Minor C Camogie Championship Final
Wolfe Tones 6-13 Parteen-Meelick 6-10
Wolfe Tones definitely earned their Minor C Camogie Championship breakthrough, having been tested to their optimum by a never-say-die Parteen-Meelick in what was a truly memorable decider in Fr. McNamara on Wednesday evening,
Sharing twelve goals equally, supporters were not only afraid to take their eyes off it but even fearful of blinking in case they missed a goal.
It was a compelling end-to-end contest that proved a superb advertisement for Clare Camogie as the standard on offer far exceeded expectations as both sides left everything out on the field in pursuit of some much-needed silverware.
And yet considering the final scoreline, it’s perhaps difficult to believe that there were no goals at all until additional time in the first half. Indeed, injury-time in general appeared to ignite something special in these sides as seven of the twelve goals were scored in those added minutes, five of which arrived amidst a grandstand finish. Wolfe Tones’ six point cushion was completely wiped out and then restored before finally relievedly prevailing by three.
Such a madcap finale only accentuated the occasion and while not too many in the sizable attendance would have grumbled at a replay, the Tones, to their credit, did lead from start to finish barring that late brief deadlock.
Both teams must be commended but overall, while Parteen-Meelick possessed the undoubtedly star of the hour in 15 year Aine Quaid who simply tormented her opponents with a whopping 4-7, the Shannon side just had the edge on balance throughout their side.
Sarah McEvoy led by example from midfield and was deservedly rewarded with a hat-trick of goals but she wasn’t alone in an attacking sense as joint-captain Sara Alford (0-6), Laura Meaney (0-2) and the lively Leah Watson (2-2) combined for 2-10 as well.
Add in the defensive fortitude of Anna Keely, Leah Carr and Millie Keane and there were stars everything for the Tones.
The aforementioned Aine Quaid certainly didn’t deserve to be on the losing side but in truth, the full-forward needed more help in the scoring stakes over the hour. Captain Maeve Millea toiled tirelessly for the cause as did overworked spinal defenders Seoige Healy and excellent Under 16 Sophie Ryan but it wasn’t to be for Parteen-Meelick.
While Wolfe Tones excelled with the first five points, four from the stick of the dominant Sara Alford, it was soon clear that it wouldn’t be all one-way traffic as three Aine Quaid goal sightings in succession demonstrated her great threat. Goalkeeper Aibhe Ring saved two, one over the bar while the side-netting caught the other but it certainly provided Parteen-Meelick with great confidence as they patiently waited to spark into life.
The Tones kept them at arm’s length for the majority but there were some scary moments denied by their defense as Millie Keane expertly hooked Quaid as she was about to pull the trigger while Caoimhe Hourigan brilliantly saved off the line from Leah Flynn.
Wolfe Tones almost held out until the break but in the 33rd minute Quaid inevitably bore down on goal but her shot was repelled, only for Chloe Marshall to rifle the rebound to the net and slash the deficit to just the minimum at 0-10 to 1-06.
Not to be outdone, Wolfe Tones responded immediately from the puck-out, with Sarah McEvoy’s lobbed attempt dipping into the far left corner of the Parteen-Meelick net to restore a four point cushion by the interval at 1-10 to 1-06.
When McEvoy re-emerged to double her goal tally within two minutes of the restart, it may have seemed a death knell to Parteen-Meelick’s chances at 2-10 to 0-06. However, with the likes of Aine Quaid in their ranks, the South East Clare side would never be far away as she skimmed the crossbar with another blistering shot to lessen the damage to six by the two-thirds mark.
Leah Watson’s first goal a minute later carved out Wolfe Tones’ biggest cushion of the hour but it only seemed to motivate Under 16 Quaid even more as she hit back with a 2-1 unanswered bliitz in just three minutes entering the final quarter to slash the arrears to just two at 3-11 to 3-09.
That seesaw pattern wold be maintained until the final whistle as Watson’s second goal powered the Shannon side six in front by the hour mark but the best was yet to come.
A Quaid bullet commenced Parteen-Meelick’s latest backlash in the 61st minute followed in the next passage of play by an equally awe-inspiring goal from centre-back Sophie Ryan to remarkably regain full parity.
From the restart, Sarah McEvoy pulled a goal straight back while Emma Riordan’s persistence garnered what surely was the insurance goal in the 64th minute.
Game over? Not quite yet as there would still be time for one last Aine Quaid wondergoal following good work from Chloe Marshall and Maeve Millea.
And while neutrals didn’t want this goalfest to end, Wolfe Tones were thoroughly elated to finally hear the sound of the final whistle in what was unquestionably the final of 2024 so far.
Wolfe Tones: Aibhe Ring; Anna Keely, Millie Keane (Joint-Captain), Caoimhe Hourigan; Courtney Behan, Leah Carr, Aoibhinn Keane; Sarah McEvoy, Grace Quinn; Emma Riordan, Sara Alford (Joint-Captain), Holly Quinn; Leah Watson, Laura Meaney, Sarah Keane
Subs: Katie Horan for H. Quinn (HT), Grace Cordon for S. Keane (49, inj)
Scorers: Sarah McEvoy (3-2); Leah Watson (2-2, 1f); Sara Alford (0-6, 2f); Emma Riordan (1-0); Laura Meaney (0-2); Leah Carr (0-1f)
Parteen-Meelick: Kara Foley; Kate Darcy, Seoige Healy, Sadhbh Jordan; Kiev McNamara, Sophie Ryan, Aoife Keogh; Chloe Marshall, Aoibheann McNamara; Sara Cuddy, Maeve Millea (Captain), Tara Quaid; Leah Flynn, Aine Quaid, Grace Molony
Scorers: Aine Quaid (4-7, 1f); Maeve Millea (0-3, 2’45); Chloe Marshall, Sophie Ryan (1-0 each)
Referee: Shane O’Loughlin (Ruan)