All-Ireland Premier Junior Camogie Championship Final
Clare 3-7 Tipperary 1-9
Clare created history in Croke Park when soaring to a first ever All-Ireland Premier Junior Camogie title with their second team. 15 years after Clare’s flagship side finally made their junior breakthrough after a series of heartbreaking final reverses, this time the Banner completed a perfect debut when recovering from a shaky start to dominate the middle third of the contest, writes Eoin Brennan.
Captain Sinead O’Keeffe, Ellen Casey, Niamh Mulqueen, Labhaoise O’Donnell, Jennifer Daly and exciting minor Caoimhe Cahill were the Banner’s inspirational leaders especially when under pressure early on.
After all, things certainly didn’t appear to be going according to plan when an exceedingly nervy start almost ruled Clare out of contention before they could even get out of the blocks.
Uncharacteristically for such a mature team throughout their journey to Croke Park, the Banner’s touch, composure and even common sense seemed to have evaporated for the opening quarter, enough for a more clinical Tipperary to punish with 1-3 without reply.
Such unprecedented anxiety was epitomised by Tipperary’s opening goal in the 14th minute when Rachel O”Dwyer intercepted a defensive handless to fire to the roof of the Clare net.
The turning point came in the 17th minute though when just as it seemed that Clodagh Horgan would double the Premier’s goal tally, Sinead Hogg produced a superbly timed block. From that last gasp challenge stemmed Clare’s opening score as Jennifer Daly drove at the heart of the Tipperary defence before offloading through Caoimhe Cahill to the waiting Sarah Loughnane to steer an angled shot to the net.
That goal would be transformational as suddenly the Clare nerves vanished and they began to swiftly move through the gears. Indeed, led by outstanding defensive performances through captain Sinead O’Keeffe and Ellen Casey, within ten minutes Tipperary’s sixth point cushion was wiped out as a hat-trick of Loughnane frees allied to a Labhaoise O’Donnell point regained full parity by the 28th minute.
A point either side of the interval through Michelle McMahon actually nudged Clare into the ascendency for the first time. And from there, they would never look back as dual minor star Caoimhe Cahill took over proceedings as first she was quickest to a rebound from an Aoife Anderson shot to fire over the line before cutting in from the left corner for Labhaoise O’Donnell to pull to the net at 3-7 to 1-6.
It looked to be game over when Tipperary were reduced to 14 following the dismissal of Ciara Brennan. However, it wasn’t that simply as the Premier dug deep to not only stop the rot but eat into Clare’s advantage with a trio of Jean Kelly frees at 3-7 to 1-9.
Clare didn’t score for the last 30 minutes of the contest but never looked like letting their advantage slip either as they expertly wound down the clock to celebrate their worthy promotion to the intermediate ranks for 2024.
Eabha Mc Inerney of Clare celebrates with her mother Lorraine following their All Ireland Junior Final win over Tipperary at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
Clare celebrate with the cup following their All Ireland Junior Final win over Tipperary at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
Clare joint captain Sinead O Keeffe celebrates with the cup following their All Ireland Junior Final win over Tipperary at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
Laura Mc Mahon of Clare is congratulated by her dad Seanie following their All Ireland Junior Final win over Tipperary at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
Michelle Powell of Clare celebrates with her mother following their All Ireland Junior Final win over Tipperary at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
Aisling Cooney of Clare celebrates with her mother following their All Ireland Junior Final win over Tipperary at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
Clare joint captains Sinead O Keeffe and Sinead Hogg of Clare lift the cup following their All Ireland Junior Final win over Tipperary at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
Clare joint captains Sinead O Keeffe and Sinead Hogg of Clare lift the cup following their All Ireland Junior Final win over Tipperary at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
A possible moment of disbelief for Clare Joint captain Sinead O Keeffe as she waits for the cup after their All Ireland Junior Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
Clare joint captains Sinead O Keeffe and Sinead Hogg of Clare celebrate following their All Ireland Junior Final win over Tipperary at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
John Carmody, Clare manager celebrates following their All Ireland Junior Final win over Tipperary at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
The Clare girls celebrate following their All Ireland Junior Final win over Tipperary at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
The Clare girls celebrate following their All Ireland Junior Final win over Tipperary at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
The Clare girls celebrate following their All Ireland Junior Final win over Tipperary at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
The Clare girls celebrate following their All Ireland Junior Final win over Tipperary at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
The Clare girls celebrate following their All Ireland Junior Final win over Tipperary at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
The Clare girls celebrate following their All Ireland Junior Final win over Tipperary at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
The Clare girls celebrate following their All Ireland Junior Final win over Tipperary at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
