Commercials camogie club winning their first adult championship since 1996 when they just held on to overcome a brave Erins Isle on a scoreline of 1-6 to 2-1 in the We are Dublin Senior 7B final at a chilly Abbotstown.

After a thrilling encounter and 9 added minutes, the sides could not be separated in the Senior 7A final and Naomh Barróg and Na Fianna will have to meet again.  Final score Naomh Barróg 1-7 Na Fianna 3-1.

We are Dublin Senior 7B Final

Commercials 1-7 Erins Isle 2-1

An historic day for the Rathcoole club as they won their first adult camogie championship title in over 20 years.  Having been beaten by Ballinteer St  Johns in last year’s final, they were determined not to have a repeat dose.  But they were made fight every inch of the way by a brave Erins Isle who could just as easily have won.   Commercials just about had the edge in the attack where they held a slight advantage.

But they can also give a big vote of thanks to their ‘keeper Niamh Dungan (receiving her Player of the Match award from Board Treasurer Mona O'Sullivan) who was rock solid throughout the game and made a particularly fine save in the 42n minute from a point blank shot.

Commercials were first on the scoreboard when Róisín Doyle fired a rocket from over 30m to the net in the 11th minute.  Both defences were on top and scores were hard to come by.  Commercials were enjoying the better of the exchanges but struck 6 wides in the half. 

Erins Isle fought back with Kirsty Conner involved in many of the plays.  From a long delivery by Kirsty, Cathy Connaghan managed to get a flick on the ball to steer it into the net in the 15th minute and the Finglas crew were back in the game.  A minute later Commercials were back in front when Sophie Strumble pointed from close range.  If there was one significant difference it has to be the fact that four Commercials players scored from play over the hour compared to one from Isles.

Noelle Comyn found the range with a pointed free to extend their lead to 1-2 to 1-0 with half time beckoning.

(Commercials Right)

However Chloe Lambert went very close to goaling for Isle’s in the 31st minute only to see her effort go narrowly wide.  Just when it seemed as if Commercials would take a lead into the second half, Kirsty Conner battled through to have a blast at goals. Niamh Dungan saved superbly but Cathy Connaghan was on hand to put her name on a second goal and Isles were 2-0 to 1-2 in front at the break.  

(Erins Isle)

The superb Abbotstown venue was ideal with both synthetic and grass pitches in excellent conditions.  Within two minutes of the restart, the pacey Angelique Kilgannon levelled the game for Commercials.  It was the signal for a fine start to the second half as two points from Noelle Comyn, the second from play, put them 1-5 to 2-0 in front.  But Donna McAllister was enjoying some good possession and from a free in the 37th minute she brought the game to parity once more.  However it was to prove their only score of the half.

In fact the next score didn’t come for another 27 minutes as the sides battled with great intent.  Sarah Ryan, Joni Shattock, Ruby Tracy, Caoilfhionn Ní Dhúlaing defended stoutly for Commercials as Isles through everything at them.  With time almost up Noelle Comyn hit the insurance point from a free in the 64th minute.

Commercials Scorers:  Noelle Comyn (0-4), Róisín Doyle (1-0), Sophie Strumble (0-1), Angelique Kilgannon (0-1)

Erins Isle Scorers: Cathy Connaghan (2-0), Donna McAllister (0-1)

Referee Damian Noble

We are Dublin Senior 7A Championship Final

Naomh Barróg 1-7  Na Fianna 3-1

Two young and lively teams served up a thrilling game that could have gone either way especially in a marathon 9 minutes of added time where Naomh Barróg had two placed ball attempts from 45m but just could not get the distance with their shots.

That said they will be happy enough going into the final ten minutes of normal time when a cracking goal by Beibhinn Ní Dhonnchadha put them four points clear.  Not a big lead but in a low-scoring game – a substantial one.

Naomh Barróg had the point-scoring knack whereas Na Fianna could only see green and two first half goals by Lorna Meleady and Emma Doherty as well as a point from Lauren Coulahan helped them the Mobhi Road girls to a 2-1 to 0-4 lead.  Naomh Barróg’s points coming from captain Tara Mulholland (0-2), Eve Byrne and Aisling Quinn.

Five minutes into the second half, Kate Pepper reduced the Na Fianna lead to two points but a full 15 minutes would pass before the next score came – an excellent point from Caoimh O’Hanlon for the Kilbarrack side.  There was very definite sense that the momentum was with Naomh Barróg.

But that all changed with the next play when a clever flick was collected by Beibhinn Ní Dhonnchadha and she goaled despite the best efforts of Joanne Geraghty in the Na Fianna goal.

Naomh Barróg kept their cool but Na Fianna were holding firm with full-back Michelle Gahan and Siobhan Casserly particularly strong.  But in the 57th minute the persistent Naomh Barróg pressure told and Eve Byrne stuck a great ball in the net to leave the minimum between the teams.  Katie O’Neill, Sinead Casey and Lara Crosby kept the pressure up and when the ball broke to the impressive Aisling Quinn – her shot had equaliser written on it from the moment it left her stick in the 63rd minute.  A further six minutes couldn’t separate the teams and they will have to renew rivalry to decide the destination of the We are Dublin Senior 7B title.

Naomh Barróg scorers:  Eve Byrne (1-1), Tara Mulholland (0-2), Aisling Quinn (0-2), Kate Pepper (0-1) and Caoimhe O’Hanlon (0-1)

Na Fianna scorers:  Lorna Meleady (1-0), Emma Doherty (1-0), Beibhinn Ní Dhonnchadha (1-0), Lauren Coulahan (0-1)

Referee Jenny Byrne