Clonduff 0-12 v James Stephens Camogie Club (Kilkenny) 1-6Clonduff Camogs are All Ireland Intermediate Club Champions for the second time (2018). It is said that the first All Ireland Title is special – but there is nothing less special about the second one either! Many of the panel played on the first and still going strong even though three of the starting team became first-time mothers within 2022 and there’s another mother on the panel! That in itself is a story worth telling! There are also seven sets of sisters on the panel!
Those experienced players led the way but there’s a great blend of youth including two 16 year olds and they were in no way daunted by the occasion!
20 of the 30 strong panel in 2022 were on the panel in 2018/19; 11 of the starting 15 in 2022 were also on the starting panel in 2018/19 – amazing statistics!
Clonduff captain, Jenna Boden holds aloft the Maggie Farrelly Cup!
Clonduff started brightly and were three points up before the Leinster Champions scored their first; Clonduff came back with a fabulous point from the diminutive Ceallagh Byrne to go into a 4-point lead. But as the occasion dictated, James Stephens’ came to life and scored 1-1 to leave the half time score Clonduff 0-5 James Stephens 1-2.
During the interval there was an exhibition of mini games and a parade of teams who play Social Camogie – Cáman n Chats, including the Clonduff Social team many of them accompanied by their children.
Second half got under way – Clonduff, playing into Hill 16, camped in that end of the field and again fired over the first 3 points, but back came the Kilkenny Champions with two of their own – score half-way through the second half was 0-9 to 0-8 in favour of Clonduff. Clonduff went on to add a further three points to James Stephens’ one. There were amazing scenes of joy and despair in under the Hogan Stand – The Kilkenny girls had given it their all but the Down girls had given just that little bit more.
Sara Louise Graffin was awarded ‘Player of the Match’ for the second week in a row.
Clonduff Players and supporters were ecstatic when Captain Jenna Boden lifted the Maggie Farrelly Cup – Celebrations began on the pitch, continued on the way home on the buses and long into the night when they got back to the club!
Team: Katie McGilligan, Erin Rafferty, Jenna Boden (Capt), Niohmi Murray, Claire Kearney, Fionnuala Carr, Katie Morgan, Isabella O’Hare, Clare McGilligan, Cassie Fitzpatrick, Orla Gribben, Beth Fitzpatrick, Paula O’Hagan, Ceallagh Byrne, Sara Louise Graffin, Orlaith McCusker, Elizabeth Wilson, Niamh Fitzpatrick, Cara Boden, Ellen Shields, Caitlin Harper, Tiarna Savage, Amy Morgan, Hannah Wilson, Ursula Kearney, Ally Magee, Erin McAlinden, Erin Lively, Michaela Harper, Clara Cowan; Management: Kieran McGourty, Alastair and Guinevra McGilligan, Oisin McManus