A late dropped in ball from a free fails to save Tipperary during their All Ireland Junior Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
Clare fans cheer on their team during the All Ireland Junior Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
John Carmody, Clare manager, and selector Eugene Foudy on the sideline during their All Ireland Junior Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
Kaci Toomey of Clare about to go on during their All Ireland Junior Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
John Carmody, Clare manager, on the sideline during their All Ireland Junior Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
Cliodhna Queally of Clare in action against Caroline Shanahan of Tipperary during their All Ireland Junior Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
Clare fans cheer on their team during the All Ireland Junior Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
Caoimhe Cahill of Clare in action against Ciannait Walsh of Tipperary during their All Ireland Junior Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
Mentor Eamonn Foudy has a word with Laura Mc Mahon of Clare during their All Ireland Junior Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
Claire Stakelum of Tipperary in action against Ciannait Walsh of Tipperary during their All Ireland Junior Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
Rachel Kelly of Clare in action against Jean Kelly of Tipperary during their All Ireland Junior Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
Ellan Casey of Clare in action against Rachel O Dwyer of Tipperary during their All Ireland Junior Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
Ciara Ryan of Tipperary in action against Labhaoise O Donnell of Clare during their All Ireland Junior Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
Caoimhe Cahill of Clare in action against Aisling Sheedy and Ciara Ryan of Tipperary during their All Ireland Junior Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
Jennifer Daly of Clare in action against Ciara Mc Keogh and Lisa Cahill of Tipperary during their All Ireland Junior Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
Caoimhe Cahill of Clare is surrounded by Tipp players during their All Ireland Junior Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
X in action against X during their All Ireland Junior Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
Jennifer Daly of Clare in action against Ciara Mc Keogh of Tipperary during their All Ireland Junior Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
Ciara Mc Keogh of Tipperary in action against Jennifer Daly of Clare during their All Ireland Junior Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
Former Tipp senior manager Lima Sheedy celebrates a Tipp goal during their All Ireland Junior Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
Lisa Cahill of Tipperary in action against Sarah Loughnane of Clare during their All Ireland Junior Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
Caoimhe Cahill of Clare is surrounded during their All Ireland Junior Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
Ciara Mc Keogh of Tipperary in action against Caoimhe Cahill of Clare during their All Ireland Junior Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
Ciara Mc Keogh of Tipperary in action against Caoimhe Cahill of Clare during their All Ireland Junior Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
Sinead O Keeffe of Clare in action against Claire Stakelum of Tipperary during their All Ireland Junior Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
X in action against X during their All Ireland Junior Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
Clare huddle before their All Ireland Junior Final against Tipperary at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
Clare enter the field for their All Ireland Junior Final against Tipperary at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
Clare’s Sarah Loughnane celebrates scoring her side’s first goal. Photograph by John Kelly.
Clare: Lauran Solon (Whitegate); Sinead Hogg (Truagh-Clonlara), Caoimhe Lally (Newmarket-on-Fergus), Rachel Kelly (Sixmilebridge); Laura McMahon (Newmarket-on-Fergus), Ellen Casey (Newmarket-on-Fergus), Sinead O’Keeffe (Kilmaley) (Captain); Niamh Mulqueen (Broadford), Grace Carmody (Kilmaley); Labhaoise O’Donnell (Scariff-Ogonnelloe), Michelle McMahon (Newmarket-on-Fergus), Jennifer Daly (Scariff-Ogonnelloe); Caoimhe Cahill (Kilmaley), Olivia Phelan (Sixmilebridge), Sarah Loughnane (Sixmilebridge)
Subs: Aoife Anderson (Ruan) for Phelan (HT), Cliodhna Queally (Inagh-Kilnamona) for L. McMahon (43-44, BS), Queally for M. McMahon (54), Aisling Cooney (Parteen-Meelick) for Loughnane (55), Rebecca Crowe (Ruan) for Hogg (61), Kaci Toomey (Newmarket-on-Fergus) for Cahill (62)
Scorers: Sarah Loughnane (1-3, 3f); Labhaoise O’Donnell (1-1); Caoimhe Cahill (1-0); Michelle McMahon (0-2); Jennifer Daly (0-1)
Tipperary: Aoife O’Brien (Cashel King Cormacs); Lisa Cahill (Kilruane MacDonagh’s); Aisling Sheedy (Portroe), Ciara Ryan (Silvermines); Ciara McKeogh (Burgess/Duharra), Ciannait Walsh (Éire Óg Annacarthy) (Joint-Captain), Rachel Maher (Nenagh Éire Óg); Ellen Cunneen (Silvermines), Katie Fitzgerald (Borrisoleigh); Claire Stakelum (Joint-Captain), Rachel O’Dwyer (Éire Óg Annacarthy), Ciara Brennan (St Cillian’s); Jean Kelly (Éire Óg Annacarthy), Aoife Dwyer (Thurles Sarsfields), Clodagh Horgan (Boherloahan Dualla)
Subs: Amy Callanan (Moycarkey Borris) for Maher (HT), Ame Crosse (Cashel King Cormacs) for Fitzgerald (HT), Aoife McLoughney (Shannon Rovers) for Dwyer (37), Nessa Murray (Silvermines) for Sheedy (41), Caroline Shanahan (Drom and Inch) for O’Dwyer (52)
Scorers: Jean Kelly (0-5, 4f); Rachel O’Dwyer (1-0); Ciara Brennan (0-2); Claire Stakelum, Clodagh Horgan (0-1 each)
Referee: Bernard Heaney (Meath)
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