Dramatic Draw Sends athenry and St Finbarr’s to Replay in All-Ireland Senior Club Camogie Final
Table of Contents
St Finbarr’s 0-15 Athenry 1-12
Athenry and Cork’s St Finbarr’s will have to do it all again after a late point from the Galway side forced a dramatic draw in the AIB All-Ireland Senior Club Camogie final at Croke Park.
Trailing by six points with just five minutes remaining, Athenry mounted a remarkable comeback, sparked by a goal from Anna Jordan. Kayla Madden then secured a dramatic equaliser deep into added time with a crucial point.
Eimear Hurley, returning to her home county after a stint in goals for Dublin this summer, appeared to have sealed the victory for St Finbarr’s with a stunning point in the 55th minute, extending their lead to 0-15 to 0-09. A six-point advantage,considering the challenging swirling wind conditions,seemed insurmountable.
Though, Athenry, who previously dethroned defending champions Sarsfields in their county final, refused to yield. Like the Barrs, who snatched the Munster title from De La Salle and qualified for the decider with a last-gasp point against Loughgiel Shamrocks, they demonstrated resilience and determination.
Central to Athenry’s fightback was the remarkable Therese Donohue (nee Maher). At 44, and twelve years after her inter-county retirement, Donohue showcased her brilliance, perhaps on the cusp of a belated All-Ireland win. She is the aunt of Galway’s All-Ireland-winning captain Carrie Dolan, whose leadership qualities – exemplified by a late free to deny cork earlier this year – were mirrored in Donohue’s performance.
In the fourth minute of injury time,Donohue soloed through three barrs defenders,creating an opportunity for Athenry to salvage the game. Play continued despite a potential foul, and after regaining possession, a series of passes culminated in the sliotar reaching Kayla Madden, 35m from goal. Madden’s unerring strike secured the equaliser, marking a pivotal moment in a thrilling final.
St Finbarr’s Claim All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship Title
St Finbarr’s of Cork defeated Athenry of Galway to win the 2024 All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship. the final score was St Finbarr’s 0-16 to Athenry’s 0-11,securing the club’s first title as 1989. The match, refereed by Ray Kelly from Kildare, was played with intensity and skill, ultimately showcasing St Finbarr’s dominance.
match Details and Key Performances
the game saw a strong performance from St Finbarr’s forward S McCartan,who contributed an extraordinary 0-06,including five frees and one 45. N Olden added 0-03 to the tally, while O Cahalane scored 0-02.Further points came from C Golden, K McCarthy, K Wall, and E Hurley with one point each.
For Athenry,A Jordan led the scoring with 1-00,while T Donohue contributed 0-03. K O’driscoll and K Madden each scored 0-02,and E McGlynn added 0-01.
team Lineups
Athenry: L Freeney, Kilkenny, Kilkenny, Night, L Casserly, Drickins, S Penter, Scrime, K Madden, Education, EKane, Rabbitte, EKane, Rabbit, EK Gill, K O’Driscoll. Substitutions: E McGlynn for N Fine (ht), A Jordan for Burke (44), M None for Keane (52).
St Finbarr’s: C Hurley, A Egan, A O’Neill, S Faly, M Cahalane, S Daly, K McCarthy, S McCartan, N Olden, C Golden, A Shannon, O Cahalane, K Wall, H O’Leary. Substitutions: L O’Donovan for Daly (38), E Hurley for O’Leary (45), E Wigginton Barrett for N Olden (60).
Game Summary
St Finbarr’s established a lead early in the game and maintained control throughout. While Athenry fought hard, particularly in the second half with Jordan’s goal, they were unable to close the gap. St Finbarr’s clinical finishing and strong defensive work proved decisive. The substitutions made by both sides aimed to inject fresh energy into the game, but St Finbarr’s ultimately proved to strong.
Looking Ahead
This victory marks a meaningful achievement for St Finbarr’s, cementing their place in the history of Irish club football. The club will now look to build on this success and continue to compete at the highest level. The All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship continues to showcase the talent and passion within Gaelic Games communities across Ireland.
Keep reading