Loreto Kilkenny complete camogie double
A goal in the second minute of added time from substitute Maura Barton sealed a 12th Corn Gobnait title for Loreto Kilkenny in sunny Conahy.
The school from the Marble City had already taken the senior All-Ireland title six days ago against the same opposition and that means that they have completed their seventh senior/junior All-Ireland double.
However, despite a lead of 2-7 to 0-3 at the break, Loreto had to really battle for this latest title as Mel Flannery-led a Thurles revival that had them just a point in arrears with 57 minutes gone.
Loreto had dominated the opening half with captain Emma Hogan, the eventual player of the match, and Jenna Trait a huge threat to Ursuline hopes. Had it not been for goalie Lara Shanahan, they would have been out of sight by half-time. Shanahan brought off three super saves, including one from a Hogan penalty strike after seven minutes.
Amy Walsh and Trait had already put Loreto two ahead before the penalty. Rebecca Smith, Méabh Kenny, Trait and Hogan extended the lead to 0-6 to 0-1.
Emma Bevans and Flannery (free) pulled a couple back for Ursuline. But the majority of the play was in their defence with Shanahan and Laura Millea fire-fighting to hold Loreto at bay.
Hogan fired in a free from distance that may have got a touch before ending in the net in the 23rd minute and just before the break Walsh's shot was well saved by Shanahan only for Hogan to collect the rebound and send to the net for an interval lead of ten points.
It was all Thurles however for the third quarter. They had the breeze in their favour and they quickly ate into the lead, hitting 1-5 without reply.
Flannery led the charge with four superb points from frees and 45s. Rosie O'Brien took time off her defensive duties to drive forward for a rallying point after 37 minutes and Jessie Shanahan's goal a minute later, when she took a pass from Flannery, really upped the ante.
Loreto got their boost from the bench. Barton was less than a minute on the pitch when she scored a point in Loreto's first serious attack since the break.
She pointed again in the 50th minute, an immediate reply to one from Ursuline sub Sophie Moynihan. That made the scoreline 2-10 to 1-10.
Ursuline added two scores from Flannery frees before the 57th minute. But Loreto dug in at the back and in midfield and Hogan and Trait held on to the sliotar up front.
Trait won a free that Hogan converted and then late in added time, Hogan burst forward and brought another great stop from Shannahan. However super sub Barton followed through to find the net and extend Loreto's dominance of schools' camogie.
E Hogan 2-3 (0-2fs); M Barton 1-2; A Walsh, J Trait 0-2 each; R Smith, M Kenny 0-1 each
M Flannery 0-8(fs); J Shanahan 1-0; E Bevans, R O’Brien, S Moynihan 0-1 each
L Croke, R Doyle, S Cash, E Cottrell, K Mulcahy, S Bolger, S Farrell, A Walsh, J Healy, R Mullins, E Hogan, R Smith, H Drennan, M Kenny, J Trait. Subs: M Barton for Kenny (46); A McDonald for Farrell (47); R Gibbons for Smith (55)
L Shanahan; L Ryan, L Millea, A Hackett; C Fitzgerald, R O’Brien, R King, K Duffy, O Pamplin, M Lonergan, E Bevans, J Shanahan, M Flannery, S Murray, M Jones. Subs: E Purcell for Hackett (29), S Moynihan for Lonergan (33)
REFEREE: Bernard Heaney (Meath)
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