Camogie Review 2017
As the New Year approaches Ulster eyes will once again be on Slaughtneil as the Derry and Ulster champions bid to reach the All-Ireland Senior Club Championship final for the second time.
Slaughtneil defended both their Derry and Ulster crowns seeing off Ballinascreen and Loughgiel respectively.
A goal from Therese Mellon in the 57th minute saw the Emmets take the lead for the first time and they pushed on to secure a 2-11 to 3-05 victory and claim back-to-back Ulster titles.
Kilkenny champions Thomastown who defeated St Martin’s of Wexford in the Leinster final will be standing in their way.
While the other semi-final will see last year’s beaten finalists Sarsfields take on Munster and Tipperary champions Burgess-Duharra.
Tyrone champions Eglish completed a three-in-a-row of NWP Ulster Intermediate club camogie titles, injury time points from the Donnelly sisters Ciara and Leanne seeing them past Clonduff of Down 1-14 to 2-09.
Cavan champions Crosserlough claimed the NWP Recycling Phil McBride Cup beating 2-07 to 0-08, a goal from Emer McVeety proved to be the turning point as it brought the sides level for the first time and the Cavan side used it as a springboard to claim victory.
The Ulster champions suffered heartbreak however in the All-Ireland Junior Club Championship falling to Kilmessan, while Dungannon side Naomh Teresa claimed the Ulster 2017 Bride McMenamin crown.
Four Ulster players, Gráinne McNicholl and Niamh McQuillan of Derry and Down’s Niamh Mallon and Maria McNally received Soaring Star nominations.
All-Ireland Intermediate champions Meath lead the 2017 Soaring Stars Awards, picking up six spots on the team including Jane Dolan at full-forward who claimed her sixth Soaring Stars Award, while runners-up Cork picked up four awards
All-Ireland Premier Junior champions Westmeath picked up two spots with Laura Doherty named at left half-back and Caoimhe McCrossan in midfield
The 2017 Camogie All-Stars team was dominated by All-Ireland Senior champions Cork who eight places as beaten finalists Kilkenny received four awards.
Gemma O’Connor picked up her tenth All-Star award with Ashling Thompson getting the nod at midfield whilst in the forwards Katrina Mackey and Orla Cotter were selected in the half-forward line.
The 2017 All-Stars team was completed with Dublin forward Aisling Maher who was rewarded for her key role in the Capital’s run to the All-Ireland semi-final by being selected at full-forward.
Cork manager Paudie Murray was named as Manager of the Year for the second time after guiding the Rebels to a record 27th All-Ireland title.
Cork’s Rena Buckley also collected the Camogie Association/WGPA Senior Players’ Player of the Year award. Claire Coffey of Meath was the recipient of the Intermediate accolade whilst Dublin’s Aoife Bugler was chosen as the Junior Players’ Player of the Year.
2017 was a year of revival for Derry, the Oak Leafers returned to Division 2 and finished top of their table before overcoming Kildare by three points.
However, their rich vein of form was ended by Cork.
The Oak Leafers pushed on from their League success reaching the All-Ireland Intermediate semi-final but Cork once again proved to be a thorn in their sides as they fell 2-10 to 0-06.
The All-Ireland Intermediate final proved to be a thriller but it was Meath who claimed a 0-10 to 0-07 victory in a replay after the sides could not be separated at Croke Park.
Aoife Maguire put the Leinster outfit in front for the first time in the game in the 50th minute, after taking a pass of precision and vision by Aoife Minogue.
Amy Gaffney added a brace after two scorching runs and when Dolan added her fifth free, they had one hand on the Jack McGrath Cup.
McCarthy gave Cork some hope with another pointed free but the Rebels never looked like chiselling out the goal they needed to avoid a second consecutive final
defeat.
Cork claimed the Senior All-Ireland crown, holding off Kilkenny by a single point in an enthralling Final. Gemma O’Connor grabbed the equaliser from 65m right on 60 minutes and substitute Julia White who was only on the pitch a matter of minutes, shot the winner with the clock reading 66 minutes.
It was a pretty forgettable year for Down, Tyrone and Antrim who are all undergoing a period of rebuilding, all three will be hoping to bounce back in the incoming season.
Armagh reached the Semi-Finals of the Premier Junior Championship but eventual All-Ireland winners Westmeath held out to take a one-point win.
There was however success for Ulster in in the Junior Inter-Provincial Camogie series, two goals either side of the interval by Ciara Donnelly alongside eight points from Niamh Mallon saw them claim 3-11 to 2-07 victory over Leinster.
Ulster reached the final by beating Munster in a cracker, 1-18 to 3-11, while Leinster recorded a thumping win over Connacht in the other semi-final by 1-19 to 0-7.
The Premier Junior Championship commences on the weekend of the July 14/15 where last year’s finalists Dublin will face Armagh.
In the Intermediate Championship last year’s runners up Cork face Carlow in their opening fixture and beaten semi-finalists Down and Kildare facing Derry and Westmeath respectively.
