY DOYLE (St Mullins): 2-1 in an All-Ireland final, the goals title clinchers after thrilling runs, preceded by a block-down that ‘lifted the stand’.
KATE BURKE (Naomh Bríd): 1-2 to her name, the goal from a free, the brace of first half points crucial in her side establishing a lead.
RACHEL KENNEDY (Mount Leinster Rangers): Snappy operator, won lots possession, used it well, topped off by two delightful points, not forgetting ‘that hook’
MAY BREEN PARLE (Setanta): Involved in several attacks, one which almost yielded her a goal.
GRÁINNE GRENNAN (St Mullins): Her 4th minute ground strike goal set Carlow on their way
ALLIE McDONAGH (Burren Rangers): A real team player, involved in the ‘assist’ to a few first half scores before making way at half-time to accommodate tactical adjustment.
Subs: AMY FARRELL (Naomh Bríd) for A McDonagh (h-t): ‘A Dynamic Sub’ to quote her manager. Amy was what it said on the tin, Dynamic.
COLLETTE O’BRIEN (Naomh Bríd) for E Doogue Dempsey (53): Came on for the closing seven minute and got stuck in straight away.
PAIGE CHALLONER (Setanta) for M Breen Parle (55): Joined the fray with five to go, on field reward for for hard work all year,
AINE DOYLE (Mount Leinster Rangers) for G Grennan (57): Another rewarded for diligent training with game-time towards the finish,
SUMMER DOORLEY (Carlow Town) for R Kennedy (62): Another whose work throughout the year was rewarded an All-Ireland medal on the field of play.
Also on victorious panel: EVA DOOLEY (Naomh Bríd), CAOIMHE DEMPSEY (Burren Rangers), AINE McCULLAGH (Muinebheag), ISABEL FOLEY (St Mullins): Four girls who trained every but as hard as their colleagues and are equally deserving of their All-Ireland medals.
MENTORS: Coaches: Anthony O’Brien, Davie Holden, John Joe Barrett.
FLO/First Aid: Agnes Doogue, Catriona Grennan
Selector/Admin: Tina Minogue
CARLOW’S ALL-IRELAND CAMOGIE TITLES
{In Chronological Order)
All-Ireland Junior B: 2007
All-Ireland U-16 C: 2010 (May 8)
All-Ireland Minor C: 2010 (September 4)
All-Ireland Junior B: 2012
All-Ireland Junior A: 2015
All-Ireland Premier Junior: 2016
All-Ireland Minor C: 2017
All-Ireland U-16 C: 2018
All-Ireland U-16 B Shield: 2023
All-Ireland U-16 B: 2024
NATIONAL LEAGUE TITLES
Division 4: 2013
Division 3A: 2015
Division 3A: 2023
ALL-IRELAND CLUB TITLES
All-Ireland Junior Club: Myshall: 2012
All-Ireland Junior Club: Myshall: 2013
All-Ireland Intermediate Club: Myshall: 2016
ALL-IRELAND FEILE NA nGAEL
Division 3 Cup: Naomh Bríd: 2015
ALL-IRELAND POST PRIMARY SCHOOLS
Schools Junior B: Borris: 2006
ALL-IRELAND U-16 B ROLL OF HONOUR
5: Derry: 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2023
4: Waterford: 2003, 2014, 2015, 2019
3: Limerick: 2001, 2002, 2011
3: Laois: 2000, 2017, 2022
2: Offaly: 2005, 2012
1: Antrim: 2004
1: Wexford: 2009
1: Cork: 2013
1: Westmeath: 2016
1: Antrim: 2018
1: Meath: 2021
1: Carlow: 2024
