Freshford storm back to top of Camogie tree following champagne performance

St. Canices Credit Union Senior Camogie Final

St. Lachtains Freshford 3-14

Mullinavat 1-8

By Michael O'Leary

They are back and they mean business.

St. Lachtains of Freshford, who dominated club camogie in Kilkenny between 1998 and 2009, are back and they are as strong as ever, as last Sunday they produced a champagne display to completely overwhelm and overpower Mullinavat to regain their status as Kilkenny Camogie club queens.

Things looked bleak earlier in the year following three straight defeats in the league, but following a first round victory over St. Brigids which eased the possibility prospects of relegation, they secured a hard fought victory over St. Martins before running riot against Windgap in the semi-final.

There is a perception amongst non-knowledgeable camogie people, that St. Lachtains are an old team. However, that particular notion is well of the mark. Yes, they still have 13 of the starting 15 from their memorable All-Ireland final victory over O'Donovan Rossa in 2006 available where they clinched a hat-trick of All-Ireland titles involved in the set-up.

However, the introduction of younger players like 16-year-olds Lydia Fitzpatrick and Katie Doheny has added greater impetus and helped freshened up the team. Only four of last Sunday's starting 15 were over the 30 mark, so there is the perfect mix of experience and youth that suggest the Freshford contingent will be a force for some time yet.

Gillian-Dillon-Maher has been playing for different decades, but last Sunday, the three times All-Ireland senior medal winner gave a sterling display at full-back. Deirdre Delaney was simply majestic from start to finish at centre-back, and controlled the position with such authority, while Claire Dermody defended tenaciously at corner-back, while Katie Doheny both at wing-back in the first-half and corner-back afterwards was imperious, and defended resolutely not yielding an inch to her opponents in possession.

Defensively, they were excellent last Sunday improving greatly from the concession of five goals to Windgap in the semi-final, as they only conceded two scores from play, and one of those was a late consolation goal from Rebecca Haberlin. Eileen Fitzpatrick was superb again in midfield driving forward relentlessly at blinding pace, while Anne Dalton gave another magnificent display alongside her.

The forwards were on fire scoring 3-11 from play, and the star on show was player of the match Imelda Kennedy who was simply phenomenal. Imelda was awesome last Sunday. She scored 0-7 - 4 from play - as she severely troubled the Mullinavat defence with her scorching pace, and also, she constantly backtracked to help out the midfield, and often during the second-half, she grafted tenacious back in her own defence, and won frees for her side.

It was a remarkable display from a remarkable club player. Cora Dowling one of the newcomers to the set-up is a grafting workaholic who gave it 110%, and she broke even in her duel with Elaine Aylward. No mean feat, while Imelda's sister Esther despite not scoring worked relentlessly also.

Marie O'Connor constantly lurked danger and she scored three magnificent points from play, and playing a part in other scores, while following a quite first-half, Sinead Connery sprung to life with a brace of goals, and following her four-goal prowess in the semi-final against Windgap, she is fast emerging as the Lionel Messi of Camogie.

Completing the attacking division was 16-year-old Lydia Fitzpatrick who was simply scintillating. She scored 1-2, and player her part in several other scores, and her switch to wing-forward from corner-forward for the second-half was central to St. Lachtains second-half rout.

She was awesome, as she linked up intelligently with the attack, while working non-stop around the middle sector. They led 0-6 to 0-5 at the interval as Marie O'Connor and Imelda Kennedy caused havoc to the Mullinavat defence. The Vegas girls were minus all-star nominee Michelle Quilty, who was an obvious massive blow after she was substituted injured towards the end of the second-half victory against Thomastown, while Amy Butler took a heavy knock in the 20^th minute, and she was subsequently substituted at half-time.

However, it would be criminal to detract from St. Lachtains overall superior dominance who should have won by a far greater margin, as they shot 11 wides to only two for their opponents. The contest was killed off in the early stages of the second-half.

Firstly, a brilliant solo run by Lydia Fitzpatrick saw her about to be close down by Elaine Aylward, and knowing the possibility of been hooked, she unselfishly passed to Cora Dowling. Dowling's attempted point fell short, but into the path of Sinead who created the space to fire an unstoppable shot beyond the hapless Brid Aylward. 1-6 to 0-5.

Cora Dowling added a point moments later followed by a similar effort from Imelda Kennedy, before the game was out of Mullinavat's reach in the 35^th minute. Aine Connery who magnificent when introduced as a half-time substitute send a long probing ball into the path of Lydia Fitzpatrick.

The youngster attempted to rise the sliotar, but she the ball trickle off the base of her sliotar as it fell over the goal-line. 2-8 to 0-5. The Freshford contingent outscored Mullinavat 1-6 to 1-3 over the closing 25 minutes, with Imelda Kennedy, Marie O'Connor, Sinead Connery and Lydia Fitzpatrick all pointing.

The icing on the cake was sealed late on, when Lydia's long delivery goal wards saw Brid Aylward's attempted clearance stop in her tracks by Sinead Connery who slotted the ball over the goal-line. Rebecca Haberlin grabbed a late consolation goal for Mullinavat who's best players were Elaine Aylward and Paula Butler, but the Freshford girls are back, and the celebrations at the end meant everything.

Scorers - St. Lachtains - Imelda Kennedy 0-7(0-3 frees), Sinead Connery 2-1, Lydia Fitzpatrick 1-2, Marie O'Connor 1-3, Cora Dowling 0-1,

Mullinavat - Aine Kinsella 0-5(all frees), Rebecca Haberlin 1-0, Elaine Aylward 0-2(both '45s), Valerie Law 0-1,

Player of the match: Imelda Kennedy(St. Lachtains)

So many stars from Gilian-Dillon Maher, Deirdre Delaney, Katie Doheny, Anne Dalton, Lydia Fitzpatrick, Eileen Fitzpatrick, Marie O'Connor and Sinead Connery. However, Imelda Kennedy took the match by the scruff of the neck, and gave a wonderful non-stop virtuoso display over the hour.

Teams and player ratings:

St. Lachtains Freshford - Helen Burke(6), Denise Daly(6), Gillian-Dillon Maher(8), Claire Dermody(7), Fiona Dowling(6), Deirdre Delaney(8), Katie Doheny(8), Eileen Fitzpatrick(8), Anne Dalton(8), Imelda Kennedy(playing captain) (9), Cora Dowling(7), Esther Kennedy(7), Marie O'Connor(8), Sinead Connery(8), Lydia Fitzpatrick(9),

Sub: Aine Connery(8)

Mullinavat - Brid Aylward(6), Joanne Quinn(captain) (6), Sinead Aylward(6), Elizabeth Cunningham(6), Paula Butler(7), Elaine Aylward(7), Claire Aylward(5), Aine Kinsella(6), Amy Butler(6), Angela Kenneally(6), Julie-Anne Malone(5), Miriam Frisby(5), Valerie Law(6), Leanne Fennelly(5), Rebecca Haberlin(6),

Sub: Marie Murphy(6)

Referee: Richard Dowling

PS: Aoife Fitzpatrick the regular captain was ruled out with an injured shoulder, but collected the winning cup afterwards.