Magnificent Modeligo land a famed Munster crown
The Modeligo team and officials celebrate after the cup presentation following their Munster Club Junior Camogie Final win over played at Fethad Park. Photos: Noel Browne.
‘Olé, Olé, Olé’ sang the Modeligo players on Sunday afternoon as the girls in green danced around with the Munster trophy.
A backs to the wall performance saw them withstand a second half onslaught from Croagh Kilfinny and emerge victorious by the narrowest of margins. It was star forward Mairéad O'Brien who cleared the ball from her own end line just before the full time whistle went. Manic celebrations followed as Modeligo subs and management invaded the pitch.
O’Brien stamped her inter county quality on this final with 1-4 from play off left and right. Once she set off on a solo run, there was no stopping the Waterford score getter. Modeligo only managed one point in the second half and it was their taliswoman who provided it.
Corner back Emily Foran made crucial interceptions and clearances throughout. She also won a late free to relieve the pressure on her team. Number three Chloe Power put her body on the line to keep Croagh Kilfinny at bay. Mary Kate Curran, Aoife O’Byrne and Eimear Griffin also made big plays.
Modeligo made the best possible start as Mairéad O'Brien motored down the left wing and split the posts in the second minute. The Déise attacker added another eight minutes later after she beat three defenders. At the other end, Chloe Power produced a point saving block on Orlaith Kelleher before Keelin Madigan hit the post. Rachel O’Brien rifled over Modeligo's third white flag. Limerick minor Donna Kenny got Croagh Kilfinny on the scoreboard after a quarter hour.
On sixteen minutes, Mairéad O’Brien shook off five red and white backs and her shot was too hot to handle for goalkeeper Brid Hannan (1-3 to 0-1). Kenny and Orlaith Kelleher were constant threats for Croagh and narrowed the gap to three. Mairéad O’Brien then gathered a free from Rachel and slotted her third point of the day.
On 26 minutes, Mairéad O’Brien’s long range free was flicked to the net by a Croagh hurley (2-4 to 0-4). Clare Walsh and Rhona Drohan contested the high ball but none of them claimed the goal after the game! Injury time efforts from Kenny and Kelleher reduced the lead to four at the break. Kenny surprisingly missed a free with the last puck of the half.
On the restart, two fouls on Kelleher led to two Kenny conversions. Mairéad O'Brien, stationed at full forward, won a close range free but pulled it left and wide. Chloe Power bravely tackled Kenny but the full forward lashed the sliotar over at the second attempt (2-4 to 0-9). Five unanswered points for the ladies in red and white.
The pressure mounted on Modeligo but Aoife O’Byrne and Mary Kate Curran won vital frees. With ten minutes left, O’Brien got possession on her own 65. She soloed all the way to the opposition 45 and struck over a badly needed score.
It was all hands on deck after a Kenny free made it a one point game again with eight minutes remaining. Rachel O’Brien and Emily Foran won late frees as they hung on.
What a difference a year makes. In 2023, Modeligo chose not to take the field in the county intermediate final against Butlerstown on player welfare grounds. 20 players lined out for Na Déise in the Munster ladies football championship the day before. The title was awarded in the boardroom to Butlerstown. Twelve months on, Modeligo are not only county intermediate champions but Munster junior champions as well.
Mairéad O’Brien 1-4, Own Goal 1-0, Rachel O’Brien 0-1.
Donna Kenny 0-8 (6fs), Orlaith Kelleher 0-2.
Rebecca Burke; Anna Hickey, Chloe Power, Emily Foran; Aoife Dee, Ceire Ryan, Ellen O'Byrne; Mary Kate Curran, Aoife O'Byrne; Gillian Whelan, Clare Walsh, Mairéad O'Brien; Eimear Griffin, Rhona Drohan, Rachel O’Brien.
Mairéad Hickey for Whelan (54).
Brid Hannan; Dawn O'Shaughnessy, Tara Lenihan, Tríona Neville; Joanne Foley, Noirín Lenihan, Ciara Houlihan; Reba Kenny, Phoenix Mulcaire Shire; Aine Keaveney, Donna Kenny, Anna Shanagher; Orlaith Kelleher, Keelin Madigan, Sarah Frawley.
Mika Kenny for Frawley (27), Edel Kelleher for Shanagher (52).
Cathal McAllister (Cork)
Mairéad O’Brien was brilliant at both ends of the pitch.
O’Brien’s solo point ten minutes from time proved to be the winner.
No stand for a Munster final.
Modeligo will meet Tara from London in the All Ireland quarter final on November 24.
