CAMOGIE: ALL-IRELAND SEN ‘B’ FINAL
Iosagain are aiming to banish memories of last year’s final
Daire Walsh
AN ALL-IRELAND schools camogie title will be up for grabs in Kilkenny next Wednesday when Colaiste Iosagain face St Angela’s Ursuline of Waterford in an eagerly-anticipated Senior ‘B’ Championship decider.
This is the second year in succession that the Booterstown side have reached the final of this competition, and they will be hoping to go a step further than they did in 2017.
First-half goals courtesy of Katie Coleman and Hannah Core guided St Joseph’s, Rochfortbridge to a nine-point success (2-6 to 0-3) just 12 months ago, but Iosagain have bounced back in assertive style.
They were pushed to the limit by St Joseph’s, Lucan in January’s county final at Clanna Gael Fontenoy, before Sinéad De Bhuilde eventually inspired them to an extra-time victory. This set them up nicely for a subsequent All-Ireland semi-final against Presentation Wexford at the beginning of February.
De Bhuilde, Niamh Nic Cormaic and Gráinne Ní Dhrisceoil all found the net in a tightly contested affair at Hollymount, giving Iosagain the spoils by the slenderest of margins, 3-2 to 1-7.
Angela’s claimed the Munster ‘B’ Colleges crown at the expense of Sacred Heart Clonakilty, and overcame a stern challenge from Deise rivals Abbey CC, Ferrybank in the All-Ireland series.
Even though they were confronted by a sweeper in the opening half of the latter encounter in Kilmacow, an Aoife Fitzgerald goal provided Angela’s with a 1-3 to 0-2 interval buffer. An Afton Grace three-pointer offered Abbey a new lease of life after the break, but with Waterford senior star Annie Fitzgerald exerting her influence, Angela’s prevailed in the end.
As well as midfielder Clodagh Carroll, Iosagain will need to keep an eye on the Fitzgerald sisters if they have designs on securing the silverware on offer.
With De Bhuilde, Michelle Ní Chiardha and Ní Dhrisceoil all in fine form this season, they are certainly capable of delivering the goods on the day.