Corn Uan Uladh final
St Patrick’s, Maghera v St Killian’s, Garron Tower
(Sunday, the Dub Arena, 1pm)
FOR the third successive Ulster senior schools’ camogie final, the line-up is St Patrick’s, Maghera v St Killian’s, Garron Tower with the Antrim side still in search of their first-ever Corn Uan Uladh and Maghera aiming to stretch their record haul to 20 titles.
The schools have also met in the junior final for Corn Eimhear for the past two seasons and therefore are becoming very familiar with each other.
Nevertheless, it is quite an achievement for St Killian’s to reach this level of competition, given that they have one of the smallest panels of players in senior camogie and rely heavily on the Ruairí óg Club in Cushendall. Eleven from the current Antrim minor champions started the semi-final against St Louis', Ballymena, with two more coming in as second-half substitutes.
Just four of the Tower girls played in last year’s final against Maghera – Laura and Tamara Black and Eva and Kady McNeill – while eight started the junior decider in November.
By contrast, St Patrick’s have 10 from last year’s starting team available, including Cáit Conway, who broke her collarbone in that final and missed most of the first half of 2024.
She then picked up a second long-term injury at the end of the summer and missed Swatragh’s run to the provincial senior club final. However, Conway came into the semi-final with Cross & Passion a week before Christmas as a substitute and should be available for the decider.
Younger sister Eimear put in a fine performance in that semi-final, as did Swatragh team-mates Aoife McWilliams, Eimear Murray, Mary-Therese McCullagh and Emma Quinn. Indeed the Maghera attack is very strong, with last year’s QUB GAA Player of the Match Grace Kelly, Bellaghy ace Caoimhe Chambers and Aoibh Mulholland, who was one of the finds of the season for Slaughtneil seniors.
There is a lot of experience in the Maghera team overall and St Killian’s will need to have a lot of ball running for them in the final if they are to break through their glass ceiling.
Nevertheless, Laura Black and Méabh McAlister in defence, the McNeills in midfield and Amy McAlister up front are all skilful hurlers and will challenge the Derry side.
Incidentally, St Killian’s have beaten Maghera in the group stages over each of the past three seasons, but so far have come up short in the showpiece final. Can they make it third time lucky?
The more likely outcome, however, is that Maghera will continue their dominance of the competition and move on to challenge for what the Derry school really craves – a breakthrough All-Ireland success.
