Thomas Keane
De La Salle won a first ever county senior camogie championship at the SETU Arena on Saturday
afternoon last, proving too strong for a Gailltír side that were looking to win five titles in a row.
Gailltír went into this game without Ciara Jackman, Margo Heffernan, Maeve Sheridan, Holly Flynn and
Aoife Fitzgerald from the side that beat De La Salle 0-16 to 1-10 at Walsh Park 12 months ago, while De
La Salle were without Siobhan Heylin, Chloe Dempsey, Lucy Hogan and Roisin Heylin.
Keeley Corbett Barry has been involved in her share of county finals over the years, lining out in ladies
football with Comeragh Rangers and in recent years with De La Salle after she transferred from Clonea.
Up to last Saturday she had never featured on a winning side in an adult county final, but she will
remember this one, putting in a player of the match performance, scoring a point on 51 minutes which
gave her side the lead for only the third time in the game.
All-Star nominee Beth Carton gave De La Salle the lead on three minutes when she converted from the
45-metre line after Vicky O’Sullivan was blown up for pucking the ball out from outside the small box
after Beth Carton had put a free wide.
Gailltír had to wait until the 11
th minute for their first score, Annie Fitzgerald splitting the posts at the
dressing room end of the ground.
Niamh Murphy sent De La Salle back in front on the quarter of an hour mark but points from Molly
Comerford and a brace from Anne Corcoran gave the reigning champions a double score lead with 19
minutes played.
Beth Carton put over two placed balls with Ciara O’Sullivan finding the range in between for Gailltír
before the impressive Kate Lynch gave Gailltír a two-point lead three minutes before the break.
The games’ first goal came a minute later. Anne Corcoran, who impressed for Gailltír, made a great run
through the De La Salle defence from the middle of the field and she picked out Alannah O’Sullivan on
the 14-metre line and she beat the advancing Brianne O’Regan, hopping the ball into the ground in the
process.
Beth Carton pulled a point back for De La Salle in added time but at the other end Ciara O’Sullivan split
the posts to ensure that her side went to the dressing rooms with a double score 1-7 to 0-5 advantage.
They would have been even further in front only for the brilliance of Brianna O’Regan in the De La Salle
goal who did brilliantly to smother a chance from Orlaith Walsh on the stroke of half-time.
De La Salle had a great start to the second half. Beth Carton put over an early ‘45 to close the gap to four
points and four minutes in that gap was down to one.
Brianna O’Regan and Beth Carton showed why they are both All-Star nominees as O’Regan found
Carton with a perfectly placed long range pass down the wing.
Carton played the ball long in front of the Gailltír goal where Maggi Gostl, one of De La Salle’s rising
stars, managed to reach past Faye Murphy to poke the ball past Vicky O’Sullivan.
Kate Lynch and Molly Comerford added points for Gailltír with Beth Carton striking from play for De La
Salle in between which had Gailltír leading 1-9 to 1-7 with 41 minutes played. All-Star Nominee Abby
Flynn made it a one-point game after Beth Carton performed miracles in the De La Salle half of the field
in the build up, and Carton then drew the sides level on 44 minutes when she put over a free.
Taking over from Ciara Jackman could not be easy for anybody but Vicky O’Sullivan gave a good
account of herself in this game.
She made a great save 13 minutes from time from Abbie Mullane, daughter of former All-Star John, after
she was played in by Keely Corbett-Barry.
De La Salle took the lead nine minutes from time thought Keely Corbett-Barry after an amazing run and
they soon extended the lead when Abby Flynn split the posts.
Annie Fitzgerald made it a one-point game when she fired over the De La Salle crossbar but Abby Flynn
put daylight between the sides with a point three minutes from the end of normal time.
The game was now there for any side that wanted it. Gailltír piled on the pressure but the De La Salle
backs held strong and held out to the end and will now represent Waterford in the Munster Championship.
De La Salle: Brianna O’Regan, Aoibhe Waring, Taylor Healy, Alex Healy, Megan O’Connor, Keely
Corbett Barry, Luda Mooney, Courtney Healy, Alannah McNulty, Niamh Murphy, Beth Carton, Holly
Ryan, Maggi Gostl, Abby Flynn, Ciara Twomey.
Subs: Abbie Mullane for Ciara Twomey (27), Collette Hogan for Niamh Murphy (46).
Scorers: Beth Carton (0-7, 3 45s, 3fs), Maggi Gostl (1-0), Abby Flynn (0-3), Keely Corbett Barry, Niamh
Murphy (0-1) each.
Gailltír: Vicky O’Sullivan, Faye Murphy, Laoise Forrest, Emily Mahony, Leah Sheridan, Kate Lynch,
Aoife Hartley, Orlaith Walsh, Clodagh Carroll, Alannah O’Sullivan, Shauna Fitzgerald, Ciara O’Sullivan,
Annie Fitzgerald, Anne Corcoran, Molly Comerford.
Sub: Ciara Sherlock for Annie Fitzgerald (62).
Scorers: Alannah O’Sullivan (1-0), Kate Lynch, Molly Comerford, Annie Fitzgerald, Anne Corcoran,
Ciara O’Sullivan (0-2) each.
Referee: R Kelly (Kildare)
Gailltir
Referee Ray Kelly and his officials are pictured with De La Salle captain Courtney Healy and Gailltir
captain Clodagh Carroll.
Gailltir’s Alannah O’Sullivan has her shot blocked by De La Salle’s Luda Mooney.
