A finely tuned St. Mary's of Charleville were much too powerful for Seamount of Kinvara in the All Ireland Schools Junior Camogie final at the MICE grounds, Limerick, on Saturday. The North Cork college are in line for the double with their seniors defending their national title against Enniscorthy later this month.

When the sides met in last season's semi-finals, it was Seamount who emerged victorious by a two points margin and St.Mary's will see this result as more than ample revenge for that setback. With two senior players in the line-out, Aoife Sheehan and Aine Kelleher, Mary's made the best possible start with a point from the alert Niamh Bowles after two minutes and the same player tacked on another from a free.

Seamount, aided by the elements, had plenty of possession with Pamela Huban and Clodagh McMahon firing in shots at keeper Aoife Sheehan. After ten minutes, Claire Linnane pointed a free for the losers but Mary's once again upped the tempo with Niamh Bowles their guiding light with a brace of points. After 17 minutes, Aoife Sheehan showed her value with a terrific save from Lisa Bourke and when Orla Curtin had Galway's second point after 23 minutes they seemed ready to launch a serious comeback. However, Niamh Bowles put them back in their place and just on half time, Pamela Huban replied for Seamount to leave it 0-5 to 0-3.

Within three minutes of the restart, the same player left just one score between them but Charleville, realising the seriousness of the situation, got their act together and the outstanding Maria Watson brought relief with a great point. It was Watson who carved the opening for Una Harrington to raise the green flag in 34 minutes and while Pamela Huban raised Seamount's spirits with a point at the other end, their challenge was over at that stage. Niamh Bowles, a real thorn to the Seamount defence, made it 1-7 to 0-5 and once again it was left to the talented Pamela Huban to respond for Seamount.

In the final six minutes Alison White got on the scoresheet before Maria Watson' well-directed shot from the wing came back into play off the woodwork and Eimear O'Friel was well positioned and poked it over the line. There were tremendous celebrations when Alison White was presented with the trophy which will now rest at the North Cork school for the first time in three years.

Sheila Morgan, Vice President, National Camogie Board, presenting the trophy to Alison White, Captain St. Mary's

Scorers:
St.Mary's: N Bowles 0-5; E O'Friel 1-1; U Harrington 1-0; M Watson, A White 0-1 each.
Seamount: P Huban 0-4; C Linnane, O Curtin 0-1 each

St. Mary's Charleville: Aoife Sheehan, Laura O'Brien, Christina O'Gorman, Aine Kelleher(Newtown), Aoife Dillon, Deirdre Hayes, Niamh Bowles(Newtown), Edwina Boyce, Eimear O'Friel, Alison White, Maria Watson, Una Harrington(Newtown). Sub: Sharon Lenihan for Dillon

Seamount: Sharon Kavanagh, Linda Flaherty, Colette O'Connor, Roisin O'Connor, Michelle Quinn, Siobhan Huban, Clare Linnane, Clodagh McMahon, Pamela Huban, Aoife Bourke, Linda Gill, Orla Curtin

Referee:Vera Mulcahy (Limerick)

All Ireland Junior Camogie Champions 1999

St. Mary's Charleville reached the All Ireland Colleges Junior Camogie Final by beating a very game St. Patrick's Maghera team in the All Ireland semi-final played in Maghera on Saturday, March 6th 1999. They qualify to meet last year's All Ireland winers Kinvara in the final to be played on Saturday, 20th March at a venue to be decided. Eventhough the winning margin of eight points might suggest otherwise, this was a keenly contested game right to the final whistle. The difference between the two teams was that the Cork girls had the edge on the Derry girls in the finer points of the game and these skills enabled them to pick off the scores at vital stages of the game.

Charleville elected to play with a very strong wind and while they dominated the opening exchanges they found it difficult to register scores. The Maghera mentors played an extra player in the full back line to counter the effect of the wind and try as they might the full forward line of Alison White, Una Harrington (Newtown) and Tricia O'Callaghan (Newtown) could not overcome the crowded goalmouth conditions. Niamh Bowles (Newtown) confirmed her Cork minor status by opening the Charleville account with two well struck points from frees and a great point from play.

St. Patricks countered with a well pointed free against the wind by their best player Paula McCloy. Good defensive play by Aine Kelleher (Newtown) and determined work by midfielders Deirdre Hayes and Edwina Boyce provided the platform for a goal effort by Una Harrington that was deflected over the bar. The goal that was badly needed by Charleville was scored in the 14th minuted by the alert Tricia O'Callaghan when she doubled on a poorly cleared ball and first-timed the ball to the net. The Charleville relief was shorlived as Ciara Cushnahan and Paula McCloy combined to score another point for the Maghera girls. Emer O'Friel countered with a well taken point from play fro Charleville and despite the fact that the St.Mary's girls were leading at half-time by six points, this lead did not seem to be sufficient as they had to face a very strong wind in the second half.

A section of St. Mary's Charleville supporters pictured at the All Ireland Junior Final in Limerick.

St. Patrick's began the second half with a spirit and tenacity that had the St.Mary's girls defending desperately for long periods. It was in this opening ten minutes that the game was possibly won for Charleville as the full back line of Christina O'Gorman, Laura O'Brien and Aoife Dillon performed heroically and cleared ball after ball. Goalkeeper Aoife Sheehan made some great saves, cleared her lines cleanly and hit some great puckouts against the wind. Aoife Dillon, who had policed Maghera star Paula McCloy very effectively to this point picked up a hand injury and had to be replaced by fellow Milford player Marie Watson. Just as in the Munster Final, the introduction of this young player seemed to turn the game in the Charleville girls favour. Playing at wing forward she collected ball after ball, showing delightful touches of skill. She scored a great point with ten minutes to go having rounded two players at ease.

At this point the Cork girls seemed to get a second wind. Una Harrington had another point from play and three points from Niamh Bowles seemed to put the issue beyond doubt. With ten minutes remaining the Maghera girls had the ball in the Charleville net for what looked like the score of the match by Claire Cushnahan but the goal was disallowed for an earlier infringement, much to the dismay of the Derry supporters. From this point on Charleville controlled the game with Emer O'Friel, Niamh Bowles and Edwina Boyce well on top around the middle of the field. This win was achieved by an all round gritty performance from the Charleville girls. It remains to be seen if they can raise their all round game the few points required and avenge the two point defeat inflicted on them in last year's semi-final by the current champions Kinvara.

Charleville scorers: Niamh Bowles 0-6, Tricia O'Callaghan 1-0, Una Harrington 0-2, Emer O'Friel 0-1 and Marie Watson 0-1.

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