Apr 26

Wexford On The Double

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It was National League success on the double for Wexford at Parnell Park yesterday when they lifted both the Division One and Two camogie titles at the expense of Tipperary and Antrim respectively.

The Division One side – captained by newlywed Aoife O’Connor who delayed her honeymoon to lead out the Purple and Gold – brought the AIB cup to the south-east after a lapse of 32 years. Following an impressive performance that sent out the message they are back, they overcame the Premier girls on a scoreline of 2-12 to 0-11.

It took two brilliant strikes from full forward Una Leacy to decide the destiny of the silverware. Both goals which arrived on the run-up to half time were sheer class. Her first was drilled from well outside the 20 metre line, while the second she buried from a similar distance.

In contrast a Tipperary attack that had notched 2-19 against Kilkenny a week earlier never got going – this was due mainly to the unrelenting nature of the Wexford defence backboned by half backs Áine Codd and Mary Leacy.

The Division Two final was a much closer affair (2-10 to 0-11) with the teams locked on no less than six occasions. At the break it was 1-5 to 0-8 with the Slaneysiders’ goal coming from the stick of Evelyn Quigley. Again the scoreboard showed parity right up to the three-quarter stage.

Antrim, whose trump card was captain and centre forward Jane Adams, eventually ran out of steam and had to yield to a more physically stronger Wexford side. And when Ciara O’Connor burst through for the Purple and Golds’ second green flag 12 minutes from time, the task proved a bridge too far for the Ulster side.

Incidentally, Ciara O’Connor was one of five sisters that played in the two finals. Her sister Aoife – who recently married RTÉ GAA analyst Declan Ruth – was captain of the Division One side while her sister Claire lined out at corner back. Ciara and Niamh were on the starting 15 in the Division Two final while Eimear was introduced in the second half and scored two valuable points.

All five girls are daughters of former Wexford hurler Teddy O’Connor. There were numerous links with past players – one of which was Ciara Storey, daughter of Martin who brought the McCarthy Cup to Wexford in 1996, while Evelyn Quigley if daughter of Dan Quigley.